What happens when warehouse chaos meets artificial intelligence? Sean McCarthy, co-founder and CEO of BackOps, joins the Warehouse Whisker Warriors to reveal how agentic AI is transforming supply chain communication and problem resolution.
Drawing from his experience at Amazon Shipping, McCarthy identified a critical gap in warehouse operations: while systems existed to capture issues, humans still had to manually gather information across multiple platforms to solve problems. BackOps' solution utilizes an agentic AI framework that operates concurrently across systems, rather than following the linear paths of traditional Robotic Process Automation (RPA).
The magic happens when a warehouse issue arises, missing pallets, damaged goods, shipment discrepancies, and the AI simultaneously checks carrier systems, vendor portals, warehouse management systems, and even contacts stakeholders. This parallel processing dramatically accelerates resolution times while maintaining accuracy and working through existing communication channels like phone, email, or messaging apps.
Most impressively, the AI sounds remarkably human. During demonstrations, even experienced professionals have mistaken the BackOps AI for a human agent. This natural communication style helps overcome the hesitation many feel toward AI systems, especially in relationship-driven industries like supply chain management.
For companies concerned about removing humans entirely, BackOps offers flexible human-in-the-loop options while providing measurable ROI from day one. The system also builds predictive analytics capabilities, helping identify recurring issues with specific carriers or vendors before they become problems.
Ready to see how AI can transform your warehouse operations? Contact Sean directly at sean@backopsai.com or visit https://backops.ai/ to schedule a demo and experience firsthand how their system is creating the future of intelligent supply chain resolution.
More about this Episode
AI That Solves Supply Chain Chaos: How BackOps.ai is Revolutionizing Freight Tech with Agentic Intelligence
Supply chain management is not for the faint of heart. It's a daily dance of communication, coordination, and, frankly, chaos, especially for suppliers working with giants like Walmart and Sam’s Club. Anyone who's been in the trenches knows the pain of a delayed shipment, damaged pallets, or a last-minute carrier no-show. These aren't just logistical hiccups; they disrupt sales, burn hours in response time, and strain key relationships. But what if AI could not just streamline that process, but run it?
That’s precisely the vision Sean McCarthy, co-founder and CEO of BackOps.ai, is delivering with their agentic AI platform built specifically for solving supply chain disruptions. As someone who worked inside Amazon Shipping and understands the pain points firsthand, Sean has built a solution that doesn’t just mimic human behavior; it leapfrogs it.
In this article, I’m diving into the powerful capabilities of BackOps, how it's reshaping supply chain operations through AI, and what makes it more than just another entry in the crowded field of “AI for logistics.”
The Real Problem with Supply Chain Communication
Supply chain issues don’t occur in a vacuum. A truck arrives late, a BOL is missing, pallets are damaged, or product counts are off; these aren’t isolated issues, and they rarely resolve themselves. Traditionally, the fix involves a lot of phone calls, emails, Slack messages, and manual chasing of data across multiple systems: warehouse management, order management, TMS platforms, and even external carrier portals.
It's not just inefficient, it’s overwhelming. Time lost chasing information means missed SLAs, unhappy customers, and exhausted teams. This is the exact bottleneck BackOps is targeting.
From RPA to Agentic AI: The Shift That's Changing the Game
Many companies still rely on RPA (Robotic Process Automation), which was revolutionary when it first gained traction in the late 2010s. And yes, it still delivers value. But RPA operates linearly: it moves from one step to another in a predefined sequence. What happens when things don’t go as planned?
That’s where agentic AI enters the picture. Unlike RPA, which is essentially a rules-based macro on steroids, BackOps’ system deploys autonomous AI agents that reason, communicate, and make decisions in real-time. If a truck is late, for example, the system doesn't just flag the issue; it goes to work:
- Accesses vendor and carrier portals simultaneously
- Pings internal communication tools like Slack or email
- Gathers all relevant data from multiple WMS and OMS platforms
- Escalates the issue to the right stakeholder if needed
- Automatically creates or updates tickets with full resolution tracking
All of this happens within seconds, not hours.
The Human Still Matters, But the AI Handles the Heavy Lifting
One of the most compelling features of BackOps is its human-in-the-loop design. While many AI tools try to replace humans outright, BackOps recognizes that the supply chain is a relationship-driven business. In some cases, a key account manager might prefer to handle communications directly, especially with high-value clients.
The AI takes care of the grunt work: research, data gathering, chasing documentation, and synthesizing resolution paths. Meanwhile, the human oversees the communication, adds the personal touch, and provides strategic oversight when needed. The result is faster resolutions with better visibility and less manual effort.
BackOps.ai in Action: ROI on Day One
According to Sean, what sets BackOps apart is how quickly customers see results. In contrast to traditional SaaS solutions that require long implementation cycles and onboarding phases, BackOps delivers measurable ROI immediately:
- Reduced issue resolution time from hours or days to minutes
- Improved accuracy in order tracking and claims processing
- Elimination of information silos across internal and external systems
- Full visibility into every step of the process, from inquiry to resolution
Whether it’s handling a delivery discrepancy, initiating a claim, or rerouting a shipment due to an unexpected delay, the AI can handle all of it, at scale.
And for teams still using legacy systems or navigating complex 3PL networks with little visibility? BackOps can act as the unifying intelligence layer across all of them, without requiring a full system overhaul.
Why Supply Chain Leaders Are Taking Notice
Sean’s Amazon background gives BackOps credibility, but the real reason it's gaining traction is because of the value it creates for real people on the ground. Warehouse managers, CPG sales teams, replenishment leads, and transportation VPs are all seeing tangible results.
In fact, one of the most memorable moments shared was during a live product demo, when a skeptical buyer, after hearing an AI agent on the phone, turned and asked, “That was a human, right?” It wasn’t. It was BackOps in action.
The level of polish, natural conversation cadence, and task execution stunned the room. That’s when it clicked: this isn’t just automation, it’s transformation.
From Reactive to Predictive: The Data Goldmine
Perhaps the most underrated aspect of BackOps is what happens after the issue is resolved: data aggregation and predictive insights.
Because BackOps collects detailed data from every issue it processes, every call, every email, every step of resolution, it starts to uncover patterns:
- Which carriers are consistently late?
- Which warehouse locations have the highest damage rates?
- Are certain SKUs repeatedly involved in issues?
This isn’t just about solving problems faster. It’s about preventing them in the future and making smarter business decisions based on real-time operational insights.
Use Cases That Drive Real Impact
Some of the most powerful applications of BackOps include:
- Shipment Discrepancy Resolution: Instantly respond to delivery issues with AI gathering BOL data, carrier info, and warehouse logs.
- Claims Management: File, monitor, and appeal claims with no manual tracking required. AI ensures follow-through.
- Order Quote Generation: Automate complex quote generation across multiple systems with full validation and accuracy.
- After-Hours Escalation: AI doesn’t sleep. Whether it’s 3 AM or a weekend, it picks up the call, logs the issue, and begins the resolution process.
- Vendor/Carrier Communication: Centralize multi-channel communication and task execution under one intelligent interface.
A New Product on the Horizon: "Doc"
As if Relay (the core agentic automation system) weren’t enough, BackOps is about to launch a new product called Doc.
Here’s how it works: Doc lives inside your communication tools, Slack, email, etc. As inquiries come in, it instantly understands the request, pulls data from your internal systems, and provides a suggested response that the user can approve or modify before sending.
Think of it as a hyper-intelligent AI assistant that lives where you already work and makes sure no request goes unanswered or unresolved.
Scaling the Team and the Vision
BackOps is currently hiring, with a focus on in-person engineers (yes, in-person, because remote coding interviews are being gamed by AI tools). They’re also looking for experienced supply chain SaaS sales professionals who understand the nuances of freight tech, logistics, and the enterprise sale cycle.
The company's internal bar is high. They’re not just building software; they’re creating the next standard for how supply chain organizations function in an AI-powered world.
Should You Pilot BackOps?
If you’re a CPG supply chain lead working with Walmart, Sam’s Club, or any other major retailer, the answer is a resounding yes.
BackOps doesn’t require a rip-and-replace. It’s a light-touch layer that integrates into your existing systems, workflows, and communication channels. Start with one process. Measure the results. Expand from there.
And, if nothing else, you’ll quickly discover what’s possible when AI moves beyond the buzzword and into the boardroom and the warehouse.
