Skip to main content
Next in Queue

Next in Queue

By Rob Dwyer

Hosted by Rob Dwyer, Next in Queue features Customer Experience, Contact Center, Customer Support, Customer Success, Training, Leadership, and Technology experts and practitioners from around the globe. From CEOs to the frontlines, there are lessons and insights in every episode.
Available on
Amazon Music Logo
Apple Podcasts Logo
Castbox Logo
Google Podcasts Logo
iHeartRadio Logo
Pocket Casts Logo
RadioPublic Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

There’s Only One Thing Wrong with this Car featuring Alyona Medelyan

Next in QueueMar 22, 2024

00:00
43:54
There’s Only One Thing Wrong with this Car featuring Alyona Medelyan

There’s Only One Thing Wrong with this Car featuring Alyona Medelyan

Before Baywatch, David Hasselhoff starred in Knight Rider, a television series that featured KITT, an AI-enabled 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that featured the iconic pulsing red scanner bar. But while Hasselhoff was the star of the show, it was Bonnie Barstow, played by Patricia McPherson, who was the brains behind KITT. As the lead design engineer for KITT’s systems, Bonnie’s character was a pioneering representation of women in STEM fields.

While the names grabbing many of the headlines related to AI belong to men, plenty of incredibly talented women are making their mark in the field as well. While Bonnie was using AI to help Michael Knight battle criminals, Alyona Medelyan has been using AI to understand customer feedback. Her love of linguistics combined with her early interest in computers led her to a PhD in Artificial Intelligence and the founding of Thematic.

We discuss: • Understanding AI and Machine Learning • Women in Tech and AI • Starting Thematic • Gathering and Analyzing Customer Feedback • Benefits of Y Combinator • Maintaining Focus and Achieving Growth

Connect with Alyona on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/medelyan/

Thematic – https://getthematic.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/


Mar 22, 202443:54
Would You Like to Play featuring Kent Morita

Would You Like to Play featuring Kent Morita

Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal as Alan Turing in the 2014 film, The Imitation Game earned him an Oscar nomination. In this scene, he describes what has become known as the Turing Test. Introduced in 1950, this test determines if a machine can exhibit intelligent behavior indistinguishable from a human. In short, its goal is to determine if a machine can think.

While there are all kinds of philosophical debates about the validity of such a test, it has become ever more relevant in a world where Artificial Intelligence has emerged from the lab and is becoming part of our everyday experience. But Kent Morita, a Conversation Designer on the Google Gemini project, has a hot take about how the Turing Test has become irrelevant.

We discuss: • The Rebranding of Bard to Gemini • Conversational Design and Large Language Models (LLMs) • Insights about the NYU Mascot • A Unique, Educational Application of an LLM • Challenges of Working with LLMs • Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence • How Businesses May Guard Against Bad LLM Behavior • How Storytelling Inspires Creativity

Connect with Kent on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentmorita/

Moment in Manzanar – https://www.momentinmanzanar.com/

Story Pirates – https://www.storypirates.com/podcast

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Mar 15, 202454:32
A Little Dignity and a Little Respect featuring Stacy Sherman

A Little Dignity and a Little Respect featuring Stacy Sherman

Dolly Parton is probably more associated with the 1980 film, 9 to 5, because of her hit theme song by the same name. But this scene featuring Lily Tomlin and Dabney Coleman captures a struggle that endures to this day – the prejudice against women in the business world. While things have changed significantly in the last four plus decades, women still face prejudice and discrimination in the workplace. Stacy Sherman is a professional speaker, advisor, LinkedIn Instructor, author, podcaster, and so much more. On this International Women’s Day, she joins Next in Queue to share challenges, successes, advice, and inspiration. We discuss: • Stacy’s family history of women in business • Challenges faced by women in business • Designing for inclusion • Lessons learned in corporate America • The value of different perspectives • Advice to her 20-year-old self Connect with Stacy on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacysherman/ Stacy’s Linktree – https://linktr.ee/StacySherman International Women’s Day – https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/ Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/


Mar 08, 202437:48
Please Mr. Postman featuring Michael Mattson

Please Mr. Postman featuring Michael Mattson

Mar 01, 202453:54
I’m Just Gonna Say You’re a Farmer featuring Dan Smitley

I’m Just Gonna Say You’re a Farmer featuring Dan Smitley

During the Career Day episode of That 70’s Show, Michael Kelso’s father, John Kelso, tries to explain his job as a “Senior Executive Statistical Analysis Technician.” While Michael isn’t known as the brightest bulb, I think most people would struggle to clearly explain exactly what it is he does and why it’s important.

In the world of Customer Service and Support, many view the Workforce Management department as similarly confusing. Like John Kelso’s job, it involves “diverse statistical information” and can be challenging to explain in layman’s terms. But Dan Smitley joins Next in Queue to break down the role of WFM and how it supports the business, the customer, and the employees.

We discuss: • The most common problem in Workforce Management • The biggest mistake in Workforce Management • Balancing business needs and employee autonomy • How WFM impacts the Customer Experience • How often to review schedule preferences

Connect with Dan on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dansmitley/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Feb 23, 202447:08
I Know You Called featuring Douglas Tait
Feb 16, 202437:53
No One to Call featuring Tim McElgunn

No One to Call featuring Tim McElgunn

Great comedy requires keen observation and analytical skills. One of the best at observing and analyzing human behavior was George Carlin. In this bit from 1976, he takes aim at our behaviors with the telephone. Of course, telephone technology has come farther than either Alexander Graham Bell or George Carlin could have anticipated. Today, they are indeed everywhere, all the way from Orlando to Albuquerque.

The kind of observation and analytical skills needed for comedy are like what’s needed to provide insights into industries like the Contact Center industry. Tim McElgunn has made a career analyzing technology solutions and strategies. Contact Centers are often the first to take advantage of new technologies and Generative AI is no exception. But good analysis considers the risks, not just the potential gains.

We discuss: • The risks companies face when adopting Generative AI • The challenges for employees • Data poisoning and security concerns • Dangers for customers • Opportunities where AI can make positive impacts • Change management and accountability

Connect with Tim on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-mcelgunn/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Feb 09, 202451:01
No, Nick - Motivating featuring Russel Lolacher

No, Nick - Motivating featuring Russel Lolacher

2011’s Horrible Bosses takes the idea of bad leadership to the extreme, but many people can relate to Nick’s exasperation with his horrible boss, Dave. The movie highlights three different types of horrible bosses – so horrible that their subordinates conspire to murder them. Don’t worry – it’s a comedy.

The reality of having a horrible boss, however, is no comedy. Fostering great work environments by focusing on employee experience is the idea behind the podcast, Relationships at Work, hosted by this week’s guest, Russel Lolacher.

We discuss: • The Challenges of Embracing Leadership and Employee Experience • Globalization and the Impact on Leadership • The Role of Mentors in Leadership Development • The Importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion • Supporting Emerging Leaders on a Budget

Connect with Russel on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellolacher/

R@W Podcast – https://www.russellolacher.com/episodes/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Feb 02, 202450:44
Monster is a Relative Term featuring Mike Verret

Monster is a Relative Term featuring Mike Verret

Dr. Henry Wu provides an illuminating take on the idea of perspective in 2015’s Jurassic World: “To a canary, a cat is a monster; we’re just used to being the cat.” Our perspective on just about anything is likely biased by what we’re used to.

Businesses often forget the perspective of who they’re marketing to, says Mike Verret. In fact, when it comes to marketing, Mike says your message is not about your business – it should be about how your audience perceives what you do. He joins the show to talk about how to pitch your business in a way that makes people say, “Tell me more!”

We discuss: • Importance of Clarity, Simplicity, and Consistency in Communication • The Power of social media and content of value • How to build trust with potential customers • The story behind his logo • Mike’s incredible connection with the Jurassic World franchise

Connect with Mike on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-verret/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Jan 26, 202443:56
Have You Tried Turning It Off and On Again? featuring Doug Rabold
Jan 19, 202440:36
The One That I Want featuring Jason Trujillo and Kate Kompelien

The One That I Want featuring Jason Trujillo and Kate Kompelien

The 1978 film, Grease, follows the romantic journey of Danny Zuko, played by John Travolta, and Sandy Olsson, played by Olivia Newton-John. You’re The One That I Want is the theme to the denouement of the story, when both characters recognize the persona of the other and reimagine who they could be for each other.

Creating a product that customers want requires understanding the various customer personas. Afterall, not every customer is looking for Greased Lightning! Jason Trujillo and Kate Kompelien bring their incredible experience and insights to this episode of Next in Queue as we discuss:

• Why products fail • How emotion figures into product development • Where product development typically starts and why it’s the wrong place • Why Journey Maps should be paired with Process Maps • Why internal products matter just as much as customer-facing products • The different roles of product channels • Famous examples of product failures

Connect with Jason on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason2000/

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/katekompelien/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Jan 12, 202447:33
Last Dance featuring Jason Hiland

Last Dance featuring Jason Hiland

If you’ve never seen the video for Tom Petty’s 1993 hit, Mary Jane’s Last Dance, it’s a disturbing example of what can happen when an unsupervised worker with the right access goes rogue.

While work from home has become increasingly popular for contact centers, agent disengagement and security concerns still linger. Jason Hiland has spent over two decades in the contact center business and is currently focused on solving these concerns.

We discuss: • How work from home is unique for contact center agents • Definitions of common Information Security jargon • Unexpected ways data leaks can happen • What many companies forget or ignore with work from home • Advantages of work from home for both agents and businesses • Technology that facilitates work from home engagement and security • Jason’s journey up Machu Picchu

Connect with Jason on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonhiland/

Collaboration Room – https://collaborationroom.ai/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Jan 05, 202450:17
Ruin is the Road to Transformation featuring Kassy LaBorie

Ruin is the Road to Transformation featuring Kassy LaBorie

Based on the 2006 book of the same name, the 2010 film Eat, Pray, Love follows the self-discovery journey of Liz Gilbert, played by Julia Roberts. Faced with a “now what” moment, she travels to Italy, India, and Bali. This clip illustrates a moment of realization for her about change and fear. Her resolve, however, will continually be tested, and the journey has only just begun.

Kassy LaBorie recently faced a “now what” moment, herself. Over the past year, she has been on her own journey of transformation. As we enter 2024, lots of people will be considering how they want to change direction in one way or another. I couldn’t think of a better person to have a conversation with about change and how to overcome the challenges of fear and self-doubt that we all struggle with from time to time.

We discuss: • The impact of 2020 on virtual training • The challenges of self-doubt and comparison • The process of writing and delivering a keynote speech • The importance of focusing on what works, overcoming fear and self-criticism, and finding inspiration in the success of others • The need for continuous learning and growth • The power of vulnerability and self-reflection in personal and professional development

Connect with Kassy on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassylaborie/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Dec 29, 202345:42
Ritual featuring Mercer Smith

Ritual featuring Mercer Smith

Perhaps no movie epitomizes the early 90s grunge scene quite like the 1992 film, Singles. Cameron Crowe’s second film featured a soundtrack littered with bands that would soon become household names. Soundgarden’s Birth Ritual featured the unmistakable vocals of Chris Cornell belting out the word Ritual.

Rituals are a feature of every society, often linked to religions and cults. But rituals are hardly relegated to the mystical. They show up within our teams, our families, and our personal lives. I wanted to explore the topic and did so with Mercer Smith, the VP of CX Insights & Community at PartnerHero.

We discuss: • How ritual led to her first book being published • How LEGO has its own rituals in Mercer’s home • How new families foster new rituals • One successful and one unsuccessful ritual Mercer brought from one business to another • How physical ritual impacts focus • Mercer delivers a challenge to the audience

Connect with Mercer on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/smithmercer/

Preorder CXOXO: Building a Support Team Customers Will Love – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CK53YJB4?ref_=pe_30520

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Dec 22, 202341:20
Jenny I’ve Got Your Number featuring Philip Bennett

Jenny I’ve Got Your Number featuring Philip Bennett

For most of 1981, 867-5309 would have been considered a random phone number at best. By the spring of 1982, it had become the most famous phone number in the world. Tommy Tutone’s hit even inspired a fad of people calling the number and asking for Jenny, forcing nearly one hundred people to change their phone numbers.

Perhaps the second most famous number in the US began its journey to fame a few years earlier. Originally just 588-2300, the Empire Today® jingle has been around since 1977 in commercials featuring the equally famous Empire Man. Nearly 30 years ago, the nationwide toll-free 800 area code was added to the jingle as their business grew out from their Chicago home and into about 75 metro areas in the US. Empire Today is a home improvement and home furnishing company that specializes in carpet and flooring. While Phil Bennett is *not* the Empire Man, he does lead Empire Today’s customer service operations which are increasingly going digital despite the famous phone number.

We discuss: • How Phil ended up in the Contact Center business • The myth of Omni-Channel platforms • How companies create barriers for customer communication • How legacy technology hinders advancement • Real-world examples of how different companies deal with legacy technology

Connect with Phil on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-b-9a8535b/

Classic Empire TV commercials – https://www.empiretoday.com/tv-commercials

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Dec 18, 202352:30
We All Wanna See You Tattoo Your… featuring Kory Kostecka

We All Wanna See You Tattoo Your… featuring Kory Kostecka

In Season 8 of The Office, Andy Bernard gets creative with an employee incentive plan to drive better profitability. His points system is met with apathy until he ups the ante with some pretty bizarre and embarrassing potential rewards. In typical Andy fashion, his plan backfires spectacularly. Kory Kostecka, the Director of Workforce Solutions at Paramount Staffing, believes contact centers need to adjust to attract and retain top talent, but he wouldn’t advise using Andy’s method. Instead, he offers some relatively simple strategies that will make your talent management successful in 2024 and beyond. We discuss: • Post-COVID shifts in hiring criteria • How companies can earn employee loyalty beyond pay • How to communicate career path opportunities • Big trends for 2024 • One thing younger workers want more than ever before Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kory-kostecka-95b82514a/ Paramount Staffing – https://www.hireparamount.com/ Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/ Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/


Dec 08, 202338:13
The Look featuring Daniel Nilsson

The Look featuring Daniel Nilsson

In 1989, Roxette took the world by storm with their first hit, “The Look.” Songwriter, Per Gessle wanted the band’s 2nd album, Look Sharp, to be “a little more programmed, digital, and modern” than their first effort, Pearls of Passion, so he got a synthesizer and in the process of learning to use it, wrote “The Look.”

Daniel Nilsson believes support should be “a little more programmed, digital, and modern” as well. Not only does his proactive approach to support reduce support inquires, it drives more sales through channel partners.

We discuss: • Why Daniel believes in always being available for Customer Support • How Preventative Support impacts product design • How good onboarding impacts Support • How great Channel Sales and Support can drive revenue • Tips and Tricks for providing great Channel Sales Support • Lessons from Marketing applied to Support • The critical attribute for successful Support professionals

Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielnilssonsweden/

Daniel’s blog – https://www.daniel-one.com

Much Skills – https://www.muchskills.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Dec 01, 202338:29
Fantastic Voyage featuring Ilenia Vidili

Fantastic Voyage featuring Ilenia Vidili

The iconic 1980 Lakeside hit, Fantastic Voyage, invites listeners to leave behind the mundane and embark on a journey filled with unexpected delights. Breaking free of societal constraints and your own comfort zone has compelling rewards, but only if we’re ready to embrace the journey.

Societal constraints extend to the business world, too. Quarterly earnings calls often compel business leaders to follow a path to short-term gains rather than focusing on customer-centricity and the long-term gains of that path.

Ilenia’s Vidili’s fantastic voyage began on the Italian island of Sardinia and took her Spain, the United Kingdom, Southeast Asia, and back to Italy. Along that voyage, she learned a lot about customer experience. Recently, she focused her efforts to write Journey to Centricity, a guide for companies willing to embark on a fantastic voyage that focuses on the most important stakeholder in any business – the customer.

We discuss: • Her childhood experience growing up in Sardinia • Her first experience in customer relationships • Why companies still struggle to understand both customers and employees • The relationship between Customer-Centricity and profitability • The power of emotional connection with customers • Why there is a trust deficit between customers and companies • The barriers to Customer-Centricity • A Sardinia-only food you have to hear about

Connect with Ilenia on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ileniavidili/

Ilenia’s Website – https://www.ileniavidili.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Nov 24, 202352:07
So Shines a Good Deed in a Weary World featuring David Allison

So Shines a Good Deed in a Weary World featuring David Allison

This was the moment that Charlie showed Willy Wonka what he really valued in the 1971 classic, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, which was based on Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Charlie, despite having secretly tried Fizzy Lifting Drinks at the behest of Grandpa Joe, valued personal integrity. It was this integrity that Willy was looking for in his successor.

But there were 5 children, approximately the same age, in the running for the actual prize. Age and gender didn’t matter much to Willy, though. What he was looking for was someone who valued the same kinds of things he did, someone who would carry on his legacy. What mattered were values. Not demographics – values. And that’s just the thing that David Allison discovered and is now sharing with the world: Demographics never actually predicted behavior very well. What predicts behavior is values.

We discuss: • When David realized demographics didn’t work • What behavioral science says about how we make decisions • How the use of demographics contributes to societal problems • Why using demographics for marketing is essentially like throwing darts • Surprising insights from Valuegraphics in a variety of industries • The myth of generational demographics • When our values are formed • Regional and cultural differences in values across the world • 3 ways companies can use values to create effective messaging Support Driven Community Awards – https://awards.supportdriven.com/best-podcast-nominations

Connect with David on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidallisoninc/

Valuegraphics – https://valuegraphics.com/

David’s Website – https://www.davidallisoninc.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Nov 17, 202355:54
Man in the Mirror featuring Phil Johnson
Nov 10, 202346:58
This Town Deserves a Better Class of Content featuring Paul Banks

This Town Deserves a Better Class of Content featuring Paul Banks

In one of his final and most acclaimed roles, Heath Ledger gives some incredible advice as The Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight – value your skills. In this scene, he’s found the people who need his particular skillset – they probably can’t do the job themselves and besides, who has the time when you’ve got all that criming to do? So often in business, there are things we know need to be done but we struggle to find the time and we may not possess the skills.

Paul Banks realized that content was a key to building a brand and driving conversations with your ideal customers. Today, he brings his content creation skills to companies that know they need it, but either don’t have the time or skills to create compelling content.

We discuss: • Paul’s journey to content creation • What has and has not changed in the world of marketing • Marketing strategy for businesses in 2024 • Tactics for creating and distributing content • Tools for creating content • Tips for creating content that people won’t simply scroll past Support Driven Community Awards – https://awards.supportdriven.com/best-podcast-nominations

Connect with Paul on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-banks007/

Javelin Content - https://www.javelincontent.com/

Marketing Helpdesk - https://www.marketing-helpdesk.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Nov 03, 202353:52
Seriously Understaffed featuring Irina Mateeva

Seriously Understaffed featuring Irina Mateeva

Not every situation calls for the whole team. But even the likes of Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) and Iron Man (Tony Stark) feel it when there aren’t enough of them to handle the job, like in this scene from 2016’s Captain America: Civil War.

Staffing plans are important for all kinds of businesses, including, apparently, the superhero business. But in the contact center world, instead of super-soldiers, Nazis, and politicians to worry about, Workforce Management professionals must deal with call arrival patterns, average handle times, shrinkage, and so much more to ensure that customer interactions are handled in a timely manner.

WFM, or Workforce Management may not have the excitement of a Marvel movie, but if you ask Irina Mateeva, it’s definitely not boring!

We discuss: • How Irina got into WFM • Functions of WFM • The critical nature of forecasting • How Intraday management impacts the business • The biggest myth about WFM • Should AHT be an agent KPI? • Why no WFM technology is one-size-fits-all • How WFM solutions can impact Employee Experience • Why a WFM consultant might be right for you

Connect with Irina on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-mateeva-wfm-consultant/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Oct 27, 202346:25
LinkedIn State of Mind featuring Elena Garvey

LinkedIn State of Mind featuring Elena Garvey

Jay-Z’s Empire State of Mind featuring Alicia Keys was a love letter to New York. It was a song that expressed how, despite its obvious flaws, the city offered things that no other city offered. New York is a place of inspiration, style, renewal, dreams, and success stories. At the same time, it can be a brutal gauntlet that pushes you to (and possibly past) your limits. As Old Blue Eyes once sang about New York, “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.”

Cities and towns have been creating communities for centuries. But in the last two decades, the internet has created new ways to create communities – social networks. The first social network to gain significant global traction was MySpace, which launched 20 years ago in August, 2003. At its height, it had 115 million monthly visitors, though that number is less than 10 million today. It may surprise you that the more buttoned-down social network, LinkedIn, launched 3 months before MySpace. And while MySpace is now often forgotten relic of our social networking past, LinkedIn is approaching 1 billion members from over 200 countries. Like communities have for thousands of years, LinkedIn strives to create economic opportunity for its members.

Elena Garvey is the former head of CX at LinkedIn and she joins the show this week to talk about the digital jungle where dream jobs are made of.

We discuss: • The experience of being recruited for LinkedIn on LinkedIn • The aspirational vision of LinkedIn • How a global customer base affects CX strategy • How regulations and compliance can impact CX • The impact of the pandemic on LinkedIn • The surprising impact of the LinkedIn “CX Show” • Resources for learning more about CX

Connect with Elena on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenamanovagarvey/

CX Patterns Podcast – https://open.spotify.com/show/2CmBXfjNPR0h7WcSKAxWAG

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Oct 20, 202343:04
Kapowee! featuring Mitch Case

Kapowee! featuring Mitch Case

If you’re not familiar with Grady the Badger, let me introduce you. Grady appeared in commercials for Johnson Automotive, a chain of dealerships in North Carolina, Maryland, and Florida. Grady was, uh, well, everything people hate about salespeople and then some. Pushy, obnoxious, misogynistic, condescending – you name it, Grady embodied it. In this commercial, he suggests feigning interest in potential customers to make the sale.

While this tactic seems slimy when it’s merely acting, Mitch Case says that becoming genuinely interested in his customers is what allowed him to become a highly successful salesperson. Revenue, Referrals, and Retention are his 3 R’s for driving the Customer Relationship Experience.

He’s also the Founder of More than a Meal, a service that helps organizations create memorable experiences that increase employee retention, boost employee morale, and strengthen company culture.

We discuss: • The inspiration for More than a Meal • How More than a Meal impacts Employee Experience • Strategies for strengthening customer relationships • How focusing only on the potential revenue of a deal backfires in sales • The power of being intentional • How to engender trust in others • One big tip for salespeople to increase referrals

Connect with Mitch on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchellcase/

12-Step Customer Relationship Experience Framework – https://morethanamealco.com/crxdownload

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Oct 13, 202342:35
Hiring Your Next Agent J featuring Milan Batinich II and Mark Brody

Hiring Your Next Agent J featuring Milan Batinich II and Mark Brody

Even the most exclusive organizations in the world often hire based on “gut” or “instinct” without any real data to show whether someone is a good fit for a role or not. In 1997’s Men in Black, a group of young officers, including NYPD detective and future MIB agent J (Will Smith), are submitted to a battery of tests supposedly for their "motor skills, concentration and stamina." The tests were actually designed to assess their intelligence, resourcefulness, independent thinking, relationship with authority, and powers of observation. At the end of all the testing, they hired based on one person’s gut. And while Agent K certainly made the right decision, your business isn’t an action comedy with an all but guaranteed happy ending.

But what if your organization had access to an assessment that identifies behavioral traits that are highly predictive of success in a given role? What if that assessment also gave you insights into how to best support, develop, and motivate employees? Talent Optimization data helps leaders predict workplace behavior so they can hire the right candidates, design goal-crushing teams, cultivate an award-winning culture, and manage employees according to their unique preferences.

Milan Batinich and Mark Brody are Talent Optimization Certified Partners for The Predictive Index.

We discuss:
• Why Brohawk Solutions launched Talent Optimization Services
• What makes The Predictive Index different from other assessments
• What to expect from implementation and onboarding
• What a successful implementation looks like
• Real-life stories of success
• How Talent Optimization is impacted by a changing employment landscape
• How technology will impact Talent Optimization
• How you can take your own FREE PI Behavioral Assessment in less than 10 minutes

Connect with Milan on LinkedIn –
www.linkedin.com/in/milan-batinich/

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/markbrody-brohawksolutions/

Get your FREE PI Assessment – assessment.predictiveindex.com/bo/CZNH/NextinQueue

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – happitu.com/
Oct 10, 202338:02
Scar Tissue featuring Rob Connelly

Scar Tissue featuring Rob Connelly

In 1992, guitarist John Frusciante left the wildly successful Red Hot Chili Peppers and spent the better part of the decade battling heroin addiction. Nearly 7 years later, he reunited with the band and it’s his unmistakable melody that introduces the Grammy-winning 1999 hit, Scar Tissue. The song delved into themes of drug addiction and the struggles to overcome it – lead singer Anthony Kiedis had been battling his own addiction as well. But Scar Tissue spoke to more than recovering drug addicts – it spoke to all kinds of people dealing with all sorts of trauma that they keep hidden from the world.

Rob Connelly may be in the Contact Center software business with Vistio, but he firmly believes that the human element is the most important part of Customer Experience. When it comes to humans working with humans, be it customers and agents or salespeople and executives, he believes that understanding how we each bring our own scar tissue into every conversation can change the quality of interactions.

We discuss:
• How “scar tissue” is experienced in the Contact Center
• How companies can empower agents to deal with scar tissue
• A lesson companies can learn from the non-profit sector
• The best diagnostic tool for Customer Experience
• The opportunity presented by the pandemic
• Why company culture impacts agent performance

Connect with Rob on LinkedIn –
www.linkedin.com/in/rob-connelly/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – happitu.com/
Oct 06, 202339:09
Baby If You’ve Ever Wondered featuring Sandy Yu

Baby If You’ve Ever Wondered featuring Sandy Yu

WKRP in Cincinnati was a sitcom that ran from 1978 to 1982. It was a show that really focused on the relationships between the main characters on the show, all employees of a struggling AM radio station in Cincinnati that switches its format to playing rock music to stay afloat. The theme song you just heard contains the lyrics, “Baby, if you’ve ever wondered, wondered what ever became of me.” In the world of B2B, I’m sure there are a lot of customers thinking the same thing about their vendors.

Sandy Yu is an advocate for Customer-Led Growth, a strategy that focuses on driving additional revenue and customer loyalty by focusing on your current customers rather than on new customer acquisitions. Her Customer Growth Framework is designed to increase Net Revenue Retention, drive more referrals from customer advocates, and motivate teams to deliver value. By focusing on your customers, hopefully, they won’t be singing, “Just maybe think of me once in a while.”

We discuss: • How Customer-Led Growth differs from other growth strategies • Why Customer-Led Growth focuses on value • How Customer-Led Growth generates additional revenue • Tactics for deepening customer relationships • Long-term impacts of deeper customer relationships • The most important radio station to customers (it’s not WKRP) • How automation fits into Customer-Led Growth • How Advisory Boards can drive customer relationships

Connect with Sandy on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandysyu/

Revenue CCO – https://revenuecco.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Sep 29, 202343:35
I Fought the Law featuring John Walter

I Fought the Law featuring John Walter

Hit songs sometimes take a long path to recognition. Perhaps you recognize this song as a hit by The Clash. Their 1979 punk cover version reached #24 on the Irish Singles Chart and has since appeared in blockbuster movies and video games. But the song was written by Sonny Curtis in 1958. The following year, he took over guitar for Buddy Holly in the Crickets and they recorded the song. It received very little airplay. Then, in 1965, The Bobby Fuller Four recorded this version of the song and in 1966, it hit #9 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The law, it seems, can also sometimes take a long path to recognition. In 2008, the Illinois legislature passed a law known as Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). It wasn’t until 2022 that a case involving BIPA ever went to trial. It resulted in $228 million in damages against railway operator BNSF. Since then, over 100 cases have been filed. White Castle, purveyor of late-night sliders and favorite of Harold and Kumar, could be on the hook for over $17 billion in damages! After 15 years on the books, what’s changed? Attorney, Outsourcing Advisor, and AI enthusiast, John Walter joins to discuss how the use of AI has turned BIPA into a surprise hit for litigators.

We discuss:
• How John became aware of BIPA
• Background on BIPA
• How the statute of limitations works for BIPA violations
• Why Customer Support organizations should be aware of BIPA
• How Voiceprints are regarded by BIPA
• How companies may be opening themselves up to BIPA lawsuits
• What to do if you’re concerned about the impact of BIPA on your business

Connect with John on LinkedIn –
www.linkedin.com/in/jowalter/

ZMAXINC – www.zmaxinc.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – happitu.com/
Sep 22, 202338:49
What It’s Like featuring Dr. Natalie Petouhoff

What It’s Like featuring Dr. Natalie Petouhoff

Everlast gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Irish-influenced hip-hop group House of Pain in the early 90s with their infectious hit, Jump Around. But by 1998, House of Pain had disbanded and Everlast, now nearly 30, took on a new persona for his solo career – Whitey Ford. His first hit single, What It’s Like, was more than just a musical departure from the up-tempo rock/rap anthems of his youth - it was a lesson in empathy.

Dr. Natalie Petouhoff believes business leaders often don’t know “What It’s Like” for employees and customers to experience their brand. She co-authored Empathy in Action with Tony Bates, a book that teaches how empathy-based business criteria can transform customer and employee experiences, galvanize trust and loyalty, and drive better business results.

We discuss: • The biggest misconception about empathy • What customers really want • How empathy transforms business practices • The two most critical missing measures on the P&L statement • How the pandemic changed the workforce forever • How emotional connections affect brand service recovery efforts • The economics of Customer and Employee Experience • The surprising relationship between empathy and efficiency • How generational differences impact the workforce zeitgeist

Connect with Dr. Natalie on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnataliepetouhoff/

Empathy in Action – https://empathyinactionbook.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Sep 15, 202352:36
Chain-o'-Command featuring Ron Holt

Chain-o'-Command featuring Ron Holt

In 1986’s Odd Jobs, Max (played by Paul Reiser) gets his feet wet in the moving business while partnered with a veteran of the industry, Wylie. In this scene, his very first day on the job, Wylie makes it clear that this partnership is more of a dictatorship. After realizing the only moving company option, which is also mob-owned, provides horrendous service, Max and three friends see an opportunity to start their own moving company. Eighties hilarity ensues.

Ron Holt also saw an opportunity to disrupt the moving business using some of the same strategies he used to grow a successful home cleaning franchise. So he sold the business he spent 20 years building and embarked on a new journey to start “the world’s first happy moving company.” If you ask Ron what the most important word in the moving business is, he’d probably say, “culture.”

We discuss:
• The missing ingredient for a successful business that Ron was missing
• How customer feedback changed employee behavior
• The one metric that worried Ron while business was booming
• What prompted him to get into the moving business
• How to go beyond what customers think they want
• The nexus of the Pink Zebra name
• How Ron creates employee buy-in to the Pink Zebra culture
• How Pink Zebra stands out from the competition

Connect with Ron on LinkedIn –
www.linkedin.com/in/ronholtfranchise/

Pink Zebra Moving – pinkzebramoving.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – happitu.com/
Sep 08, 202355:18
How Do We Do That featuring Jan Young
Sep 01, 202355:30
Jump the Queue - Looks Good On You Though featuring Nate Brown

Jump the Queue - Looks Good On You Though featuring Nate Brown

While golf fashion is significantly more toned down these days, it was once a world filled with loud prints and wild colors.  And perhaps no character personified loud and wild in the golf world quite like Rodney Dangerfield’s character in 1980’s classic film, Caddyshack.  In this scene, after making fun of a particular trilby in a golf shop, he sees Ted Knight’s character wearing the exact same hat.

No stranger to golf or brightly colored clothes and hats, Nate Brown blossomed when he found the right community – a community that accepted him for what he was, supported him, and allowed him to be comfortable in his own skin.  When he was in need of a professional community of CX pros who would do the same thing, he couldn’t quite find it.  So, he created it.  The CX Accelerator Slack Community now boasts thousands of members sharing insights and mentoring each other. 

And as for Nate’s hat selection, and I say this without sarcasm, they truly look good on him.

On this week’s bonus episode, Nate and I discuss:

·        How the right communities helped Nate becoming the outgoing person he is today

·        The nexus of CX Accelerator

·        What is Customer Experience and how do you show the ROI of CX work?

·        What Customer Service professionals can learn from Customer Success

·        How the mission of CX Accelerator impacts its members

·        Nate’s 3 layers of community

·        3 books from Nate’s personal library

·       The genesis of Nate’s fun and exciting wardrobe


Connect with Nate on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/cxaccelerator/


CX Accelerator – https://www.cxaccelerator.com/


Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/


Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Aug 30, 202353:05
You’ve Got to Know When to Hold ‘Em featuring Tino Engel

You’ve Got to Know When to Hold ‘Em featuring Tino Engel

The 1978 hit, The Gambler, by Kenny Rogers tells the story of a chance meeting with gambler who offers his outlook on life using poker metaphors in exchange for a drink of whisky. In the gambler’s mind, every situation requires decisions because life itself is a gamble. To play it well, you must choose wisely, take a few risks, and not dwell on inevitable losses.

Following a chance introduction to poker at a party, Tino Engel took his own gamble and began his journey as a professional poker player. Tino’s journey led him to think more deeply about our perceptions of risk, decision-making, and dealing with losing. He realized that these lessons applied to far more than poker – they applied to business and life. Today, he’s using an edutaining poker experience to help businesses across the world to boost connection, communication, and collaboration.

We discuss: • Two strategies for dealing with losses • How he transitioned from professional poker to the business world • The four values poker brings to business professionals • What you can learn about colleagues to help you function better as a team • Developing a common decision-making language • Simple strategies to improve your decision-making

Connect with Tino on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinoengel/

Tino’s Website – http://www.tinoengel.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Aug 25, 202345:53
We’re Not Gonna Take It featuring Michael Podolsky
Aug 18, 202346:04
Blame Canada featuring Mike Aoki

Blame Canada featuring Mike Aoki

In South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Kyle’s mom, Sheila, makes Canada the scapegoat for the bad behavior of South Park’s children. But if Kyle’s mom were to find a scapegoat today, it would likely be Artificial Intelligence rather than America’s friendly neighbor to the north. It’s hard to go a single day without hearing about how AI will automate everything, including contact center jobs. One Canadian who’s not scapegoating the role of AI in the contact center is Mike Aoki. A survivor of the American-Canadian War (just kidding), he’s spent decades in the business and is optimistic about how contact centers will adapt and evolve as more AI is introduced. We discuss: • Opportunities for generative AI in the contact center • How the role of contact center agents will evolve • Impacts of the evolution of the agent role • The future of knowledgebases and other agent tools • How remote work impacts contact centers • One area where AI will drive up costs • Resources to keep up on the latest best practices in the industry Connect with Mike on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeaoki/ Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/ Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/
Aug 11, 202343:11
The Color Of This Pen Is featuring Nick Glimsdahl
Aug 04, 202340:05
I Can featuring Sean Ilenrey
Jul 28, 202333:13
I’m Not Your Ordinary, Everyday Fool featuring Rick Denton

I’m Not Your Ordinary, Everyday Fool featuring Rick Denton

Clark W. Griswold is not your ordinary, everyday fool – he’s an exceptional fool and one who loves travel. Whether it’s California’s Walley World, Europe, or Las Vegas, Clark has experienced a lot as a customer while traveling with his family. In this scene from 1983’s National Lampoon’s Vacation, Clark is experiencing was could have been a “relationship restoration” moment that could have cemented his loyalty for life.

Rick Denton can tell you about successes in a moment like this as well as disasters. Spoiler alert – it’s a disaster for Clark. Rick, probably just like the traveling Clark Griswold, believes the best meals are served outside and require a passport.

We discuss: • How a Total Voice of the Customer approach leads to growth • His 3 Pillars of Total Voice of the Customer (VoC) • How VoC impacts both Internal and External Processes • How to gain insights from employees • How process fits into delivering your brand promise • How stories about your customers can change your employee perceptions • How he experienced the Japanese culture of omotenashi • How Relationship Restoration can drive customer loyalty

Connect with Rick on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenton/

EX4CX – https://www.ex4cx.com/

What if drug companies made commercials for… airlines – https://youtu.be/x1_Gw1GoEJk

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Jul 21, 202343:58
Be Curious Not Judgmental featuring Ashna Patel

Be Curious Not Judgmental featuring Ashna Patel

I may be biased, but this scene from Ted Lasso may be one of the best scenes in recent television history. Aside from reminding us how food can transport us back in time, it more importantly reminds us to always be curious. Asking questions is a skill we learn very early in childhood – particularly ones that begin with “Why?” But that curiosity is often stifled by the desire to appear informed, smart, and competent, particularly in the workplace.

Ashna Patel refuses to abandon that curiosity because she knows that asking questions is the most critical skill on the journey to success. That curiosity has led her to be recognized multiple times as a top influencer in Customer Success and she’s determined to help others develop their own sense of curiosity.

We discuss: • Why she co-founded CS Insider • What Customer Success entails • Responsibilities of Customer Success Managers • The most important skills for Customer Success Managers • Resources outside your company for professional development • One question to ask new connections in your network • A free resource to help guide and spark curiosity

Follow Ashna on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashnapatel92/

CS Insider – https://www.csinsider.co/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/


Jul 14, 202347:20
Jump the Queue featuring Emma Lo, Tino Engel, and Michael Hanks

Jump the Queue featuring Emma Lo, Tino Engel, and Michael Hanks

2500 years ago, before Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus observed the ever-present state of flux in everything. His philosophy on how everything flows is often paraphrased (or misquoted) as, “The only constant in life is change.”

On this episode of Jump the Queue, we’re exploring transitions.

Emma Lo started out as a cancer researcher in Taipei, Taiwan, moved to Canada, and then discovered what she really liked was interacting with people going through transitions rather than cells going through transitions. https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-lo/ Next, we talk to Tino Engel in Germany whose transitioned from being a professional poker player to becoming a management trainer who uses poker to explore making choices and dealing with uncertainty in business and life. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinoengel/ Finally, I talk with an old colleague, Michael Hanks, who discusses keys to leading people he learned and utilized through multiple career transitions.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-hanks-52b30768/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Jul 11, 202332:52
Okay Campers Rise and Shine featuring EJ Kritz

Okay Campers Rise and Shine featuring EJ Kritz

Being an agent in a contact center can sometimes feel like Groundhog Day. You take call after call every shift and most of them sound like the calls you took the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that. Of course, not everyone can thrive in that kind of environment. I mean, Bill Murray spent 12,395 days repeating the same day over and over, but he had no choice in the matter! Contact Center agents most certainly have a choice, so it’s critical to hire people who appreciate stability and predictability at work. EJ Kritz understands that Customer Experience begins with Employee Experience. If you’re wondering why your contact center attrition is high or why you have challenges hiring (or both), EJ has some suggestions for you, and no, they don’t involve AI.

We discuss: • The most overlooked issue impacting employee retention • What you can learn from a blank cereal box • Overcoming challenges presented by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) • How the experience of letting people go can impact your business • Employee Satisfaction vs. Employee Engagement • How to make onboarding an amazing experience • The value of “boomeranging” new hires in training • 3 words that will change your approach to public speaking

Follow EJ on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejkritz/

ath Power Consulting – https://www.athpower.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Jul 07, 202352:01
Are You Experienced featuring Dan Gingiss

Are You Experienced featuring Dan Gingiss

If you’ve never seen it, watch footage of Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.  Then you’ll understand why his band was called The Jimi Hendrix Experience.  Their debut album – Are You Experienced? – was an immediate success, both critically and commercially.  But it was Jimi’s stagecraft, a revelation to mostly white Greenwich Village audiences where he emerged as a star, that cemented the “Experience.”  This craft had been honed while touring the incredibly demanding Chitlin' Circuit with the likes of the Isley Brothers and Little Richard.  Those artists knew that the audiences didn’t just want music – they wanted a show – they demanded an Experience. 

Dan Gingiss recognized a long time ago that all customers appreciate an experience and today, he teaches individuals, teams, and audiences around the world how to become The Experience Maker at their organization and elevate their brand to a customer-centric experience leader. 

We discuss:  

·        The skills he learned from direct mail marketing

·        The tightrope that is influencer marketing and how to do it right

·        Functions social media excel at for brands and functions to avoid

·        The value of “complainers” to brands

·        Personalization mistakes brands make and how to fix them

·        How ChatGPT will impact Customer Experience

·        Voice of Customer and Actions of Customer

·        Why Customer Experience Transformation projects fail


Follow Dan on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dangingiss/

Dan Gingiss The Experience Maker™ – https://dangingiss.com/

Jimi Hendrix Guitar Sacrifice – https://youtu.be/_-7toYWFEyk

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

Jun 30, 202346:02
Inconceivable featuring Neal Topf
Jun 23, 202345:07
I Know Kung Fu featuring David Wentworth
Jun 16, 202350:18
I'm Good Enough I'm Smart Enough featuring Casey Klein
Jun 09, 202351:03
I Would Rather Work for Chuck E. Cheese featuring Mary Drumond

I Would Rather Work for Chuck E. Cheese featuring Mary Drumond

Jun 02, 202351:03
We Don't Take No for an Answer featuring Jim Tincher
May 26, 202340:54
The World Ain’t All Sunshine and Rainbows featuring Kristi Faltorusso

The World Ain’t All Sunshine and Rainbows featuring Kristi Faltorusso

Creed II was the 2018 installment of the Rocky “legacyquel” and in this moment, Rocky is about to take Adonis Creed to the middle of nowhere to begin training for his rematch against Viktor Drago.  Because the variables have changed, Rocky knows that Adonis needs to make big changes to achieve the success he’s grown accustomed to.

Kristi Faltorusso is an award-winning Customer Success Executive, and she has watched Client and Customer Success teams around the world (and on her own team) shrink – yet the needs of customers remain as high as ever.  It led her to ask, “How do you do the work you need to do differently with the resources you have?”

She’s decided it’s about making big changes in how CSMs operate.

We discuss:  

·        The role of Customer Success in an organization

·        Why she hates the phrase “Do more with less”

·        3 strategies for supporting customers with a smaller team

o   Customer Community / Education

o   Incorporating Automation / Creative Thinking

o   Reassessing Roles and Skills of Existing Team Members

·       The biggest skill CSMs (Customer Success Managers) need to master

·        A shocking admission from Kristi and what she plans to do about it


Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Keeping CS Simple – https://www.keepingcssimple.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/

May 19, 202351:28
If You Build It They Will Come featuring Annette Franz

If You Build It They Will Come featuring Annette Franz

May 12, 202343:32
Just No Place for On-Prem Solutions featuring Rachel Lane

Just No Place for On-Prem Solutions featuring Rachel Lane

1968’s Street Fighting Man by the Rolling Stones reflects society undergoing incredible changes. Demonstrations against the Vietnam War attracted thousands of students, both in Europe and America. In some cases, they turned violent. “Hey, said my name is called Disturbance” could reflect changes we see, not just in society, but in business and technology.

When it comes to technologies used by contact centers, “Disturbance” goes by another name – “The Cloud.” Cloud-based technologies are rapidly changing the way contact centers interact with technology vendors. Perpetual licensing for on-premise “on-prem” solutions has been disrupted by short-term commitments to cloud solutions. Cloud-based solutions can implement advances in capability quickly and without involvement of the licensee.

Rachel Lane has spent her career as a vendor of technologies to contact centers (or centres as she would spell it) and has seen the revolution from on-prem to cloud firsthand.

We discuss:

  • The core functions of major contact center technologies
  • The rise of interoperable CCaaS technologies
  • The end of long-term commitments to tech vendors?
  • Are LLM’s like ChatGPT hype or transformational?
  • What buyers of technology really care about
  • Surprising anecdotes about fine art, music, and old-school technology

Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachellane/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/


May 05, 202342:47