Knoxville skyline
Wave 2 — 2026–2027

AI & Automation Lab
Knoxville, TN

Strategically positioned for distribution excellence

Coming Q2 2027 | Venue TBD

Register Now →

Why Knoxville?

Knoxville occupies one of the most strategically valuable positions in American distribution. Located within a six-hour drive of both FedEx's Memphis superhub and UPS's Louisville Worldport, East Tennessee distributors have unmatched access to the nation's two largest shipping networks.

The Knoxville region is home to a thriving distribution community serving construction, industrial, and manufacturing markets across East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Western North Carolina. These businesses punch above their weight — but manual processes limit how fast they can grow.

The Knoxville AI & Automation Lab is designed for East Tennessee distributors who want to leverage their strategic location with modern tools. See how Voice AI can extend your customer service capacity, learn to automate outbound sales campaigns, and build data-driven dashboards that reveal your best growth opportunities.

What You'll Learn

Six focused sessions covering the most impactful AI and automation use cases for wholesale distributors — with live demos and hands-on labs.

Voice AI for Customer Service

Deploy AI agents that handle inbound calls, take orders, answer questions, and route complex issues to your team. Live demo + hands-on setup.

Automated Outbound Campaigns

Build multi-channel sequences (email, SMS, voice) that reactivate dormant customers and follow up on quotes automatically.

Smart Order Management

Use AI to predict reorder timing, flag anomalies, and automate routine order processing so your team focuses on exceptions.

Field Sales Enablement

Equip your reps with mobile CRM, route optimization, and AI-generated call prep sheets before every customer visit.

AR & Collections Automation

Automate past-due follow-ups with voice AI that calls customers, sends payment reminders, and escalates intelligently.

Data & Analytics for Distribution

Turn your ERP and CRM data into actionable dashboards: customer health scores, territory performance, inventory alerts.

See it in action: Voice AI for Customer Service

Workd AI Assistant
Processing...
Behind the Scenes

Order Builder

ItemQtyPriceTotal
Waiting for order details...

See it in action: AR & Collections Automation

AR

Collections Autopilot

Automated AR recovery sequence

#INV-4821

Metro Plumbing Supply

47 Days Overdue
$12,400

Due: January 15, 2025

Account Summary

Total AR$34,200
Invoices Overdue2
Credit Limit$50,000
Last PaymentDec 28 — $8,600

Collection Sequence

Day 31

Automated Email Sent

Friendly payment reminder for INV-4821

Day 35

Voice AI Call

Metro Plumbing (248-555-0147)

Day 35

Agreement Sent

Payment plan agreement sent with e-signature link

Day 45

Payment Received

First payment received: $4,134

Complete

Resolved

Collection sequence complete — payment plan on track

38%

faster resolution

24/7

follow-up

$0

collection agency fees

92%

resolution rate

See it in action: Smart Order Management

workd — Order Management
Orders Today
0
Revenue
$0
Items Picked
0
On-Time Rate
0%
Live Orders0 showing

See it in action: Data & Analytics

My Dashboard
Orders Today
0
+12% vs yesterday
Revenue MTD
$0
18.3%vs last month
Open Invoices
0
Current30+60+90+
Route Efficiency
94%
Target: 90%
Above target
Low Stock Alerts
Widget A-2403 left
Gasket Kit B-127 left
Filter Unit C-882 left
Top Customers
CustomerOrdersRevenue
Acme Corp34$24.1K
TechFlow Inc28$19.8K
Summit MFG22$17.2K
Apex Supply19$14.5K
Delivery Status
42
31
85
PendingIn TransitDelivered
Sales Rep Activity
Sarah M.
18 calls6 orders
James K.
14 calls4 orders
Lisa R.
21 calls8 orders
Add Widgets
Shipments Map
Team Leaderboard
Customer Satisfaction
Inventory Value
Pending Approvals

Agenda

A packed half-day designed to deliver maximum value. You'll leave with real skills, real connections, and a real plan.

8:00 AM
Registration & Networking Breakfast
8:30 AM
Keynote: "The State of AI in Distribution"
Chris VanIttersum, CEO, Workd
9:15 AM
Session 1: Voice AI Live Demo
See AI agents handle real distribution calls
10:00 AM
Coffee Break & Vendor Exhibits
10:30 AM
Session 2: Hands-On Workshop
Build your first automation workflow
11:30 AM
Session 3: Panel — "What's Working Now"
Real distributors share results
12:15 PM
Lunch & Networking
1:00 PM
Session 4: Choose Your Track
Track A: Advanced Voice AI Configuration
Track B: CRM & Sales Automation Deep Dive
Track C: AR/Collections & Order Management
2:00 PM
Wrap-Up & Next Steps
2:30 PM
Optional: 1-on-1 Consultations with Workd Team

Pricing

Space is limited to ensure hands-on attention. Each lab is capped at 40 attendees.

Most Popular

Early Bird

Free

Limited seats

Claim Your Spot

Standard

$49

Per person

Register

Group (3+)

$29

Per person

Register Group

What AI Looks Like in Practice

Here's a preview of the AI-powered tools you'll learn to implement during the workshop.

Build custom automation workflows visually

Automation Builder — Collections Workflow
Node Types
Email
Voice Call
SMS
Wait
Check Status
Branch
Update Record
Add Tag
Notify Team
Payment Link
Overdue Accounts > 30 DaysTrigger: Daily at 9 AMSend Reminder EmailTemplate: Friendly ReminderWait 3 DaysDuration: 72 hoursCheck Payment StatusSource: Payment GatewayPaid?Mark ResolvedStatus: ClosedAI Voice CallScript: Collections v2Offer Payment Plan3/6/12 month optionsUpdate Account NotesAuto-log all actions

Connect your existing tools and data sources

Integration Hub
WorkdERPSAP, Epicor, NetSuiteCRMSalesforce, HubSpotPhone SystemVoIP, PBXPayment ProcessingStripe, SquareShipping & LogisticsUPS, FedExE-CommerceShopify, WooCommerceAccountingQuickBooks, SageEmail & CommsOutlook, Gmail

Register for Knoxville

Secure your spot for the AI & Automation Lab in Knoxville. Early bird registration is free — limited to 40 attendees.

Local Partners & Co-Presenters

Interested in co-presenting in Knoxville? We're looking for ERP vendors, technology partners, and industry organizations to showcase their solutions to a curated audience of Knoxville-area distribution leaders.

Become a Knoxville Partner →