Discovering and scaling Generative AI together with PostNL
How people and technology came together in a lab
Generative AI (GenAI) is the topic of conversation, but how do we use it?
The situation
Dutch company PostNL has been in business for over 225 years, which reflects their ability to transform and adapt to the ever-changing needs and preferences of their customers and take courageous steps to innovate. The company strives to be the “favorite deliverer in, from and to the Benelux” by delivering a distinctive customer and consumer experience. "Generative AI is a promising technology and we felt that GenAI could help us realize our ambitions in growth and innovation. This technology will help us optimize processes, make our colleagues' work more efficient and enjoyable and improve our services towards customers. We looked for a partner who could help us structure and organize the knowledge and insights we needed." says Bram Tilmanns, Program Director of Generative AI at PostNL. PostNL approached their long-time collaborator, Deloitte Netherlands to develop a plan to dive into the opportunities and possibilities of using this new technology responsibly.
"Deloitte Netherlands’ approach focused on delivering value fast and it comprised of three streams. Value delivery to create buy-in by showcasing the potential value of GenAI through the discovery, prioritization and development of a number of GenAI proofs of concept (POCs ). To accelerate organizational change, developed a vision of the organizational structure, governance and change needed to accelerate GenAI adoption at PostNL. And finally, a stream called Guide Future Technology; providing advice on technology relationships, including with PostNL's cloud provider , to accelerate, orchestrate and integrate GenAI into their technical landscape." says Morris Boermann, Senior Manager, Deloitte Netherlands.
PostNL already had its ethical framework to work with AI — introducing GenAI required a renewed take on this. "This new technology needed guardrails to make sure PostNL employees could use it in a reliable, trustworthy and transparent manner. We drew up risk checklists and we enriched existing lists. For instance, consumers need to be aware when they interact with an AI system. In itself this is a simple check, but it needs to be embedded in the risk frameworks to ensure that the company complies with regulations." says Naser Bakhshi, partner, Deloitte Netherlands.
Deloitte and PostNL: Discovering and scaling GenAI together
Prototyping, proofs of concept, and simulation games: just like the real thing.
The solve
Deloitte Netherlands hosted a GenAI lab for PostNL leadership. This lab is a site for client events and collaboration, offering a whole tool kit of collaborative hackathons, labs and design sprints. The objective is to help clients identify GenAI possibilities and co-create tangible concepts to integrate this technology. This approach triggered interest in assessing the potential of GenAI for enabling the company’s goals. Fast prototyping showcased the discovery, prioritization and development of multiple POCs. Answering questions like:
- How can we leverage GenAI as a competitive advantage in delivering our ambitions?
- Are there new ways to make operations more efficient?
- How can we reduce costs?
These POCs resulted in 60 to 80 percent of resolution within six weeks. They were produced together with the PostNL developers within the company, and then scaled up and delivered by PostNL themselves. Simulation games were organized to determine if a proof of concept could work in real life. Based on a specific use case, stakeholders were identified and invited to join. Stakeholders could interact with the simulated processes as if these were already developed and deployed. This allowed testing to determine if the risk elements were addressed properly and if there were any gaps left to cover.
Data quality is paramount in designing reliable GenAI solutions to avoid the classic 'garbage in, garbage out' pitfall. Also, there is a significant correlation between the quality of the data and the level of GenAI adoption by colleagues. Another important factor in creating a successful use case is paying attention to the human factor. Listening to people and asking, what do you do daily? Which elements of your work are repetitive? Which parts would you like to be different? "A good solution is a human solution. GenAI should not be about replacing people by technology, it should be about people benefiting from technology. Then the sales managers or the service teams can add value by focusing on things that demand human attention."
“It is of utmost importance to implement AI solutions that are reliable, trustworthy, and transparent”
"A good solution is a human solution. GenAI should not be about replacing people by technology, it should be about people benefiting from technology. Then the sales managers or the service teams can add value by focusing on things that demand human attention."
Deloitte uses three lenses to approach initiatives like these POCs, and ask is it desirable? Is it feasible? Is it viable? This is a way to prioritize what is right and what you need to do tomorrow. When thinking of a GenAI solution, start with the people who should use it.
More tips for companies considering GenAI adoption:-
-Secure executive sponsorship
-Start small, fail fast
-Talk to teams and colleagues to find out which parts of their work are repetitive or boring
-Develop solutions around these concerns
-Learn, improve and then scale your successes
The impact
As a result of this approach, PostNL now shows clear executive sponsorship for GenAI as a key topic for the organization. A taskforce was set up to accelerate the adoption of GenAI in the short term, which will be evaluated after twelve months. The taskforce is instructed to create continued value through delivery of additional POCs, as well as establishing skills and ways of working with GenAI. Deloitte Netherland’s lab has opened a new perspective to future-proof PostNL.
A promising journey has started
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