How a UK Retailer Created a Clear AI Roadmap and Turned Automation Into ROI

A Retailer Looking for Smarter Ways to Work

This retailer has always been about delivering joy, helping customers find the perfect toy, making shopping easy, and staying ahead in a fast-moving retail world.

Like most retailers, they knew AI and automation could help them work faster, save money, and make life easier for their teams. But where do you even start?

They didn’t want to throw money at AI just because everyone else was doing it. They wanted a real strategy, one that actually made sense for their business. 

The Challenge: Disconnected Systems & Unclear Strategy

Their tech setup wasn’t built for growth. They were dealing with:

• Data silos everywhere – Valuable insights were trapped in disconnected systems, making decision-making slow and frustrating.
• Messy integrations – Their systems were patched together with quick fixes that didn’t scale.
• Finance teams drowning in manual work – Instead of focusing on strategy, they were stuck processing data and fixing errors.
• No clear AI game plan – They knew AI could help, but there was no roadmap for where to start or what to prioritise.

They needed clarity, direction, and a plan that actually worked.

The AIPD Framework

At Ignite AI Partners, we don’t believe in adding AI for the sake of it. We figure out where it will actually make a difference, then build a strategy around that.

To do that, we ran this retailer through our AIPD framework, a deep-dive diagnosis into how their business works and where AI and automation could add the most value.

Instead of just looking at spreadsheets and dashboards, we got hands-on:

• Walking the floors – Seeing their operations in action.
• Talking to teams – Understanding their pain points firsthand.
• Digging into the data – Spotting patterns, bottlenecks, and opportunities.

By the end of it, we had a crystal-clear picture of where they could get the most bang for their buck with AI.

The Diagnosis: What We Uncovered

We mapped out their biggest AI and automation opportunities, and here’s what we found:

• They needed a single, connected data platform – No more digging through different systems to find answers.
• Finance teams were losing time on repetitive tasks – Automating these would free them up for more strategic work.
• Their tech architecture needed a refresh – Moving to an API-driven setup would make their systems work together, instead of against each other.
• Their team needed AI training – Because having AI is one thing, but knowing how to use it is another.
• They needed AI policies and governance – To make sure AI was used responsibly, securely, and in a way that benefited both employees and customers.

The Roadmap: Turning Insights Into Action

With all this in mind, we built a step-by-step game plan for this retailer’s AI journey:

• Fix the foundations first – Improve data management, clean up integrations, and get their systems talking to each other.
• Start with quick wins – Automate finance processes to save time and money straight away.
• Build AI skills in-house – Train their teams so they feel confident using AI, not intimidated by it.
• Set up long-term AI policies – So they’re always using AI in a way that’s ethical, secure, and actually useful.

Now, instead of guessing what AI might do for them, they’ve got a clear, focused plan on how to actually make it work.

The Success: What This Means for The Retailer

This whole process helped them:

• Cut through the confusion – No more uncertainty about AI. Now, they know exactly where to focus.
• Find real opportunities – They’re not wasting money on AI that doesn’t fit their business.
• Make data work for them – Instead of sifting through messy reports, they’ll have instant, actionable insights.
• Prepare for long-term success – With a solid foundation, they can roll out AI in a way that grows with them.

What’s next? They’re now:

• Reviewing roadmap activities for 2025
• Exploring AI for marketing, supply chain, and customer experience
• Building smarter workflows with automation
• *Developing AI training programs for employees – While training was identified as a key priority in the roadmap, they’ve not specifically asked us for it. 

What This Means for You

If your business is stuck with slow systems, disconnected data, or uncertainty about AI, you’re not alone.

Just imagine…

• A system that connects all your data in one place, so you always have the full picture and a single source of truth.
• Finance processes that run themselves, freeing up your team for more important work.
• AI tools that actually help you make better business decisions, not just add complexity.
• A workforce that’s AI-ready, trained to use automation in ways that make their jobs easier.

At Ignite AI Partners, we help businesses figure out what AI can actually do for them and then make it happen.