I want to introduce an automated routing tool to our operations team to cut down on service delivery times, but they are highly resistant to new technology. How do I pitch this change without turning it into a debate about machine learning?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To get your operations team aligned on a new automation tool, you must change how you pitch the project. If you present this as an artificial intelligence or machine learning initiative, your team will likely become defensive, worry about their job security, or get bogged down in technical debates.

Never sell the technology itself. Instead, frame the project entirely as an operational improvement that will make their daily jobs easier and eliminate frustration. Focus on the concrete business outcomes, such as reducing service delivery times or eliminating double entry.

When discussing this initiative with your leadership team and staff, follow these communication rules:
- Frame the project as a simple operations improvement project rather than an AI project.
- Focus on how the tool will free up team members from repetitive, low value tasks.
- Highlight the specific metrics on your Scorecard that this change will improve.
- Mention the underlying machine learning technology only as a minor technical footnote.

By focusing on the operational benefits and keeping the technology invisible, you eliminate the fear and friction associated with technical change. Your team will embrace the tool because they see it as a solution to their daily operational headaches rather than an expensive technical experiment.