What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned working in CX?

For me its that voice is not going away. Years ago when I started this job we were at the beginning of the start of the commoditization of UC. We were at the advent of the video call, and the ‘SMS generation’ (which includes me) was hitting the workforce. The theory was that my generation would forsake voice conversations in favour of text, self-service, and solving things ourselves. This never happened. Sure most customers are now happy enough to do small things themselves, and tweak account details in an app, but the second things go wrong they want to pick up a phone.

That isn’t going away, and it is expensive which has led to many companies making it harder and harder to find a phone number on their website. Yet, nothing frustrates a customer more than not finding a number when they know they need to speak to someone. So now technology is coming in to fill the void, via Intelligent Virtual Assistants/Agents, IVRs and any other number of voice-first automated systems to enable customers to use voice, and companies to not have to pay for it all.

What’s the No. 1 challenge facing CX teams right now? And how should they navigate it?

What to do about AI. Nothing else matches the extent of that challenge. Cavell’s research shows that most companies are trying it, but not sure how far to roll it out yet. Most companies are taking the cautious approach and using it for agent assistance rather than making it a frontline tool in any meaningful sense. But there is huge untapped potential just around the corner in the form of intent-analysis, sentiment tracking, and automated conversations. It does feel like these are such large changes that many are intimidated by them, or just don’t have their data in the right place to use it.

Which is your favorite CX event to attend and why?

The Cavell CX Summit (but I am Biased).

What’s your big prediction for the future of CX?

My biggest prediction is that we will rapidly get to the point where we can automate more CX roles than we do. The technology will exist, companies could go fully automated, but they won’t. They will focus on keeping more agents connected to their network. Why? The simple answer is that customers want it. Customers want an efficient system that connects them to a human being. They don’t want to be in a crisis and speaking to an automated system. For mundane activities, sure, but the second things start to go wrong, the companies that can provide an authentic, rapid and efficient human connection will see their brands thrive, vs those that are equally as efficient but lack the human element.

How will you keep contributing to the CX community?

Going to keep asking difficult questions, keep doing industry and enterprise research, and keep publishing reports. And talking about all of that loudly on and off the stage as well.