Invest First In AI-driven Sales Or Customer Support?

Summary

MarTech Podcast ™ – Episode Summary: "Invest First In AI-driven Sales Or Customer Support?"

Release Date: March 25, 2025
Host: Benjamin Shapiro
Guest: Sarah McConnell, VP of Demand Generation at Qualified

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Introduction

In this episode of the MarTech Podcast ™, host Benjamin Shapiro welcomes Sarah McConnell, the Vice President of Demand Generation at Qualified. The primary focus of their discussion centers on the strategic investment choices between AI-driven sales and AI-powered customer support, exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping demand generation and overall business growth.

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AI-Driven Sales vs. Customer Support

Benjamin Shapiro initiates the conversation by posing a crucial question to Sarah McConnell:

[01:46] Benjamin Shapiro: "Would you choose to invest in AI-driven sales or customer support?"

Sarah McConnell responds thoughtfully, emphasizing the importance of aligning AI investments with the business's revenue sources:

[01:52] Sarah McConnell: "If you had to pick one, I would pick sales. But we'll also say, if you're listening to this in your demand gen, look at where your pipeline is coming from. If it's coming from net new business, AI-driven sales; if it's coming from expansion and retention, customer support, it all comes back to the money. Where are you getting your money from?"

Key Insights:

• Revenue Alignment: The decision to invest in AI for sales or customer support should align with where the company's revenue is primarily generated—new business acquisition or customer retention and expansion.
• Strategic Focus: Businesses should evaluate their sales pipeline sources to determine the most impactful area for AI integration.

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Challenges with AI-Driven Customer Support

The conversation takes a candid turn as Benjamin Shapiro expresses his frustrations with AI in customer support:

[03:09] Benjamin Shapiro: "Because I cannot stand AI-driven customer service."

He elaborates on common consumer experiences with AI support systems, highlighting inefficiencies and user dissatisfaction:

[03:15] Benjamin Shapiro: "Why on earth are we investing so much money into AI-driven customer support? When people want to talk to people."

Sarah McConnell concurs, acknowledging the prevalent negative perception of AI in customer support and attributing it to early implementation challenges:

[03:54] Sarah McConnell: "It's almost like AI customer support was the first pioneer of the AI conversation and has the unfortunate reputation now of being the worst... I think it's gotten the bad reputation because it was the first to market and had the biggest learning curve."

She shares a personal anecdote to illustrate persistent issues with AI support systems:

[03:54] Sarah McConnell: "We just had a broken dryer. I'll name names. It was LG and trying to use their shots... AI customer support was so difficult."

Key Insights:

• Reputation Issues: AI-powered customer support suffers from a tarnished reputation due to early implementations that failed to meet consumer expectations.
• User Preference: Both hosts agree that consumers often prefer human interaction over AI when seeking support, impacting satisfaction and effectiveness.
• Potential for Improvement: Despite current challenges, there is an acknowledgment that AI-driven customer support can be effective if implemented thoughtfully and evolved beyond its initial shortcomings.

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Preference for AI-Driven Sales Over Customer Support

Wrapping up the discussion, both Benjamin Shapiro and Sarah McConnell reaffirm their preference for investing in AI-driven sales over customer support:

[04:24] Benjamin Shapiro: "So I think with the toss up I'm definitely going. I would invest in AI-driven sales over customer support."

[04:47] Sarah McConnell: "I would be the same."

Key Insights:

• Strategic Priority: Investing in AI-driven sales is seen as more beneficial for driving new business and revenue growth compared to customer support.
• Business Impact: AI in sales can scale outreach and lead generation more effectively, providing a direct impact on the company's bottom line.

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Concluding Thoughts

The episode underscores the critical decision businesses face in allocating AI resources to either sales or customer support. Sarah McConnell provides valuable advice to assess the source of revenue streams to make informed investment decisions. The candid discussion highlights both the potential and the current limitations of AI in customer-facing roles, advocating for strategic prioritization to harness AI's capabilities effectively.

Notable Quotes:

• Sarah McConnell [01:52]: "If it's coming from net new business, AI-driven sales; if it's coming from expansion and retention, customer support."
• Benjamin Shapiro [03:09]: "Why on earth are we investing so much money into AI-driven customer support? When people want to talk to people."
• Sarah McConnell [03:54]: "AI customer support was the first pioneer... and has the unfortunate reputation now of being the worst."

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Further Resources

For more insights from Sarah McConnell, listeners can connect with her via her LinkedIn profile or visit her company's website at qualified.com.

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This summary aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the key discussions and insights shared in the "Invest First In AI-driven Sales Or Customer Support?" episode of the MarTech Podcast ™. For a deeper dive, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode.

Transcript

[Benjamin Shapiro]

The Martech Podcast is a proud member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network. Looking to launch or scale your podcast, I Hear Everything delivers podcast production, growth and monetization solutions that transform your words into profit. Ready to give your brand a voice? Then visit iheareverything.com.

From advertising to software as a service to data, across all of our programs and clients, we've seen a 55 to 65% open rate.

[Sarah McConnell]

Getting brands authentically integrated into content performs better than TV advertising.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Typical life span of an article is about 24 to 36 hours. We're reaching out to the right person with the right message and a clear call to action. Then it's just a matter of timing.

Welcome to the Martech Podcast, a member of the I Hear Everything Podcast network. In this podcast, you'll hear the stories of world class marketers that use technology to drive business results and achieve career success. Here's the host of the Martech Podcast, Benjamin Shapiro.

I'm Benjamin Shapiro and today joining me is Sarah McConnell, the VP of demand generation at Qualified. They've created an AI SDR named Piper to do what human SDRs do, but at massive scale. And today, Sarah and I are going to talk about how AI is fundamentally changing how marketers think about demand generation. Sarah, I want to move into our lightning round now where I'm going to ask you a couple of Martech related questions that are connected to this week's topic, which is AI powered demand generation. Are you ready?

[Sarah McConnell]

I'm ready.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

All right, question number one, Toss up. Would you choose to invest in AI driven sales or customer support?

[Sarah McConnell]

If you had to pick one, I would pick sales. But we'll also say, if you're listening to this in your demand gen, look at where your pipeline is coming from. If it's coming from net new business, AI driven sales, if it's coming from expansion and retention, customer support, it all comes back to the money. Where are you getting your money from?

[AdCritter Representative]

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[Benjamin Shapiro]

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[Benjamin Shapiro]

Okay, let's talk through that. Because I cannot stand AI driven customer service.

[AdCritter Representative]

Period.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Full stop. Now we've taken this whole idea of press 1 to talk to somebody. Actually I have another question for you. And it seems like the AI agents. Maybe I'm nobody's valuable customer, but it seems like the AI agents are always really good at. Here's a link to our customer support and not solving the exact problem. It drives me nuts. Why on earth are we investing so much money into AI driven customer support? When people want to talk to people.

[Sarah McConnell]

It'S almost like AI customer support was the first pioneer of the AI conversation and has the unfortunate reputation now of.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Being not worse, of being the worst.

[Sarah McConnell]

Of being the worst. Because now as a consumer I've been trained the second I know it's AI customer support, I'm like I don't care. Let me talk to someone because I know you're not going to answer my question. That's not to say AI customer support I don't think can be done well. I think it's gotten the bad reputation because it was the first to market and had the biggest learning curve. But I'm right there with you. I know I've talked to. We just had a broken dryer. I'll name names. It was LG and trying to use their shots.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Fire.

[Sarah McConnell]

AI customer support was so difficult. And every time I'm like just let me talk to someone. I got it.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Okay. Secret code 000. Talk to a representative.

[Sarah McConnell]

Yes.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Up, down, up down, left, right, select start A B, B A or something like that. But always talk to a representative seems to be the secret code and then sometimes you have to ask them what or give them what you want to talk about Anyway. So I think with the toss up I'm definitely going. I would invest in AI driven sales over customer support.

[Sarah McConnell]

I would be the same.

[AdCritter Representative]

And a Special thanks to AdCritter for sponsoring this podcast. AdCritter helps small businesses create professional advertising campaigns across multiple channels with transparent pricing and no hidden fees. Upgrade your advertising strategy with an easy to use platform that won't break the Bank. And join 30,000 businesses that are using ad critter. To get seen by their ideal customers. To launch your first campaign in just minutes, go to adcritter.com that's ad critter.com.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

All right, that wraps up this episode of the Martech Podcast. Thanks to Sarah McConnell, the VP of Demand Generation at Qualified, for joining us. If you'd like to get in touch with Sarah, you could find a link to her LinkedIn profile in our show notes. Or you can visit her company's website, which is qualified.com and if you haven't subscribed yet and you want a daily stream of marketing and technology knowledge in your podcast feed, hit the subscribe button in your podcast app or follow us on YouTube and we'll be back in your feed soon. All right, that's it for today, but until next time, my advice is to just focus on keeping your customers happy.

Thanks for listening to the Martech Podcast and I hear everything. Production Looking to launch or scale a podcast like this one for your brand? Then visit iheareverything. Com.