Our competitors are all licensing the same off-the-shelf AI tools and claiming they offer the same speed we do. How do we define our Three Uniques on our V/TO® when our technology stack is no longer a barrier to entry?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

If anyone can license the same software for a monthly fee, the software itself is not a differentiator. It is simply table stakes. To win in this environment, you must look beyond your tech stack to define your Three Uniques on the V/TO. Your Three Uniques are the combination of three things that no competitor can match. When AI commoditizes execution, your differentiators must focus on your proprietary data, your custom integration, or your relationship model. This is where you find true defensibility. Consider how you combine your human expertise with your automated processes. Your first unique might be your proprietary database of historical project data that public AI models cannot access. Your second unique could be your guaranteed turnaround time backed by automated validation workflows. Your third unique might be your high-touch strategic advisory model, where human consultants use AI-generated insights to provide deep business planning. To define these clearly, gather your leadership team and run an IDS session around your marketing strategy. Ask yourselves: what do we do that a competitor cannot replicate simply by buying a software subscription? Once you identify these three distinct factors, document them on your V/TO. This forces your sales and marketing teams to stop selling the technology and start selling the unique, high-value outcomes that only your business can deliver.