Use Case Discovery

Find where AI will actually pay back.

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See the work

Every business has dozens of places AI could help, and a handful where it truly matters. Use case discovery finds those few. We look across marketing, sales, service and operations, talk to the people doing the work and study the data behind it, then give you a ranked shortlist of opportunities with the value, effort and risk of each made clear.

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From a long list to the few that matter

Use Case Discovery

We start with how work really gets done: where time goes, where decisions are slow and where customers wait. Every idea is traced back to a business problem, so the shortlist is about results rather than technology for its own sake.

Discovery grounded in your own data

Our discovery work is informed by an agentic system that connects to your ads, analytics, CRM and content, so we can see where time is spent and where the data already supports a better way of working.

The agents bring the evidence. Our senior team weighs it against your goals and your people, and decides what belongs on the shortlist.

You
Which tasks take up most of the team's week?
Weekly reporting and campaign analysis take the most time, followed by drafting ad and email variations. Both follow the same steps each time, which makes them strong candidates.
You
Which would grow revenue fastest?
Following up with people who browse but do not buy. The data is already in your CRM and email platform, so a pilot could start quickly.
Ask where AI could help

How discovery works

  1. 01

    Listen

    We meet the teams across marketing, sales, service and operations to understand their goals, their tools and where the work gets stuck.

  2. 02

    Map

    We map the key workflows and the data behind them, and gather every idea worth considering into one list.

  3. 03

    Score

    Each idea is scored on value, effort, risk and readiness, and we agree with you which ones matter most.

  4. 04

    Recommend

    You get a ranked shortlist, the business case and a pilot plan for the top use case, ready to build with us or your own team.

See how our clients are changing their businesses

View our work
FaceGym
50% more purchases, 41% more bookings
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Canagan
900% email revenue growth
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Tribal
74.3% more conversion value
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McAdams
148% more email revenue
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Decant Group
477% more leads
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Moskovskaya
5,560% follower growth, 550% ROAS
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Elit Vodka
New identity, 400% more engagement
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Aesthetic Intelligence
3,000+ leads per webinar, 3,200% ROI
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Decant Group
“Vertical transformed the way we approach digital marketing. They helped us simplify a complex investment offer, build high-performing funnels and scale campaigns with confidence. The results speak for themselves with lead volume, quality and efficiency all improved dramatically. They’ve been a true partner in our growth.”
Robbie Heald
VP Growth, Decant Group
477%
more leads

Full-funnel paid media, creative and bespoke landing pages that made whisky and fine wine investment simple to say yes to.

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A powerhouse in a Power Station.

Vertical is a small, senior team of strategists, creatives and performance marketers based at Battersea Power Station in London, with clients and colleagues around the world. Strategy, creative and performance come from one team, with AI built into how we plan, make and measure.

The building has stood on the Thames for the best part of a century, and for fifty years it kept London’s lights on. We like the precedent.

About us

Use case discovery questions, answered

What is AI use case discovery?

Use case discovery is a short, structured piece of work that finds where AI can create real value in your business. We look at how your teams work, the problems they face and the data you already hold, then produce a ranked shortlist of opportunities with the value, effort and risk of each. It answers the question most businesses have about AI: where should we actually start?

How long does it take?

Most discovery projects take two to four weeks, depending on how many teams are involved. That covers the workshops, the workflow and data review, the scoring and the final recommendations. We keep it focused, because the aim is a clear decision about what to do next rather than a long report.

Who needs to be involved from our side?

A senior sponsor, plus a few people from each team in scope, typically marketing, sales, customer service and anyone who owns reporting or data. Most people only need an hour or two of their time. The more closely we can see how the work really happens, the better the shortlist.

What do we get at the end?

A ranked shortlist of use cases, each with a clear description of the problem, the expected value, the effort and data required, and the main risks. You also get a short business case and a pilot plan for the top opportunity, so you can move straight into building it.

How is this different from AI strategy?

Use case discovery is often the first step of a wider AI strategy. Discovery finds and ranks the opportunities. Strategy goes further, setting out the roadmap, the operating model, governance and how AI scales across the business. Some clients start with discovery and decide on the wider strategy once they see the results.

Do we need clean data first?

No. Part of discovery is an honest look at what your data can support today. Many valuable use cases work well with the data already in your ad platforms, analytics, CRM and content. Where an idea needs better data first, we say so and explain what it would take.

Can you build the use cases you find?

Yes. Vertical builds agentic workflows, AI-powered marketing systems and custom AI solutions in house. Once the shortlist is agreed, we can build the pilot, help your own team build it, or simply advise. The same people who ran discovery stay close to delivery.

How do we get started?

Start with a conversation about your business and what you hope AI could change. From there we agree which teams are in scope and the timeline, and discovery usually starts within a couple of weeks.

Bring us the ambition. We’ll build the system behind it.

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