I’m interested in learning how to use Altana AI for my business, but I’m not sure where to begin. I need clear steps or resources for getting started because their website isn’t very specific, and I’m having trouble finding user documentation. Any guidance would be appreciated.
If you’re lost trying to get going with Altana AI, you’re definitely not the only one. Their website is basically a maze of buzzwords (“supply chain visibility ecosystem!”) without any “click here to learn” buttons. So, step one: don’t panic if it all reads like marketing bingo.
Here’s what I did when I was in your spot: I hunted for demos and webinars—they’ve got a YouTube channel with a handful of overviews and talks at industry events, which give a little more real info than the website. Not super detailed, but you start to get the big picture.
Next, I just filled out their contact form acting like I was super interested in transforming my business (which, like, isn’t a lie, right?)—within a day or two, a sales rep set up a call. No way around it, unfortunately: their onboarding/application is sales-led, and there’s no self-serve, hands-on sandbox to poke around in.
If you’re trying to figure out if it’s even worth all that, ask the rep specifically for:
- Use cases that match your industry
- Integration options (do you need to switch all your systems? What’s with the API stuff?)
- Pricing (they hate to talk about this upfront, but push for at least a ballpark)
- Timeline/commitment needed to get started
And yep, there aren’t really third-party guides or tutorials because the ecosystem is still kinda walled-off/proprietary right now. Would love to see that change, but, it is what it is. If you do take the plunge, let the rest of us know how it actually works IRL—skeptical I’ll ever see a public walkthrough!
Not gonna lie, the Altana AI onboarding experience is about as straightforward as assembling IKEA furniture blindfolded. I agree with @caminantenocturno about the cryptic website—it’s like they invented a new language called ‘Supplychainglish.’ But, here’s a slightly different angle you might wanna try if playing phone tag with their sales team sounds like medieval torture:
Skip their main site and dig for industry case studies that mention Altana AI by name, usually on logistics, customs, or procurement blogs. Sometimes these articles actually walk through what using the product looks like ‘in the wild’—which, let’s be real, tells you a whole lot more than any official marketing fluffy stuff.
Also, Altana’s LinkedIn is a weirdly decent goldmine. I found short posts, announcements, and sometimes even Q&A responses from their staff lurking in comment sections. You can sometimes get a real person on there to respond to technical questions if you’re patient (stalk-y, yes, but it works). Not as formal or hand-holdy as a demo, but at least you get a pulse on what’s actually possible.
One thing I’ll disagree about: you can sort-of pilot their tech without a full sales commitment if you have an “in” through a third-party logistics partner. Some 3PLs and customs brokers are piloting Altana integrations—if you already use a managed supply chain service, just ask flat-out if “they touch” Altana data. Weird hack, but it’s how I actually saw a dashboard in action before I ever talked to an Altana rep.
TL;DR: Scour external sources for real use stories, hunt on LinkedIn for humans who speak in non-corporate lingo, and if you’re a 3PL user, see if you can peek behind the curtain through their deployments. No plug-and-play magic yet, but you can get a peek—just gotta be creative.