New consultancy warns UK businesses buying AI licenses without strategy

Boxtree Consulting, a new consultancy firm, stated today that British businesses are mistaken if they believe purchasing AI licenses constitutes an AI strategy. The firm argues that companies stopping at this step are failing to capture potential annual savings that could amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds.

According to Boxtree's founder, Max Pardo-Roques, many executives report implementing AI. However, a closer look often reveals only individual productivity gains from a handful of licenses, not a company-wide transformation. Pardo-Roques emphasized that significant savings lie in automating manual processes currently consuming substantial staff time.

The consultancy applies Lean methodology, derived from the Toyota Production System, to identify manual business processes suitable for AI automation. This includes tasks such as invoice checking, data entry, and scheduling. Boxtree Consulting guarantees that each engagement will be cost-neutral within its first year and aims for a five-to-one return on investment.

Boxtree Consulting criticizes the common approach of starting with technology and then seeking use cases. Their model begins with identifying processes and their associated value, automating only where financial projections are strong. This focus allows them to guarantee cost-neutrality.

Operating from Birmingham, Boxtree Consulting serves sectors including manufacturing, logistics, and professional services. Pardo-Roques compares the current AI adoption phase to the introduction of Lean 25 years ago, where specialized implementation firms were crucial for achieving deep-seated change.