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Identifying the missing sales link in digital transformation By Thomas Othax, CEO, Packitoo
credit-risk memo process, resulting in up to 60 per cent productivity gains and 30 per cent faster decision making.
For an industry that requires increased speed to market, agentic AI could therefore bridge the gap between brand owners’ expectations and internal sales teams navigating the complexity of quote generation. Moreover, agentic AI might be the solution to alleviate simple challenges, such as track customers for resupplies, quotes, samples and approvals.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE QUOTING PROCESS
A
lan Kay, an American computer scientist, famously said that ‘the best way to predict the future is to invent it’. In November 2022, OpenAI cracked the case, releasing ChatGPT-3.5, and changed our world forever. Moreover, GenAI is now the fastest technology adoption by both businesses and consumers alike, surpassing all previous breakthroughs, such as the internet and smartphones. Now, we question everything – whether AI helped us write an article, edit an image, or create a video.
But when talking to packaging converters, something isn’t quite clicking for them. There’s clear excitement, but even though the information is there for the taking, they don’t know what to do with it or how to use it to their advantage.
And here’s the thing: while everyone agrees that investment in AI and automation technology is now necessary to stay ahead of the competition, most are still only focusing on production optimisation and higher throughput from machinery. It’s familiar territory for them, while AI is the exact opposite.
Successful converters now have a holistic approach. They understand that to unlock the full potential of their organisation, Industry 4.0 starts with Sales 4.0. Meaning that they also must invest in an effi cient sales operating system
that aligns with a commitment to customer satisfaction; connected to the MIS/ERP world, deployed with lean and structured processes. With the constant price fluctuations of raw materials and many industry layoffs being made during a time of swift CEO switching and industry downturn, it’s understandable why key players are simply burying their heads in the sand. Between protecting margins and navigating complex pricing agreements for customers, the packaging industry needs to find a way to bounce back – and that lifeline, or missing link, could be through AI driven sales processes and agentic AI.
THE AGE OF AGENTIC AI
The explosive growth of agentic AI (AI that can set goals, make decisions and take actions on its own) across enterprise business models has been powerful. While the market was in its infancy period at 7.06 billion USD in 2025, it’s projected to grow an impressive 44.6 per cent by 2032 to 93.2 billion USD, primarily due to a fundamental shift towards implementing intelligent software agents. A recent McKinsey article cited several use cases where agentic AI has freed up employee time, for instance a large bank experienced a 50 per cent reduction in time and effort when implementing agent-led modernisation, while a retail bank used AI agents to reinvent the
While sales representatives in the packaging industry are already using GenAI to prepare or summarise meeting notes, very few are using it as part of their core business process: quoting. Imagine if they could be autonomous in most cases, providing professional quotes during meetings, get insights on where and when they can safely increase margins – taking into account customer segmentation, market fluctuations (such as raw material shortage) and geographical competition? If Uber can adjust the price of a ride, based on the user’s speed to type on their smartphone on a busy weekend, why would packaging converters be unable to adjust prices based on economical contexts and variables? When nearly 50 per cent of B2B orders are won by the supplier who responds first, corrugated and folding carton converters need to act quickly and safely to secure business and margins. Using an AI-powered configure, price, quote (CPQ) tool that enables the use of AI agents and utilises dynamic pricing structure is therefore a clear competitive advantage. Truthfully, if every quote sent out was based on robust statistical models, automated analyses and consistent internal rules, sales representatives would feel empowered to sell more, and better. Here’s the kicker: agentic AI won’t replace your sales teams, but a competitor using AI- driven technology just might. For those that need to bounce back from a challenging period, it’s now time to adopt a modern, efficient and sustainable sales process as part of your digital transformation journey.
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February 2026
www.convertermag.com
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