Nicola Collister and Jerry Briggs talk to Peter Ryan about AI in CX

We have talked many times on this podcast about AI and the hype aound what it can do for CX designers and managers. But what can it really do? We are being flooded with AI-themed ideas on LinkedIn daily, but it is also clear that many AI projects are failing (Gartner says that 85% of AI projects are failing at present).

In this episode Peter Ryan aims to do some myth-busting. Where is AI in CX today? What are the real use cases and where is the hype?

Peter talked to two CX leaders - in the UK and US - to discuss their thoughts on the realities of using AI in CX today...

This episode features the guests:

Nicola Collister

CEO and Founder of Custerian - based in Bowden, near Manchester UK

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-collister-7b34ba2/

https://www.custerian.com/chat-to-us

Jerry Briggs

CEO and Owner of ApexCX - based in Washington DC, USA

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerryhbriggs/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/apexcx-customer-experience-support-services/

Interview led by Peter Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-ryan-montreal/

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Summary

Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the hype cycle surrounding AI in customer experience (CX) with guests Nicola Collister and Jerry Briggs. They highlight the disparity between AI adoption in the US and China, noting that many US companies are still in the hype phase, while Chinese companies are using AI for practical applications.

The conversation emphasizes the need for strategic AI implementation aligned with business goals, rather than just adopting AI for the sake of innovation. They also discuss the importance of understanding AI's limitations and potential negative impacts on both customers and employees. The guests stress the need for clear communication and realistic expectations from AI vendors and consultants.

Owen Campbell is the operations director at Kura. He is based in Glasgow, Scotland.

Kura is a BPO based in the UK, but also with operations in South Africa. They have a number of clients from various regulated industries and Owen talked to Mark Hillary about the differences between a client that has complete control over all their services and a client from a more regulated environment.

What needs to be considered when working to design CX for a regulated industry?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/owen-campbell-a4602b173/

https://www.wearekura.com/

SUMMARY

Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the complexities of customer experience (CX) in regulated industries with Owen Campbell, Operations Director at Kura, a BPO focused on culture and people development. Campbell highlights Kura's work with heavily regulated sectors like healthcare, utilities, and financial services, emphasizing the importance of compliance and agent training. He notes that while innovation may take longer in regulated environments, it is still possible. Campbell also discusses Kura's strategic planning sessions, the importance of data security, and the shift towards outcome-based models for advisors. He predicts increased use of AI and automated compliance in the coming years.

David Neale is the Founder and CEO of GBPO Solutions. He is based in the UK.

David has experience as a buyer of BPO services and as a representative of BPOs. With this insight he decided that one of the missing ingredients in the BPO sales process is transparency - how does anyone know that what a BPO says about their services is really true?

David founded GBPO Solutions to provide accreditation to BPOs, so if they do make claims about their capabilities then they can point to the accreditation to show that their claims can be verified.

David talked to Mark Hillary about why he started GBPO Solutions and why he explored this idea of transparency rather than measuring processes and delivery capabilities...

David also publishes the popular David's Diaries podcast - focused on the biography of his guests. You can find both Mark and Peter in the back catalogue - both interviewed in 2024.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-neale-08b80011b/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/gbpo-solutions/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/davids-diaries/id1766136430

Mark and Peter on David's Diaries

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mark-hillary/id1766136430?i=1000668074006

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peter-ryan/id1766136430?i=1000668073926

Podcast Summary

In this episode, David Neale introduces his new venture, GBPO Solutions, and discusses a novel approach to BPO accreditation. Unlike traditional certifications focused on operational standards (like ISO or HIPAA), David’s accreditation model emphasizes truthfulness, transparency, and independent validation of how BPOs present themselves to the market.

David Neale's accreditation model for BPOs aims to inject much-needed transparency and accountability into a market still relying on legacy procurement methods. By focusing on honesty over hype, GBPO Solutions wants to reshape the buyer-supplier dynamic in outsourcing for the better.