How QSTA is taking a hands-on approach to AI

Today, there are two types of organizations: those that know they need to start working with AI, and those that are actually doing it. QSTA, the Dutch division of Bieze Food Group, belongs to the latter group.

While many organizations remain focused on defining their future vision for AI and developing strategies, QSTA chose to take a practical approach from the start. The company worked closely with experienced consultants from Cegeka, who guided the process using the proven Vision to Value approach. The idea is simple: start small, learn quickly and discover step by step where AI can add value, in a way that fits QSTA.

From AI hype to a concrete starting point

QSTA saw AI appearing everywhere: in presentations, in the news and across new technological developments. Many IT companies claim to be doing a lot with AI, but in practice, their hands-on experience can be limited. That was not the case with Cegeka Business Solutions.

Together with Cegeka, QSTA decided not to start with ambitious plans or complex innovation programs. Instead, the focus was on a small, familiar and repetitive process. One that employees deal with every day and where AI could immediately make their work easier.

Customer visit reports quickly emerged as a logical starting point. For QSTA, these reports were a necessary part of the job, but they were also time-consuming and not exactly a favorite task among account managers. As QSTA put it:

"If AI can take this off our hands, it immediately makes life easier."

Hands-on learning during the Vision to Value workshop

During an interactive on-site workshop, QSTA employees received a clear introduction to the practical use of AI: what it can do, what it cannot do and how it can be applied effectively within existing processes.

The workshop deliberately moved away from theoretical models. Instead, the focus was on clear explanations and relatable examples, giving both commercial and technical employees a shared understanding of AI.

The next step was to put this into practice. Using the Vision to Value approach, the team:

• Gathered ideas

• Identified opportunities

• Set priorities

• Defined an initial direction for the solution

Engagement within the group visibly increased. Employees discovered that AI was much closer to their everyday work than they had initially expected. It also became clear that taking the first steps with AI does not require a large-scale program.

From idea to working AI agent in just a week and a half

After the workshop, it took approximately a week and a half of development to make the first AI agent available, supporting the entire customer visit reporting process.

The solution:

• Prepares account managers for customer conversations with relevant talking points

• Automatically transcribes recorded conversations

• Summarizes them into a clear visit report

• Generates follow-up actions, including scheduling tasks in the calendar

The agent works entirely with the chat and voice capabilities of Microsoft 365 Copilot and can also integrate with any CRM system.

QSTA received two versions of the solution, reflecting the Vision to Value approach, where choice and iteration play an important role. This allowed the team to experience firsthand which version best suited their day-to-day work and future ambitions.

The impact: making AI tangible, understandable and useful

For QSTA’s commercial teams, the demo immediately showed what AI can mean in practice. Tasks that would normally take considerable time could be completed within seconds. Rather than being perceived as a threat, the solution was seen as practical support for everyday work. This creates more room to spend time with customers instead of on administration.

For IT, the process provided valuable insight into the needs and challenges of the business. By designing and evaluating the solution together with Cegeka, QSTA gained a clearer understanding of where AI can genuinely add value. This is one of the core principles of the Vision to Value approach.

What other organizations can learn from QSTA

QSTA shows that organizations do not need to wait for a comprehensive strategic program before getting started with AI. Four lessons stand out:

1. Start with concrete, recognizable processes. Look for activities employees deal with every day but experience as an administrative burden. This helps people experience AI as something that makes their work easier.

2. Make AI tangible. Employees need to be able to see it, experience it and try it for themselves.

3. Work with a partner that can turn technology into something practical. For QSTA, Cegeka played this role through its Vision to Value approach.

4. Start small and learn by doing. This can deliver value faster than spending months planning how to get started.

QSTA shows that AI innovation starts by doing

In a market where AI is developing rapidly, QSTA, the Dutch division of Bieze Food Group, chose not to watch from the sidelines but to take action. Not by starting big, but by starting small. Together with Cegeka, QSTA took an important step toward practical, everyday AI adoption.

The result is not theoretical insight, but real hands-on experience, tangible value and an organization that is actively learning what AI can mean for its business.

Ready to discover how your organization can get started with AI? Get contact with us via the form below for a no-obligation conversation or book a short virtual coffee with our colleague Christine.