Invited by Paula and Fotios at Coca-Cola to open the company's first in person summit since the COVID-19 pandemic began, for more than 200 leaders and partners from across EMEA and CEEMA.
Matthew GriffinFounder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
G7 · G20governments advised
850+keynotes
102countries
17codexes
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Paula and Fotios at Coca-Cola asked Matthew to give the opening keynote at the company's first in person summit since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Because of earlier travel commitments he joined virtually, from a virtual bar "down the road". His session, which he titled Cheers to the Future, was for more than 200 Coca-Cola leaders and partners from across EMEA and CEEMA.
The brief was to explore the future of different parts of Coca-Cola's business, from customer service and supply chains to the future of occasions for its premium spirits teams.
"We examined the future of logistics and turned it into a revenue generator rather than a cost centre."Matthew Griffin, Virtual, October 2022
On customer service, Matthew discussed the rise of automated intelligent bots and digital humans, and the emergence of conversational AI and AI coaching systems. He then ran through some of the large system level shifts that are making an already VUCA world even more so.
On supply chains, he focused on cost control, resilience and transparency, and showed how the company could produce products locally, collapsing some of its existing supply chains. From there he moved to energy self-sufficiency and solutions to water scarcity, and showed how logistics could become a revenue generator rather than a cost centre.
He closed by looking at how combinations of new technologies can change and enhance occasions and the customer experience, leaving the leadership team with a view of the business that ran from the factory to the moment of consumption.
311 Intelligence
What this means for your leadership team
Logistics can earn, not just cost.
Most firms treat logistics as an expense to cut. The session argued it can become a revenue generator when local production, energy self-sufficiency and water solutions are planned together. Leaders should test where their own supply chain could earn.
Service is shifting to machines.
Automated intelligent bots and digital humans are changing how customers reach a company. Robo customer service is already in use and rated Act now, while digital humans are rated Explore, with wide use expected by 2035. Teams need a plan for which cases stay with people.
Plan from factory to consumption.
The session ended with one view of the business, from the factory to the moment of consumption. Flattening supply chains is rated Explore, with wide use expected by 2032. Water scarcity is rated Act now, with demand on course to outstrip supply by 40% by 2030.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
Which parts of our logistics could earn revenue instead of costing money?
Where would local production shorten or remove our existing supply chains?
Which customer service cases should always stay with a person?
The trends and technologies behind this session
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
It suggests that cost centres such as logistics deserve a second look. Combining local production, energy self-sufficiency and water solutions can turn them into revenue generators. It also asks leaders to join up service, supply and customer experience in one plan.
How do flattening supply chains relate to this session?
Matthew showed how a company could produce locally and collapse some existing supply chains. 311 rates Flattening Supply Chains as Explore, with wide use expected by 2032, driven by 3D printing, electrification and chip integration.
How does robo customer service relate to this session?
The session covered the rise of automated intelligent bots and digital humans in customer service. 311 rates Robo Customer Service as Act now, with wide use expected by 2024, and humans handling the harder cases.
How can 311 brief our leadership team on this?
311 offers a private executive briefing or leadership workshop, tailored to your sector, in person first.
Bring this to your leadership teamA private executive briefing or leadership workshop, tailored to your sector. In person first, anywhere in the world.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s session and 311 data.
If Matthew gave this session today
Hundreds of megatrends and microtrends, in one codex.
The 311 Institute Annual Trends Codex maps the hundreds of megatrends and microtrends shaping the world. For a drinks business, it puts the shifts in customer service, supply chains, energy and water this session covered in one place.
