Podcast ¦ Next In Queue: We Started Out Friends featuring Reagan Helms

Key Takeaways

1. Emotional Connections to Software: Organisations can develop emotional attachments to software solutions, similar to personal relationships, complicating decisions about retention or replacement.

2. Warning Signs of Software Issues: Acquisitions, declining support quality, and representative turnover signal potential deterioration in software relationships.

3. Importance of Customer Experience: High standards for customer support are critical, especially when organisations invest significantly in software.

4. Reassessing Software Value: Cost and support quality drive organisations to evaluate if current software meets expectations.

5. Migration Challenges: Moving to new software involves significant productivity costs and requires careful planning to avoid disruption.

6. Streamlining Processes: Migration presents opportunities to simplify workflows and improve efficiency.

7. AI’s Role in Customer Experience: AI implementations should enhance customer service rather than complicate it.

8. Customisation vs. Automation: Prioritising customisable solutions that meet specific needs over generic AI tools is recommended.

9. Accountability in AI Interactions: Maintaining a human element in AI-driven support is essential to ensure accountability and positive experiences.

10. Collaboration Across Teams: Successful migration requires cooperation among teams to resolve issues and integrate new processes.

11. Sense of Excitement with Change: Embracing the potential improvements during migration can motivate teams and enhance engagement.

12. Importance of Proper Vetting: Involving relevant stakeholders in vetting ensures chosen solutions align with organisational needs and values.

Key Statistics

• Planning Center responded to nearly 150,000 support tickets within one year.

• The software Regan considered switching from had support response times stretching up to three weeks.

Key Discussion Points

• The emotional aspect of software and organisational attachment.

• Early warning signs of software-related problems.

• The role of cost and productivity in software evaluation decisions.

• Challenges of migrating to new software platforms.

• Opportunities to reinvent and simplify processes through new solutions.

• The necessity of AI implementations that align with customer experience goals.

• Risks of generic AI versus benefits of customised solutions.

• Accountability considerations in AI-driven customer support.

• Cross-team collaboration during software migration.

• Harnessing excitement and motivation during change.

• Discovering efficiencies through thorough software evaluation.

• The critical role of thorough vetting in selecting software solutions.

Podcast Description

In this episode of Next in Queue, Regan Helms, Vice President of Customer Experience at Planning Center, shares his experience evaluating and migrating from a long-term software support platform. Using thoughtful analogies, Regan discusses the emotional complexities organisations face with software attachments, warning signs of software issues, and factors influencing the decision to switch platforms.

The conversation explores migration challenges, customer experience priorities, and the nuanced role AI plays in enhancing support processes. This episode offers valuable insights for customer experience leaders and related professionals focused on strategic software decision-making and interpersonal dynamics in technology adoption.