At the latest ElevateCX community gathering in Atlanta, the Boldr team connected with fellow CX professionals to discuss the fascinating future of CX amid recent AI and tech advances. While the CX landscape has undergone many changes over the last decade, and will continue to evolve in the coming years as the industry adjusts, it is clear that peer collaboration amongst professionals will play an integral part in the future of customer support.
Striking the balance between technology and humanity
It was inspiring to be part of such a diverse group of professionals. Each presentation or discussion offered ample fruit for those who were willing to listen. Here are some of the key takeaways:
Ben McCormark explained that the myth of the broken system has been debunked and that applying technical solutions to adaptive problems often leads to discrepancies. He stressed the importance of having feedback loops in a business.
The topic of concise and consistent communication came to the surface when Andrew Rios spoke about listening to teams and creating a single source of truth for them. Establishing relevant KPIs and aligning team goals with company objectives will always be crucial in the pursuit of support excellence.
One of our clients, Mark Riskowitz, VP of Operations at Caraway, spoke passionately about empowering team members, delegating tasks that build confidence, and leading with empathy. Not only has empathy been a key factor to their success as a thriving e-commerce, but it has been the value that resonated with Caraway when they were looking for a values-aligned outsourcing partner. We share Mark’s view that acknowledging and understanding emotions within the teams, fostering effective communication, and appreciating each team member’s efforts are essential.
Jess Cervellon from Feastables suggested that career paths weren’t linear and that past experiences contribute to current skills. She also pointed out that diverse skill sets, creative problem-solving, and adaptability are opportunities.
Rethinking hiring strategies for a changing CX market
Kaitlin Foster, Boldr’s Director of Talent Acquisition, unveiled her unique vision of talent recruitment by drawing parallels between Star Wars characters and the world of recruitment. With this refreshing blend of Star Wars geekery and genuine passion for hiring, Kaitlin guided the audience through the transformative evolution of talent acquisition.
She introduced us to a galaxy where technology was becoming an integral part of our quest for talent. While there is little doubt that the advent of AI will reshape modern recruitment, it can be leveraged to delve into the cognitive and emotional aspects of potential hires, providing a more holistic view beyond the traditional resume that pings in a recruiter’s inbox.
The key takeaway from Kaitlin’s presentation was the need to find a balance between the computational prowess of AI and the depth of human understanding. While AI tools offer efficiency and precision, they lack the understanding of cultural nuances, empathy, and the complexities of human emotions to make empathetic decisions in the hiring process.
As a parting message, Kaitlin encouraged the audience members to be the Jedi Masters of Recruitment by balancing the force of tech and the soul of a community. She imagines a future where talent acquisition is not merely about filling vacancies but about connecting hidden talent with opportunity. Combining the experience that AI tech brings to hiring, with impact sourcing initiatives and equitable employment practices, will help to create support teams as diverse as R2-D2’s bleeps and whistles.
Kaitlin’s message of balance resonates deeply in the hearts of talent acquisition specialists and customer support professionals. At Boldr we continue balancing the tech-driven future with the warmth of community. By attending events like ElevateCX, we aspire to engage with like-minded individuals who seek to understand the changes in the CX space, and then collaborate where we can to offer the best solutions for our clients, our team members, and the communities where we are established.
James Fouche is the Content Manager at Boldr, as well as an author and a columnist. He is passionate about sharing his love of reading and writing with others.
