A Better Way to Plan: AI, Automation and Clear KPIs
Most annual plans don’t fail because the ideas are bad. They fail because day-to-day chaos wins.
Recently, our Senior Project Manager, Marcela, joined an AI, Automation & Annual Planning workshop in Colombia to steal a few practical ways to plan better, deliver smoother, and protect profitability.
And the timing couldn’t have been better. Here are her thoughts.
Planning doesn’t have to be chaotic
As Senior Project Manager at Squashed Pixel, I work closely with our co-founder and operations team. So, anything that helps improve planning, delivery, communication, and profitability immediately catches my attention.
For ecommerce teams, “planning” usually means juggling trading, stock, site changes, CX, and a hundred urgent requests. So, it was really useful to see how different teams are using AI and simple operating rhythms to reduce busywork, make decisions faster, and protect profitability. Here are 3 lessons that stood out:
Lesson 1: AI in action
First, we dove into how agencies are actually using AI beyond the hype. What made it really valuable were the honest stories from agency founders, sharing real examples of both challenges and results. We also got hands-on insights into tools like Grantbot, Klaviyo, and Rivo , with practical ideas we could take back to the team immediately. It wasn’t theory, it was real, actionable stuff we could actually use.
If you’re a brand team, the best starting point is one repeatable workflow (support, reporting, QA, merchandising checks), with an owner and a simple “time saved” measure.
Lesson 2: Making goals measurable
Next we focused on operations and KPIs - how agency goals can be translated into structured, measurable systems. Simple, meaningful KPIs and clear ownership can create alignment without bureaucracy.
This is what stops annual plans becoming a slide deck: fewer KPIs, clearer owners, and a rhythm that actually holds when trading gets busy.
Lesson 3: Building a marketing engine
We then covered BAU (business-as-usual) marketing, the content systems that keep agencies visible and provide them with a strong, scalable foundation. After mapping out hero campaigns for the year, with supporting content to feed BAU, we had a clear plan that actually felt achievable.
For brands, this looks like agreeing your BAU cadence (email, paid, onsite) and planning hero moments early enough that stock, creative, and ops aren’t left scrambling.
Key takeaways
Here’s what I’m bringing back to Squashed Pixel:
Operationalise AI: Tie it to real processes and measurable outcomes (e.g. support triage, reporting, QA, brief writing).
Clarity beats complexity: Meaningful KPIs and clear ownership keep teams aligned.
Plan to protect profitability: Better forecasting and tighter reporting reduce surprises.
BAU + hero campaigns: Consistency keeps visibility; hero moments drive momentum.
Community matters: Openly sharing wins and struggles accelerates learning.
Final thoughts
This was my first EAG workshop, and I’m leaving with a clear picture of what “better” looks like in 2026, not just in theory, but in practical systems we can implement.
And yes, we had fun.
Alongside the sessions, we enjoyed Colombian food, a walk through the walled city, a Chiva party bus, a cooking class, and even salsa dancing in the street. And, since it happened to be my birthday, what better present could I have asked for than learning, exploring, and celebrating with this amazing group.
The best workshops aren’t just about the sessions, they’re about the people you share them with.
