AI-assisted ordering for construction
Construction customers ordered cement by phone. At Holcim, I led the strategy and delivery of an AI assistant that let them order through WhatsApp instead, and McKinsey discussed the Spanish pilot with me in a published interview. This page sets out what I did, what the pilot reported and what another business would need to decide before scaling.
Evidence and scope
Public case and published pilot results
Strategy and delivery leadership within the Holcim team
Spanish pilot with construction customers. As reported in the interview, for that pilot only. Not an audit or a promise for other contexts.
Outcome and evidence
Construction customers ordered cement by phone. At Holcim, I led the strategy and delivery of an AI assistant that let them order through WhatsApp instead, and McKinsey discussed the Spanish pilot with me in a published interview. This page sets out what I did, what the pilot reported and what another business would need to decide before scaling.
My role
I led strategy and delivery within Holcim's team, connecting the commercial use case with the customer experience and the enterprise workflow. McKinsey lists my role at the time as digital manager of global sales excellence.
The problem
Customers ordered cement by phone. The pilot tested whether a familiar messaging channel could make that routine easier.
The approach
WhatsApp was the customer interface. The AI used order history to propose an order, which the customer could adjust and confirm. Delivery meant coordinating business teams and technology partners.
Constraints and governance
Testing surfaced unsuitable product suggestions and awkward response timing, which the team had to design around. Customers could always reach a person.
Outcome and evidence
- Digital ordering adoption reported moving from 25% to 93% in the pilot.
- Around 66% of initial order proposals generated by the assistant were accepted.
- As reported in the interview, for that pilot only. Not an audit or a promise for other contexts.
- Revenue, retention and global rollout results are not quantified here.
Outcome and evidence
- Digital ordering adoption (reported, Spanish pilot): 25% → 93%
- Initial order proposals accepted (reported, Spanish pilot): ~66%
- Source: McKinsey interview, Feb 2025
Evidence and scope
Spanish pilot with construction customers
As reported in the interview, for that pilot only. Not an audit or a promise for other contexts.
- Digital ordering adoption reported moving from 25% to 93% in the pilot.
- Around 66% of initial order proposals generated by the assistant were accepted.
Sources
Canonical URL: https://juanbeltran.ch/portfolio/holcim-ai-ordering-assistant