In this episode, we move past the hype to explore the practical realities of AI transformation within Customer Experience (CX). While the technology is evolving at breakneck speed, many organisations find themselves stuck in "operational inertia," struggling with fragmented data, knowledge gaps, and a lack of strategic clarity.
Chris Tomkins shares his front-line experience working with some of Zendesk’s largest enterprise customers to move CX from a system of knowledge to a system of action. We dive deep into why simply providing an answer isn't enough anymore—customers want resolutions, such as actually changing a flight booking rather than being told how to do it.
Key highlights from this conversation include:
- The AI Readiness Framework: Why a successful rollout depends on four critical pillars: Strategic, Operational, Tactical, and Technical foundations.
- The "Build vs. Buy" Debate: An analysis of why building your own AI models can lead to challenges with hallucination and contextual learning, and how native AI platforms offer rigorous certification and continuous learning.
- The Evolution of the CX Team: How the traditional hierarchy is shifting, with Tier 1 roles being replaced by AI and the emergence of the AI Service Architect—a role that bridges the gap between business processes and technical capabilities.
- From Prescriptive to Goal-Oriented AI: A look at the future of "AI Agents" that possess the agency to solve problems dynamically by focusing on goals rather than just following a scripted flow.
- The Importance of Human-AI Collaboration: Why AI is not completely replacing humans, but rather supporting them to handle more nuanced, high-value customer interactions.
- The Power of Partnerships: Why the "triangle" of technology innovators, implementation partners, and business experts is essential to mitigating risk and ensuring a trustworthy deployment.
Whether you are a CX leader navigating the fast-moving AI sector or a business analyst looking to modernise your workflow, this episode provides a roadmap for turning your support function from a cost centre into a genuine competitive differentiator.
