It's the End of the Week!

As consultants, our most valuable asset is time. How do we ensure we're spending it on high-value solutioning for our clients, not on clerical work?At LIDD, we are constantly innovating to improve our project delivery. That's why we've been piloting Tato, an AI "virtual colleague" purpose-built for complex IT and ERP implementations. In this episode, we sit down with Tato's CEO, Justin, to discuss our real-world experience and how this technology helps us deliver better, faster, and more reliable outcomes for our clients.We cover how this tool moves beyond simple meeting recaps (like Copilot) to help our teams aggregate data across an entire project , automating everything from documentation and risk tracking to standardized solution blueprints.This means less time on administrative tasks and more time focusing on what matters: your business goals.We also explore:How our team uses Tato as a central "recollection base" Improving the client experience by solving the sales-to-delivery handoff How we ensure accuracy with "drill-to-source" data The future of hyper-specialized AI agents for consulting Learn more about LIDD's ERP & Digital Transformation services: https://lidd.com/Learn more about Tato: https://www.tato.co/enTIMESTAMPS:(00:00:14) Meet Justin, Founder and CEO of Tato (00:00:22) The Origin Story: A "Virtual Colleague" Born from Consulting Pain Points (00:01:15) What Exactly is Tato? (00:02:07) How LIDD is Piloting Tato for its Dynamics Projects (00:03:09) Early Use Cases: A Central Repo for Decisions, Scope, and Recaps (00:04:16) Overcoming Initial Skepticism of AI Tools (00:05:42) The Single Biggest Win: Taming the Documentation Beast (00:06:47) The Big Question: How is Tato Different from Copilot? (00:08:04) The Next Level: Standardizing and Automating Reports (00:09:24) Bridging the "Great Divide": Solving the Sales-to-Delivery Knowledge Transfer (00:11:37) From Project Management to Solutioning: The "Solution Blueprint" Case (00:12:53) The Roadmap for Scaling AI Across the Business (00:14:53) The Future of Tato: Moving from Data Capture to Intelligent Insights (00:17:14) Tackling AI Reliability and the Importance of "Data Lineage" (00:18:25) Why Hyper-Specialized Agents are the Future

A disconnect between your CRM and ERP could be costing your business up to 25% in lost revenue. When sales and operations work in silos, critical information gets lost, leading to inaccurate forecasts, poor customer service, and internal chaos. This week, Alex & Romain discuss how to bridge the gap between these two essential systems. We explore the common data challenges faced by sales teams—like lack of inventory visibility —and operational teams, who often lack insight into the sales pipeline for accurate forecasting. The solution lies in a bi-directional integration that creates a single source of truth across your organization. We discuss how platforms like Microsoft Dynamics 365 are making this easier than ever, with pre-integrated tools that provide a holistic view of your business, from the first customer interaction to final delivery. Learn more about LIDD’s services by visiting our website: https://www.lidd.comTimestamps:[00:37] Defining the role of a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. [02:14] The challenges sales teams face without access to ERP data like inventory and lead times. [03:25] How a lack of CRM data impacts forecasting and production planning in the ERP. [05:05] Solving the problem with a bi-directional flow of information between systems. [08:50] How Microsoft's ecosystem (Dataverse, Business Central, Dynamics Sales) simplifies integration. [11:39] Strategic advice: Should you implement a CRM or an ERP first?

Quand on pense à un hôpital, on imagine les médecins, les infirmières et l'effervescence des unités de soins. Pourtant, derrière chaque patient qui reçoit les bons soins au bon moment se cache une danse complexe de matériel, de transport et d'information : la logistique de la santé. C'est le moteur invisible qui permet à un hôpital non seulement de fonctionner, mais aussi d'exceller.Lors d'un récent épisode de notre balado, nous avons eu la chance de nous entretenir avec Martine Legault, directrice logistique du CIUSSS de la Montérégie-Ouest, pour explorer cet univers fascinant. Ce que nous avons découvert, c'est que les principes de la chaîne d'approvisionnement prennent une dimension critique lorsque des vies humaines sont en jeu.(00:00) Introduction : La logistique du CIUSSS de la Montérégie-Ouest(00:37) L'étendue cachée de la logistique hospitalière(02:11) Les différences entre la logistique industrielle et celle de la santé(03:41) Comment mesure-t-on la complexité d'un entrepôt vs un hôpital?(06:03) L'impact direct de la logistique sur la qualité des soins aux patients(07:43) Étude de cas : Le système de double casier (Kanban) à l'hôpital(10:12) Projets innovants : Chef Jasper, la cuisine robotisée(11:45) Projets innovants : La civière robotisée pour le transport des usagers(12:42) Pourquoi automatiser? Qualité des soins et attraction des talents(13:46) Conclusion et remerciements

Our team just got back from the ReFED, Food Banks Canada, and Feed Ontario conferences, and we’re excited to share what we learned about fighting food waste.In this episode, we dive into the most important conversations happening in food loss and supply chain sustainability today. We cover the power of collaboration between food producers and food banks , the importance of getting ahead of new policies , and why smart logistics are a game-changer for sharing resources effectively. Join our conversation to hear actionable ideas and learn how we can work together to build a more sustainable food future.(00:00) Introduction(00:27) Provincial vs. National: Differing Views on Food Security(00:42) Comparing Conferences: The Focus of Feed Ontario vs. Food Banks Canada(04:13) A Global Movement: International Perspectives on Food Waste(05:14) A Multi-Scalar Problem: From Your Fridge to Global Policy(09:04) Breaking Down Silos: The Value of Industry Conferences(11:59) Key Takeaways & What Your Business Can Do Now(15:16) How LIDD Can Help

How do we move from awareness to action on food waste?Our non-profit consulting team joined leaders at the recent ReFED, Food Banks Canada, and Feed Ontario conferences to find out. Join Anna Gleason, Maria El Dahdah, and Georgina Morris as they sit down to share their biggest takeaways on the latest food waste solutions, from policy incentives and data-driven tech to the operational challenges facing food banks on the front lines.#FoodWaste #Sustainability #Solutions #FoodInsecurity #foodbanks

Food waste is one of the most pressing challenges in the modern supply chain. In the United States, no organization has been more instrumental in quantifying this issue and uniting stakeholders than ReFed. As the nation's leading authority on food waste, ReFed provides the data and insights that guide government, non-profit, and for-profit sectors toward meaningful action. That’s why LIDD is thrilled to announce that in 2025, we have embarked on a sprawling research project with ReFed. Following a successful research collaboration in 2024, this new initiative is designed to tackle one of the biggest questions in the industry: How much food is lost within the manufacturing and distribution sectors, why is it lost, and what can we do about it? Our goal is to update the foundational data in ReFed's acclaimed Food Waste Monitor and, in the process, develop a robust framework of food waste solutions for the industry. Watch: https://ow.ly/iTJQ50WcCeSListen: https://ow.ly/wCVZ50WcCeT Read: https://ow.ly/TjKx50WcCeU

The rise of automation in warehouses and distribution centers often sparks a significant concern: automation job displacement. It’s a topic that can create anxiety among the workforce and uncertainty for businesses. However, as supply chain professionals, we see a more nuanced picture – one where automation leads not just to change, but to evolution and opportunity. The key lies in how businesses approach and manage this technological shift.The conversation around automation often focuses on the “before”: the design, the implementation, the justification based on labor and space savings, or throughput improvements. But what about the “after”? What becomes of your most valuable asset – your human capital – when they find themselves working alongside sophisticated automated systems?Produced & Edited by Jeremy Rotenberg