“I’m a firm believer, and Adam Menzies, Vice President, JODI WAGNER: With customers always have been, that every Consulting Services at CGI and becoming smarter and more employee of every company Trailblazing Partner versed in products and services, is a salesperson. If you’re not Bill Powell, Salesforce MVP it’s important for companies to building relationships, you’re deliver an easy and seamless an order taker. With the tools Bob Hebeisen, Senior Director of experience in a customer’s we have at our disposal in the Marketing at Glance Networks preferred channel with self- Fourth Industrial Revolution, we service being at the top of have relationship history at our Jodi Wagner, Salesforce MVP that pyramid. Being able to let fingertips, should we choose to a customer help themselves use the tools. There is no better Marisa Hambleton, Salesforce in online communities — but time to be a service agent, or MVP and Entrepreneur connect to an agent via SMS, a salesperson, than today. You WHAT IS YOUR VISION OF THE live chat or phone — is vital. have a shorter runway to build FUTURE OF SERVICE? Chatbots are important for those solid relationships while also easy questions customers may building long-lasting equity with MARISA HAMBLETON: have, irrespective of channel, The future customers,” said Salesforce MVP of service is about relationships, but don’t for a second think Bill Powell. organizations seeking a we've seen the end of the With the rise of AI, bots, and positive-sum and engaging phone call. That is now key to self-help knowledge bases, it has experience for their customers. meaningful conversations to become the technology’s job to It’s customers seeking to be create lasting relationships with routinely handle easy-to-solve met where they are, whether customers. Gone are the days of transactional service – it’s all problems, leaving human agents it’s in the field, in the office, or in person. Service is integral to about the customer experience. to handle only the most difficult organizations and vital to long- and complex issues. “Businesses term success. Customers want BILL POWELL: I look toward should recruit the most skilled to know that “you get me” when retail as to what the future problem solvers, and must choosing where they will buy or of service looks like. When I equip them with technology and with whom they’ll do business. see companies like Sears and training that lets them do their Toys R Us fall, it’s because they job at the highest level,” said ADAM MENZIES: Our vision of drew a line in the sand in how just keeping up, it’s about getting Bob Hebeisen, Senior Director of the future of service at CGI is they wanted to work with their Marketing at Glance Networks. a place where customers and customers, whereas companies in a quickly changing economic citizens feel like companies and like Amazon, Disney, T-Mobile, Salesforce MVP Jodi Wagner echoed this thought: “Utilizing governments truly “know them.” and more redefine on a regular AI and chatbots frees up your This means understanding not basis how they interact with their In fact, 75% of customers say only their current issue they agents to really service your need help on but knowing what customers in meaningful ways journey that person is on and …[and lets] them focus on how the larger goals they have for it. they can best assist customers This will truly give context to the and capture customer loyalty.” service team, which likely will What other questions are include humans and AI bots, to keeping experts up these days? think about the issue at hand but also how someone got here Five Salesforce MVPs and and where they want to go in the partners who are experiencing longer-term. This knowledge will and adjusting to this accelerated lead to real empathy with the digital-first companies like pace of change every day share person you are serving, and that thoughts and expertise: is what is at the core of a true service-oriented relationship. FALL 2019 FALL 2019 THE EXCHANGE 19