Promotion Optimization Institute (POI) Fall Summit
The Promotion Optimization Institute (POI) Fall Summit is a premier event that gathers industry leaders, innovators, and experts to explore the latest advancements in trade promotion, sales optimization, and consumer engagement. Held in Dallas this year, the summit brought together thought leaders from across the Consumer Goods industry to share insights and network with peers.
Aforza was proud to participate in this year’s summit, represented by two of our key team members: Ed Butterworth, Co-Founder & Chief Commercial Officer, and Callum Fitzpatrick, Product Marketing Manager. The event provided a fantastic opportunity to connect with customers, showcase our newest solutions, and stay at the forefront of industry trends.
In this blog, we’ll dive into Aforza’s top three highlights from the event.
1. Showcasing Ava to the POI Community
One of the most exciting moments for Aforza at the summit was the launch of Ava, Aforza’s Vertical AI.
Ava is the world’s top Commercial Excellence Coach, boosting productivity & smarter decisions in every use case. Built exclusively for the Consumer Goods industry, Ava is more than just an AI – she’s a colleague who understands your business inside and out.
Ava dives deep into real use cases relevant to industry personas, providing tailored insights and recommendations. Whether you’re in sales, marketing, or operations, Ava is there to guide you, making your work smarter and more efficient.
What Makes Ava a Game-Changer?
Built on Google Cloud and Salesforce, Aforza delivers enterprise-grade solutions designed for the Consumer Goods industry. This powerful foundation enables Ava to deliver high-performance, scalable solutions across every channel.
On top of this world-class platform, Ava is empowered by specialized Vertical AI agents in planning, ordering, visiting, and promotions, all tailored to drive effective commercial planning and execution. The Business Process Library enhances her capabilities with deep, industry-specific insights, ensuring she understands the critical use cases that matter to your team. Through the Studio Marketplace, Ava connects to a vast ecosystem, allowing her to act on visual intelligence and adapt seamlessly to evolving business needs.
Ava’s enterprise-grade support empowers CPG teams with precise, 24/7 guidance on pricing, promotions, and assortment decisions, making her an essential partner in achieving business growth.
During the summit, attendees had the opportunity to see Ava in action, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The launch was met with enthusiasm from both existing customers and industry peers who recognized the potential impact of AI-driven optimization on their business outcomes.
Reference: POI guests were able to meet Ava at the event
2. Meeting Customers & Industry Peers
The POI Fall Summit is not just about showcasing new products but also about building meaningful relationships. For Ed Butterworth and Callum Fitzpatrick, the event was an excellent platform for reconnecting with existing customers and establishing new connections with industry peers.
Reference: Aforza meeting industry peers
The Value of Face-to-Face Interactions
In the Consumer Goods industry, where customer needs are constantly evolving, there’s no substitute for in-person conversations. Meeting face-to-face allowed us to gain deeper insights into our customers’ current challenges and gather valuable feedback on how Aforza’s solutions are being used in the field. These discussions are critical in helping us refine our offerings and align them with the evolving demands of the market.
Beyond our current customer base, the summit also opened doors for exciting new partnership opportunities, allowing us to expand our network and explore potential collaborations that could drive innovation in the industry.
3. Sharing Industry Thought Leadership
A key highlight of the POI Fall Summit is its role as a hub for thought leadership in Vertical AI, Trade Promotions, Sales Performance and Digital Transformation. The summit featured numerous talks and panel discussions that covered a wide range of topics, from AI-driven consumer engagement to optimizing trade investments in a challenging economic landscape.
From exploring the potential of AI in trade optimization to rethinking consumer engagement strategies, the summit offered a comprehensive view of where the industry is heading. It reaffirmed the critical role that digital solutions play in staying competitive and highlighted the importance of continuous learning and adaptation.
Reference: Aforza Product Marketing Manager, Callum Fitzpatrick, gives a talk to the Fall Summit attendees
Callum Fitzpatrick, Aforza’s Product Marketing Manager, also gave a high-impact Lightning Talk on Ava and how the world’s top Commercial Excellence Coach boosts productivity & smarter decisions in every use case.
An Opportunity to Connect
The POI Fall Summit in Dallas was a resounding success for Aforza. From showcasing Ava to engaging with customers and participating in thought leadership discussions, the event provided invaluable opportunities to learn, share, and connect. Our presence at the summit underscored our commitment to driving innovation in the consumer goods industry.
As we look ahead to 2024, Aforza remains dedicated to boosting productivity & driving smarter decisions with Vertical AI solutions that enable our customers to optimize their trade promotions and drive growth. Events like the POI Summit play a crucial role in keeping us at the forefront of industry developments, ensuring that we continue to deliver value to our customers.
If you would like to meet us at a future event, or you were unable to attend but still want to connect, get in touch via the form below!