A prominent dispensary chain challenged by tight margins concluded that a transformation of its supply chain operations was necessary. The founder had a clear vision: leverage cutting-edge tech like Prelude to optimize inventory, improve cash flow, and empower the organization with automation. While retail and warehouse teams were eager to see how Prelude's precision could streamline their workflows, skepticism arose during the adoption phase. Many were wary of trusting Prelude's algorithmic recommendations for orders and internal allocations. But, this cautious approach created a tight feedback loop that resulted in an impactful and indisputable solution.

Identifying Challenges and Aligning Goals

Prelude’s implementation began in March 2024, delivering powerful early results across multiple locations. By June, Prelude was fully implemented, optimizing inventory levels to minimize excess and better align with consumer demand. But as the high-demand holiday season approached, a new challenge emerged: middle management raised concerns about potential shortages for 4/20, cannabis’ biggest sales day. The team suggested stocking higher-than-projected levels, diverging from Prelude’s algorithmic recommendations.

After open discussions, the team prioritized their insights over Prelude’s projections, using the holiday as a critical test of the system’s capabilities.

Building Trust in Data

The deviation from Prelude’s recommended stock levels for 4/20 resulted in substantial overstocking that needed to be corrected. While a short-term setback, this situation became a powerful validation point for Prelude's true capabilities. Within two months, Prelude's recommendations were utilized to intelligently correct the surplus, leading the dispensary back to its all-time low inventory level. This experience demonstrated Prelude's ability to not only optimize inventory but also serve as a powerful tool to efficiently mitigate human-introduced deviations from optimal stocking.

Lessons Learned: A Unified Approach to Innovation

This experience underscored the value of blending technology with team expertise. Rather than challenging established methods, Prelude facilitated an inclusive initiative where every level of the organization provided feedback on the solution. The result? A shared vision that enhanced collaboration, efficiency, and trust.

By fostering open communication and mutual respect, the organization transformed a potential obstacle into a milestone achievement, creating a model for future growth and success.