About a year ago, we wrote about how CROSSMARK was embracing AI and what it might mean for the future of field marketing. Back then AI felt new, exciting and more than little experimental.
Fast forward to today and just like in so many areas of our lives AI is no longer just a concept we’re exploring. It’s getting embedded across our operations to help drive better outcomes for our clients every single day.
Here’s a look at what’s changed since our last blog on AI.
Instant support for field teams - AI chatbots as “always-on managers”
One of the most powerful shifts has been our move to roll out AI chatbots embedded in our latest version of Storetrack to support our field teams in real time. Whether it’s answering a quick employment question, coaching through a tricky sales objection, or even providing tailored recommendations on the spot, the tech acts like having a manager alongside our field teams on every call. It’s fast, practical and helping our people perform with more confidence and consistency.
Real-time visit coaching
We’ve moved beyond static playbooks. AI can now actively supporting visits in real time, giving reps live guidance as they engage in store. Imagine a coach whispering in your ear, reinforcing the right behaviours, or suggesting the best response to an objection, reminding you of tasks / actions. No longer just wishful thinking but actually in testing right now. The result is sharper execution, better equipped field teams and stronger outcomes for brands and retailers.
Smarter training & advocacy
It’s not just our own teams who are benefiting. We’re using interactive AI tools to engage and train store staff directly, enabling them to demonstrate product knowledge and build genuine advocacy. This has transformed traditional training into something dynamic, responsive, and far more memorable helping products cut through where it matters most. AI driven voice interactions through bespoke chatbots with tailored customer profiles specific to a retailer and product driving the learning outcomes in store that matter most to each brand.
Storetrack reporting – from hours to minutes to seconds
We’ve also embedded AI directly into Storetrack, our in-house sales force management and reporting platform. What once could take hours of manual analysis now takes minutes. AI helps summarise activity, highlight trends, and generate recommendations almost instantly, freeing our people to focus on action rather than admin.
Raising the bar on quality control
Another exciting development is in how AI is helping drive quality control. One of the challenges with QC has been the sheer volume of data and photos that come in from the field, hours if not days could be spent reviewing them. We’re training AI models to QC photos in real time as they’re uploaded. Scanning for accuracy, compliance and clarity at scale and almost instantly. This means issues are spotted faster, volumes can be managed more effectively and the feedback loop to clients is tighter than ever.
Vision AI with Pensa
As we recently announced, we’ve partnered with Pensa Systems to bring Vision AI into the Australian market. This adds a new layer of insight by tracking distribution, shelf share, and execution in channels that have historically been “dark”. Combined with our other AI initiatives, it paints a much clearer picture of retail reality and helps us direct resources with precision. We've written a full article on Pensa, HERE.
What’s next?
AI continues to develop at pace, and it’s clear this technology will reshape huge parts of how we work in retail. From coaching in the aisle to instant analysis of execution, from smarter training to more accurate QC, the possibilities are expanding fast.
At CROSSMARK, we’re not just watching this happen we’re investing to remain at the forefront. Because the future of field marketing won’t be about guessing, hoping, or waiting. It will be about knowing, acting, and winning delivering growth solutions powered by people, supported by AI.