D. Watson Group CEO on using AI for data and trust
Ahsan Bakhtawari is the CEO of D. Watson Group, a retail and healthcare company that sells pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, optical care, beauty, wellness and lifestyle products through trusted retail channels. This conversation is worth reading because Ahsan explains how the company uses AI for data and inventory decisions while keeping human relationships central to customer trust and growth.
Use AI where it speeds clear business decisions, such as customer trends and inventory planning, while keeping humans in roles that require empathy, relationship building and strategic judgment. Invest in digital capabilities that solve real customer problems and avoid chasing tech trends without purpose.
What’s the quick origin story of your business, and what makes what you do genuinely different from the other options your customers are looking at?
D. Watson began as a family-owned business with a vision to make quality healthcare products more accessible to people through trust, service, and reliability. Over the years, we have grown from a traditional retail operation into a diversified healthcare and lifestyle brand offering pharmaceuticals, optical care, beauty, wellness, and everyday essentials. What sets us apart is our commitment to combining the personal touch and values of a family business with the innovation, convenience, and modern retail solutions customers expect today. We don’t just focus on selling products; we focus on building long-term relationships by understanding customer needs and delivering dependable solutions across every touchpoint.
Where does most of your new business come from today, and where do you wish it came from?
Most of our new business comes from customer trust, repeat relationships, word-of-mouth recommendations, and the strong reputation we have built over decades in the healthcare and retail space. As we continue to evolve, we are also seeing growth through digital channels, e-commerce, and our expanding online presence, which allows us to connect with new audiences beyond our traditional retail footprint. Moving forward, we would like to see more growth driven by digital innovation, strategic partnerships, and stronger engagement with customers who value convenience, quality, and trusted healthcare solutions. Our goal is to continue blending the reliability of our legacy with the opportunities created by modern retail.
What’s one thing you’ve actually handed over to AI in the last year, and one thing you tried it on and went back to doing the human way?
One area where we have successfully integrated AI is in data analysis and decision support, particularly in understanding customer trends, inventory patterns, and operational insights. AI helps us process information faster and identify opportunities that allow our teams to make more informed decisions. However, when it comes to areas that require human connection, such as understanding customer needs, building relationships with partners, and making leadership decisions, we continue to rely on the human approach. We have found that technology can enhance efficiency and provide valuable insights, but empathy, experience, and personal judgment remain essential in creating meaningful customer and business relationships.
Have you noticed a change in how customers find you or what they already know before they reach out? Is anyone arriving through AI assistants like ChatGPT yet?
Yes, we have noticed a shift in how customers discover and interact with brands. Today’s customers are more informed before they visit a store or make a purchase, they research products online, compare options, read reviews, and increasingly look for trusted recommendations through digital platforms. We are also seeing the early impact of AI-powered tools and assistants, as customers begin using them to explore brands, products, and solutions. While AI-driven discovery is still developing, it represents an important shift in how businesses need to build their digital presence. For us, the focus remains on maintaining accurate information, delivering quality products, and building a trusted brand reputation that customers can rely on, regardless of whether they discover us through traditional channels, search engines, or emerging AI platforms.
If you were advising someone in your industry on all of this for the next 12 months, what would you tell them to actually do, and what would you tell them to ignore?
If I were advising someone in the retail and healthcare industry for the next 12 months, I would encourage them to focus on understanding their customers better, investing in digital capabilities, and using technology to improve decision-making rather than adopting it simply because it is a trend. Businesses should strengthen their online presence, use data to understand customer behavior, and build systems that improve convenience while maintaining the trust and personal connection that customers value. I would also emphasize investing in people, because strong teams and customer-focused employees remain one of the biggest competitive advantages.
At the same time, I would advise businesses to ignore the pressure to chase every new technology or short-term trend without a clear purpose. Innovation should solve real customer problems and support the company’s long-term vision. The businesses that will succeed are those that balance digital transformation with strong values, operational discipline, and a genuine commitment to serving their customers.
Thank you to Ahsan Bakhtawari and the team at D. Watson Group for sharing what actually worked with Leaders Perception readers.
Want to share your playbook?
Leaders Perception publishes founder and operator interviews every week. A few questions, about five minutes, no calls. It is free and everyone we accept gets published.