The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®

Episode #731: Automation and Innovation with Karthik Ramakrishnan, Tapestry
Date: September 10, 2025

Overview

In this episode, host Greg Kihlström sits down with Karthik Ramakrishnan, Director of Planning Systems and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) at Tapestry—the parent company of Coach and Kate Spade. Together, they dive deep into how Tapestry leverages automation and AI to drive innovation, efficiency, and superior customer experiences within the complex world of retail. The discussion covers Tapestry’s early and strategic adoption of automation, the transformation of data-driven decision-making, implementation challenges, and emerging trends in AI/automation shaping the industry.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Tapestry’s Definition and Approach to Automation at Scale

[03:26 - 04:36]

• Tapestry began its automation journey in 2019, one of the first five companies globally to implement SAP S/4 HANA.
• A key tenet: avoid customizing packaged software and SaaS, instead opting for automation to enhance efficiency without introducing complexity.
• Automation cuts across operations touching SAP, supply chain, HR, IT, and AI initiatives, mainly using UiPath.
• Insight: This approach reduces system maintenance, enables clean system upgrades, and channels resources into innovation.

"We were one of the first five companies on the planet to implement SAP S4 HANA... a natural pivot to automation and tools like UiPath that would eliminate complex manual and mundane processes while maintaining a clean core of SAP."
— Karthik Ramakrishnan [03:26]

2. Data-Driven Strategy through RPA and AI

[05:08 - 06:55]

• Automation enables real-time data validation, reconciliation, and journal entry creation, empowering rapid business decisions.
• AI-powered agents at Tapestry provide instant insights in natural language, eliminating the need for static dashboards and queries.
• Executive teams can query sales, inventory, and customer feedback at granular, near-real-time levels.

"With UiPath, automation and AI, I think the era of static reports is ending... We are in the process of building automated reports that would be sent out periodically by simply changing prompts."
— Karthik Ramakrishnan [06:37]

• Notable Moment: Karthik demonstrates how users can ask natural language questions (“What were the top five best-selling products in California in June?”), and automated agents fetch instant, actionable insights from multiple data sources.

3. Selecting the Right Automation Tools and Partners

[07:37 - 08:56]

• Tapestry’s objective, scientific tool evaluation uses an internal matrix: prioritizing Gartner Magic Quadrant leaders, scalability, security, and ease of maintenance.
• UiPath has stood out, with zero support cases over five years.

"Do you know how many support cases we have created with UiPath in the last five years? Zero. This single metric should speak for itself."
— Karthik Ramakrishnan [08:05]

4. Reallocating Human Capital: From Mundane to Strategic Tasks

[09:33 - 10:25]

• Automation has led to approximately 25% efficiency gain in several business areas, allowing talented staff (e.g., CPAs) to focus on value-added, creative, and strategic activities.
• Example: Finance teams once bogged down in reconciliation can now engage in more rewarding tasks.

5. Challenges and Solutions in Implementing Automation at Enterprise Scale

[11:36 - 13:26]

• Major hurdles included user adoption, aligning with system owners, and ensuring overall system scalability to handle increased automated transaction volumes.
• Solution strategies: Simplify automation concepts for users, clarify that automation mimics user actions (does not add phantom apps), and prepare interconnected systems for higher data throughput.

"We should explain the automation process in simple and plain English without using jargon to the end users..."
— Karthik Ramakrishnan [12:00]

• Importance of securing both end-user and business stakeholder buy-in for successful automation rollouts.

6. Impact on End Customer Experience

[13:59 - 15:17]

• Automation has improved customer service by enabling self-service for order tracking, cancellations, and other common requests—particularly valued by Gen Z.
• These automations exist across digital products, with expansion planned for channels like phone, SMS, and social media.

"We have built self-service automation for our end customers for some of our top contact reasons... making it easy for end customers, especially with Generation Z who prefer interacting with digital products."
— Karthik Ramakrishnan [14:09]

• Insight: Some customer problems can be solved efficiently without AI, utilizing straightforward process automation.

7. From Automation to Customer Loyalty and Brand Success

[15:56 - 16:40]

• Automation and AI are strong contributors to improved customer engagement and loyalty but are part of a wider ecosystem also involving design, marketing, and digital product teams.
• Notable result: Coach climbed ten places in luxury brand rankings since 2024.

"Usage of automation, AI are key factors... but not the only factors. I would give equal credit to all the teams that helped us engage with our end customers better."
— Karthik Ramakrishnan [16:23]

8. Looking Ahead: Emerging Trends in Automation and AI

[17:12 - 19:22]

• Karthik envisions a future with computer vision, self-healing automations, generative AI surpassing conventional forecasting, and the rise of “AI engineering.”
• The possibility of app-building via natural language (“Build me a tax engine that incorporates all the latest rules...”) is on the horizon.
• New use cases include virtual tailoring and AI-powered store assistants for in-store personalization.

"Imagine a utopian phase where an end user can build an app by just issuing a few commands or directives... There are video and audio generation models that have paved way for a totally new world."
— Karthik Ramakrishnan [17:44]

• Emphasizes that innovation should not be limited to AI; broader approaches can improve both experience and business outcomes.

9. Staying Agile: Personal and Organizational Lessons

[19:51 - 22:15]

• Passion is key—when you love your work, “discipline” becomes effortless.
• Unlearning is as important as learning: delegate established areas to maintain focus on innovation.
• Alignment with leadership is critical for buy-in on new initiatives.

"If you love what you do, the concept of discipline goes away... You just need to love it so much. It doesn't matter what time of the day it is..."
— Karthik Ramakrishnan [20:05]

"If you want to learn something new, you also have to unlearn some of the things that are already doing right. So it's give and take."
— Karthik Ramakrishnan [21:10]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the shift from reports to conversational insights:
  "We are in the process of building automated reports that would be sent out periodically by simply changing prompts. We are not there here at 100%, but we are slowly marching towards that goal." [06:37]
• On the value of great automation partners:
  "Zero support cases [with UiPath] in five years. This single metric should speak for itself." [08:05]
• On preparing for the future of retail:
  "There are so many emerging trends... AI could be a virtual tailor; your phone or a webcam could measure your physique and somebody could build custom fit apparels... shipped to the end users at a much faster rate." [18:30]
• On professional growth and agility:
  "If you want to learn something new, you also have to unlearn some of the things that are already doing right." [21:10]
• On the power of passion:
  "If you love what you do, the concept of discipline goes away." [20:05]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:26 | Tapestry’s automation journey and strategy | | 05:08 | Data-driven decisions powered by RPA & AI | | 07:37 | Selecting platforms and tools for automation | | 09:33 | How automation frees up teams for strategic work | | 11:36 | Challenges and learnings in automation at scale | | 13:59 | Automation’s impact on end customer experience | | 15:56 | Effects on customer engagement & loyalty | | 17:12 | Emerging trends & the future of AI in retail | | 19:51 | Personal advice for staying agile and innovative |

Tone and Language

The conversation is technical yet approachable, blending strategic insights with actionable lessons. Karthik speaks with clarity, humility, and passion, while Greg guides the dialogue to focus on practical implications for leaders in martech, AI, and customer experience.

Summary prepared for listeners who want a rich, detailed understanding of how Tapestry leverages automation and AI, the cultural and operational shifts involved, and what retail innovation might look like in the next decade.