Transforming Customer Support with Declan Ivory's AI Playbook

Declan Ivory is a seasoned leader in the realm of customer support and experience, bringing over 30 years of expertise to the table. 

As the Vice President of Customer Support at Intercom, he stands at the forefront of leveraging innovative technologies to redefine how businesses interact with their customers.

Throughout his illustrious career, Declan has been a trailblazer in steering customer service into the digital age. His commitment to understanding and meeting customer needs has propelled him into a key role at Intercom, a company renowned for its cutting-edge solutions in the customer experience domain.

Declan is not just a technology enthusiast; he is a passionate advocate for walking in the shoes of the customer. His belief in the power of firsthand experience and intentional customer engagement has shaped his approach to implementing Conversational AI.

As a thought leader and practitioner, he continues to inspire and educate the industry about the exciting opportunities that lie ahead in the era of AI-driven customer interactions.

Key Takeaways

1. Iterative Implementation of AI in Customer Support: The implementation of AI in customer support is not a big bang project but rather an iterative process. Businesses can start small, potentially within hours, and progressively enhance the AI's capabilities over time. 

2. The Importance of Walking in the Customer's Shoes: In the context of AI implementation, this practice becomes even more crucial as businesses undergo changes in how they interact with customers.

3. Strategic Content Management is Critical:  Declan stresses the importance of strategic content management, considering factors like structuring information for different customer classifications and being intentional about what sources are used to feed the AI bot. 

4.Transformational Impact of AI in Customer Support:  The application of AI is seen as a game-changer, offering opportunities for increased efficiency, real-time feedback to agents, and a shift in how businesses approach customer interactions. 

Timestamps

[00:07:12] Declan delves into the concept of "walk in the shoes of the customer," emphasizing the importance of intentional efforts by support leaders to understand and enhance the customer experience, especially in the evolving landscape of AI-driven support.

[00:17:45] The mechanics of enabling an AI bot in a matter of minutes and the critical role of content management in feeding the AI engine with relevant and structured information.

[00:26:50] The common concern of effort and the challenge of integrating AI into existing systems, advocating for a living, breathing project approach rather than a big bang, emphasizing the ongoing nature of AI implementation.

[00:32:11] Exploring the intersection of AI and brand consistency, Declan introduces the role of a conversation designer to ensure a seamless customer experience across AI-driven layers. 

[00:37:23] The final takeaway encourages support leaders to actively "walk in the shoes of the customer," stressing the need for various approaches, such as mystery shopping or direct conversations. 

Quotes

1. "Regularly walk in the shoes of your customer in an AI-driven world—it's essential for understanding and improving the customer experience."

2. "In AI, knowledge management is critical; carefully choose and update your information sources to feed your AI bot effectively."

3. "AI is transformational for customer support, presenting exciting opportunities to revolutionize how we deliver assistance."

Connect with Declan

Website - https://www.intercom.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/decivory/?originalSubdomain=ie 

X - https://twitter.com/decivory