Five years ago, I watched a programme—something like Tomorrow’s World. It showcased incredible innovations that could transform the way we live in the future.
It had taken into account all sorts of new possibilities from AI. But one presentation in particular caught my attention: the potential use of AI to make Christmas easier for the people who organise it.
Now, this struck a chord with me. For nearly four decades, I’ve been the one managing all things Christmas. From buying, writing, and posting Christmas cards to planning gifts months in advance, pre-ordering, wrapping, distributing, and catering to everyone’s dietary requirements for Christmas dinners – it’s a monumental task (yes, I’m a mum).
BUT there was a new thing to help me. An AI-enabled Christmas Manager that uses intelligence based on the ages of my loved ones and friends, and did everything – it ordered gifts, food and organised delivery, it even diarised when to decorate the house for Christmas.
It sounded fabulous! But it wasn’t market-ready, it couldn’t be bought, and it was just illustrating AI possibilities.
Fast forward five years, and I found myself walking into a well-known store. I could hardly believe it.
There, right in front of me was a huge display of Christmas Managers. The answer to my annual problems!
Curious, I spoke to the assistant at the stand. She provided a detailed demo, explained the warranty, and even gave me a helpline number for support. There was also a handy little booklet full of tips for making the most of my investment.
This company had bought the Intellectual Property, developed it into a user-friendly product, secured funding to bring it to market, and backed it with guarantees and customer support.
So, I picked one up and walked straight out of the store.
The shop assistant, outraged, showed me where I was meant to pay.
“Oh no,” I replied. “I don’t have to pay—I had prior knowledge.”
Sound familiar? This scenario is surprisingly common in recruitment. Alison has helped countless clients tackle challenges like this head-on, conducting thorough reviews of growth plans, risks, and processes. As a result, her clients haven’t just retained placements—they’ve increased profitability by an impressive 500% over four years.
Alison Humphries is a highly experienced MD and NED, with 35 years at the top of the recruitment sector. She advises directors and owners of recruitment businesses on strategy, finance, sales and management to maximise performance, enter new markets, prepare for sale and work more efficiently.
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