Elton Boocock, founder of Thinkivity – which provides AI consultancy and training exclusively for the UK glazing industry – explains why 2026 should be the year you get serious about AI.

Elton Boocock

Over the Christmas break, a lot of people in our sector finally had the chance to play around with AI tools. Maybe you asked ChatGPT to write a funny message. Maybe you created an image for your next brochure or social post. You might even have tested out a meeting recorder.

Fair enough. These tools are impressive. They’re fast. They’re fun. It’s easy to get hooked on what they can do.

But now we’re back to it. Quoting, scheduling, managing teams, chasing payments, winning work. The question is, are you still playing with AI, or are you starting to plan how to use it properly in your business?

There’s a difference, however, between trying out tools and putting them to work. One gives you a sense of what’s possible. The other starts to make a difference.

Playing looks like:

  • Finding a clever new tool and saying, “Wow, that’s smart”
  • Using ChatGPT to answer random questions
  • Watching videos about how AI is changing everything, without changing much yourself

Planning looks like:

  • Training your team so they know how to use AI properly across all the roles they play
  • Putting together a basic AI policy that protects your business and helps people use the tools with confidence
  • Taking a proper look at where your business wastes time or money, and asking if AI could help fix it

If that feels like a big leap from where you are now, you’re not alone. But it’s where the real benefits start to show up.

A serious strategy

If AI is going to be more than just a new toy in your business this year, it needs to be part of the plan. That starts by asking a few honest questions:

  • Who in your business actually understands how to use AI safely and effectively?
  • Are you encouraging people to experiment, or hoping they’ll figure it out on their own?
  • Do your teams know which tools are worth using, and which are a waste of time?
  • Have you looked at your biggest day to day headaches and asked whether AI could make them easier?

Because here’s what we’re seeing: the companies who are starting to take this seriously are already pulling ahead. They’re not just playing with tools; they’re using them to solve problems.

They’re building internal tools to speed up quoting. They’re automating customer updates without losing the personal touch. They’re using meeting recorders to get better insight from sales calls. And their teams are trained, so they know how to use AI well and safely.

Need help?

This is exactly where we come in. At thinkivity, we don’t offer generic AI advice. Everything we do is built around the glazing sector. That’s the language, the workflows, the real-life stuff that gets in the way of an effective strategy.

We run training sessions for sales teams, ops teams, and leadership, and we help businesses turn their everyday frustrations into actual tools. You don’t need a tech team, and you don’t need to figure it all out on your own.

What next?

If you spent Christmas playing with AI, that’s a good sign. It means you’re curious. You’re open. That matters.

But if you want 2026 to be the year you start seeing real results, you’ve got to go further than dabbling.

Bring your team with you. Get some proper training. And start solving the problems that are slowing you down.

Playtime’s over. Let’s get to work.