Why Over 90% of AI Pilots Fail, and What Wholesale Distribution Can Learn From It

What do college football, tariffs, and AI pilots gone wrong have in common?In this week’s Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton connect cultural trends, economic contradictions, and digital transformation in wholesale distribution. From the E³ Model (Experience, Efficiency, Effectiveness) to LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ and the failure rate of corporate AI pilots, this episode explores why distributors must move from siloed data to customer intelligence platforms that drive real growth.What You’ll LearnWhy redefining CRM as a Customer Enablement Tool changes adoption and ROIHow tariff extensions and Liberation Day shifts affect supply chain planningWhy most AI pilot projects fail, and how to avoid repeating their mistakesHow the hidden buyer phenomenon is reshaping B2B purchasing decisionsWhy customer experience investment will be the biggest trend in 2026Episode Highlights:03:55 – College football, NIL money, and how it parallels short-term vs. long-term strategy in distribution 12:40 – LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ and why CRM reimagined means measurable outcomes 22:05 – Breaking down GDP growth: why a 3.3% headline hides real 1.6% growth 31:48 – Tariffs beyond China: Liberation Day shocks for Southeast Asia supply chains 42:15 – The E³ Model: Experience, Efficiency, and Effectiveness as the new playbook 53:02 – Why 95% of AI pilots fail and how to set success criteria 01:04:18 – Invisible influencers: the hidden buyers shaping B2B decisions 01:19:50 – Customer experience as the driver—not the byproduct—of transactionsTools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ – AI-enabled CRM + customer intelligence platformGeniusFeed – AI-driven smart alerts for repsE³ Model – Experience, Efficiency, Effectiveness as growth pillarsAgentic AI Workflows – AI-driven automation with expert oversightHidden Revenue Detection – surfacing untapped opportunities in ERP/eCommerce dataClosing Insight:“If you have siloed data, you have siloed AI. The winners will unify data to make supply chains resilient and future-proof.” – Kevin BrownLeave a Review: Help us grow by sharing your thoughts on the show.Learn more about the LeadSmart AI B2B Sales Platform: https://www.leadsmarttech.com/Join the conversation each week on LinkedIn Live.Want even more insight to the stories we discuss each week? Subscribe to the Around The Horn Newsletter.You can also hear the podcast and other excellent content on our YouTube Channel.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok.