In the swiftly transforming realm of customer experience (CX), Scorebuddy is emerging as a pioneering force, bridging traditional quality management practices with cutting-edge artificial intelligence. Founded by Chief Executive Derick Corcoran, the company has just secured its first round of investment, signalling a pivotal moment in its journey to transform contact centre performance evaluation.
A Journey Rooted in Technology and Telecommunications
Corcoran’s path to founding Scorebuddy is a testament to his deep roots in technology and telecommunications. Starting with a degree in business and marketing, he began his career in an Irish software company developing software for Apple II computers. His professional trajectory then took him through pivotal roles at Eircom and AT&T, where he gained extensive experience in contact centre technologies during the critical digital transformation era.
From IVR to Intelligent Quality Management
In 2001, Corcoran launched the parent company that would eventually give birth to Scorebuddy. Initially offering hosted IVR solutions and workforce management platforms, the company was at the forefront of cloud technology. The genesis of Scorebuddy came from a client’s need to transform quality data collection from spreadsheets into an interactive dashboard.
“We developed a survey product on our IVR system with a web front end,” Corcoran explained. “It quickly evolved into what is now Scorebuddy.” Early success came swiftly, with notable clients like Airbnb adopting the platform across 15,000 users and seven sites.
The AI-Powered Evolution
Today, Scorebuddy is more than just a quality management tool. By acquiring a conversation analytics engine and strategically integrating AI, the company is reimagining how contact centres evaluate and improve performance.
“The game changer is AI,” Corcoran said, “but the key is how you apply it.” Unlike competitors making sweeping claims about AI capabilities, Scorebuddy is taking a measured approach. They’re embedding AI into familiar workflows, ensuring that customers don’t need to become AI prompt engineering experts overnight.
Challenges and Opportunities in AI Adoption
Corcoran is candid about the challenges facing AI integration in contact centres. He highlights three critical considerations:
- Data Security: Chief Information Officers are rightfully cautious about AI implementation.
- Measured Adoption: Despite excitement, companies are proceeding carefully with AI integration.
- Regulatory Concerns: There are significant ethical considerations around using AI to assess employee performance.
The recent investment will primarily fuel the expansion of Scorebuddy Labs, focusing on AI augmentation across their platform. This includes developing AI-powered coaching recommendation systems that can provide nuanced insights into individual and team performance.
Looking to the Future
With their innovative approach, Scorebuddy is positioning itself at the intersection of human expertise and artificial intelligence. The company aims to create tools that enhance, rather than replace, human capabilities in customer experience management.
“It’s not just about reducing headcount,” Corcoran emphasised. “It’s about how AI can support and elevate the existing workforce.”
As the contact centre industry stands on the cusp of a technological revolution, Scorebuddy represents a thoughtful, strategic approach to embracing artificial intelligence – one that promises to unlock unprecedented insights and efficiencies in customer experience.
