In 2023, Darmesh Shah’s INBOUND keynote introduced us to the transformative potential of AI in business, outlining how it could revolutionize industries by augmenting human creativity and streamlining processes. Fast forward to 2024, and the conversation shifted towards practical implementation through AI agents capable of automating workflows across sales, marketing, and service departments. These agents represent a shift from AI as a conceptual innovation to one that is deeply integrated into day-to-day operations.
At its core, AI has evolved from a distant concept to an accessible, practical tool. AI now help businesses analyze vast amounts of data, optimize conversion rates, streamline customer research, and improve operational efficiency across departments. This marks a clear transition from AI being an enhancement to a critical player in business success.
Read: The Future of AI in Business: Dharmesh Shah's INBOUND23 Keynote
AI’s integration into Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools such as HubSpot has revolutionised how businesses manage customer interactions, turning data into actionable insights that help teams optimise their outreach. For instance, AI agents can access the HubSpot Smart CRM to automate data-driven decision-making. Sales reps no longer need to spend hours manually researching leads or tracking customer behavior. Instead, these tasks are handled in seconds by AI-powered agents, allowing sales teams to focus on relationship-building and closing deals.
Marketing teams benefit from AI-driven optimization tools, such as the conversion rate optimizer, which scans a company’s website and recommends changes that increase visitor engagement and conversions. In the realm of customer service, AI agents help by pulling together insights across interactions to provide fast, efficient support.
As partners based in Trinidad and Tobago, we've noticed that businesses in the, especially in Trinidad, have been slow to adopt emerging technologies. The hesitation to embrace AI and CRM tools like HubSpot is holding back businesses from optimising their operations, improving customer experiences, and driving growth. In a world where sales, marketing, and service processes are becoming more automated and data-driven, staying behind puts businesses at a serious disadvantage.
While the global market accelerates in integrating AI, there’s still time for companies in our region to catch up. As Darmesh wisely noted in his 2024 keynote, “We can't just go to where the puck is; we have to go to where the puck is going." The future is here, and the businesses that embrace AI, not just in theory but in practice, will be the ones that thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape.
As a growing HubSpot partner, we ourselves are learning how to apply AI in our business and for our clients. The transformation AI brings has allowed us to move beyond traditional methods of managing sales, marketing, and service, helping us drive more strategic decisions for our clients. Whether it's automating customer research, streamlining marketing workflows, or implementing data-driven service models, AI has become a core part of how we help clients grow.
However, it’s not without its challenges. In a region where technology adoption is slow, the reluctance to embrace AI can be frustrating. We see the potential, and part of our role as consultants is to help demystify these tools for our clients. Whether they are familiar with AI or new to the concept, our goal is to show how these technologies can fill the gaps in their business and unlock new levels of growth.
Darmesh’s keynotes from 2023 and 2024 serve as a reminder that AI is not just the future; it’s the present. And while businesses in the Caribbean may be slower to adopt these technologies, the opportunity to catch up is still within reach.
AI is here to enhance human potential—not replace it. It’s time for businesses in Trinidad, Tobago, and the wider Caribbean to take advantage of these tools, especially as sales, marketing, and service industries become more data-driven and automated.
For us, as partners, it’s about leading the way by implementing these tools in our business and showing the tangible benefits to our clients. The gap may seem large, but by embracing AI today, Caribbean businesses can position themselves for long-term success.
The future of AI in CRM, sales, marketing, and service is clear—it’s transforming the way businesses operate. As HubSpot partners, we are at the forefront of this shift, learning and applying AI solutions that drive growth.
The challenge is to ensure that the Caribbean, particularly businesses in Trinidad and Tobago, do not get left behind in this transformation. The world is moving forward, and with the right tools, we can too. Let's not just keep up with the world, let’s aim to lead it.