Navigating Growth and Innovation with November Five’s Dario Prskalo

November Five is a digital solutions partner that specializes in bringing memorable digital experiences to life. As the chosen partner for giants like Le Pain Quotidien, MDLBeast, and BASE, the firm blends advanced technology with human design and business strategy to deliver bespoke solutions that define customer experience excellence.

By maintaining a focus on cutting-edge technologies and driving innovation, the Antwerp-based company has become a global reference in driving loyalty through digital experience. November Five emphasizes impactful solutions and cultivates a culture of ownership, ensuring each project surpasses expectations.

Under the stewardship of Dario Prskalo, November Five has embraced the world of artificial intelligence (AI). The rise of AI platforms like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot has opened up a multitude of possibilities, and Dario recognized the potential for an AI tool that could positively impact the company.

Finding an AI Solution

As November Five continued to carve out its niche in crafting unforgettable digital experiences, the complexity of scaling operations presented a multifaceted challenge.

We wanted to ensure the company could scale efficiently while simultaneously minimizing routine tasks and highlighting the workforce's multidisciplinary skills.

From software engineers and solution leaders to financial specialists, Dario aimed to empower employees across various roles to leverage AI daily. This ambition called for a solution that was capable of adapting to diverse use cases across the organization.

As a client of Alan, Dario was introduced to Dust, a platform that enables businesses to create specialized AI assistants, when Alan adopted it. Dario also received positive feedback from a November Five partner who had experienced Dust's flexibility first-hand. Motivated by the positive reviews and the platform's potential alignment with November Five, Dario saw Dust as a tool that could align with the company’s long-term goals.

Why Dust?

When comparing a variety of different AI solutions like ChatGPT, several compelling reasons drew Dario to Dust:

Firstly, Dust presented itself as a comprehensive platform that could integrate with data already within the organization. Its ability to work with Notion, Confluence and Slack - tools which were already in use at November Five - meant that the transition would be smooth and synergistic. 

This integration also extended to the company's knowledge bases, which would allow for a direct connection to the information source without the cumbersome need for constant uploads or manual context provisioning.

Equally important was Dario’s need for a tool that resonated with November Five’s multidisciplinary culture. Dust's agnosticism towards language models was important because November Five would have access to a diverse array of models from various providers. This flexibility meant that Dario and his colleagues could leverage the most suitable model for any given task, enhancing efficiency across multiple domains.

Dario also needed the assurance that the data connected to Dust remained within the company's control.

Unlike other platforms where there's a risk of data being used to retrain models, Dust guaranteed the privacy and security of November Five's proprietary information.

This promise of security was a critical factor in Dario’s decision to move forward with demoing Dust to his wider team. 

I was able to set up and deploy functional AI assistants in just 20 minutes.

This simplicity aligned perfectly with November Five's diverse workforce and ensured that all team members, regardless of their technical background, could benefit from Dust’s capabilities.

The Pilot Study

After exploring Dust's capabilities, Dario was eager to involve more of the team by conducting a pilot study. However, before diving into the testing phase, a survey was distributed within November Five to gauge the company's AI maturity.

Remarkably, it revealed that 99% of the company was already engaging with AI tools like ChatGPT to varying extents. 

With this background, Dario handpicked the most enthusiastic and AI-savvy individuals from various departments to form a pilot team. The team then experimented with AI assistants tailored to operational needs ranging from HR processes and client-specific project management to software design and strategic planning. 

The team's engagement with these assistants yielded overwhelmingly positive feedback, and before the pilot phase concluded, the buzz about Dust's effectiveness had spread organically within November Five.

Colleagues outside of the pilot group began requesting access to the assistants, prompting Dario to showcase the AI assistants during a company-wide presentation.

Extending to the Broader Organization

When Dario unveiled Dust to the entire company, he showcased its potential by posing a compelling question:

What if the AI assistants you're already using came pre-equipped with the context for your questions?

This approach reframed Dust not just as a tool, but as a knowledgeable partner that could assist with minimal prompting. 

Dario also emphasized the adaptability of Dust by categorizing its assistants into two main streams: enhancing client-facing services and streamlining day-to-day operations within November Five. This distinction showcased Dust's broad applicability and immediate relevance to the varied needs of different teams with November Five.

The demonstration and subsequent company-wide adoption of Dust had a significant impact at November Five.

Solution Leaders reported remarkable time savings, with some indicating that tasks previously taking two to three hours could now be completed in 30 minutes.

This efficiency gain was not merely about speeding up work processes; it fundamentally shifted where human attention and effort could be directed. 

As Dario highlighted, November Five remains a people-centric business, and the true value of AI lies in its ability to free up time for more meaningful interactions with clients. As November Five's team creates additional AI assistants, their united efforts significantly broaden their ability to provide superior client service

Looking Ahead

Dario's journey with Dust showcases the transformative potential of AI in digital operations at company scale.

The platform's simplicity and adaptability have democratized AI, making it accessible to all team members regardless of their technical expertise. 

Dust's impact also extends beyond mere efficiency; it has redefined how November Five approaches challenges, enabling the team to focus more on its core mission—delivering memorable digital experiences to its clients.

As November Five continues to evolve, its partnership with Dust serves as a powerful reminder of how embracing AI solutions can lead to substantial organizational growth and creativity. This journey highlights a vital industry insight: AI will not replace humans, and will instead free up more time for meaningful human connections.