Improving Customer Experience with Generative AI

TechSpective Podcast Episode 109

I admit that I am cynical in general about customer experience. On the rare occasions I have to call for support or interact with customer service, I feel like it’s often an exercise in both frustration and futility. It often takes hours and multiple transfers and escalations just to get to someone who either A) understands what the problem is, and B) actually has the knowledge and skill to help solve it. But, I am open to the possibility that generative AI might somehow improve things.

That is not to say that artificial intelligence is a “silver bullet” solution. Chatbots have been used by companies for years, and most of them are just as irritating–if not more so–than human customer service agents. The chatbot is a more rudimentary attempt at leveraging AI–essentially just following the same predetermined flowchart of questions and responses that level one customer service follows. Generative AI, however, improves things a bit.

Jon Aniano, SVP of Product for Zendesk, is a software product executive focused on building and growing products and companies in enterprise software. He is constantly thinking about customer engagement, connected devices, and the future of business software. Jon has more than 15 years of hands-on experience leading product vision, product strategy, go-to-market strategy, and operations within both small startups and large software companies. Proven experience leading product management teams and engineering teams to define product roadmap and execute product delivery. Comfortable leading or working with partners in marketing, sales and delivery to drive product positioning, sales enablement, marketing, pre-sales, sales and implementation activities.

Jon joins me on this episode to talk about how generative AI can elevate the customer experience. In the podcast, Aniano states, “The ability for these large language models to generate answers to questions will have a massive impact on the CX industry.”

Check out the full episode for our discussion of how generative AI will transform customer experience–as well as a discussion of what its current limitations and what we shouldn’t expect it to solve. We also chat about the tech scene in San Francisco and how many of the most recognizable names–like Zendesk–operate out of unassuming offices that you pass just walking down the street. With a few notable exceptions, they don’t have compounds or campuses.

The podcast itself is audio-only, but the video of our conversation is also available on YouTube if you prefer:

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Tony Bradley

Editor-in-Chief at TechSpective

I have a passion for technology and gadgets--with a focus on Microsoft and security--and a desire to help others understand how technology can affect or improve their lives. I also love spending time with my wife, 7 kids, 4 dogs, 7 cats, a pot-bellied pig, and sulcata tortoise, and I like to think I enjoy reading and golf even though I never find time for either. You can contact me directly at tony@xpective.net. For more from me, you can follow me on Threads, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

TechSpective Podcast Episode 109

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