March 20, 2023

E2 - Google's Head of Digital Strategy on Business and Technical Innovation for the Next Decade - Chris Hood

50 minutes

Chris Hood, the former head of digital strategy at Google, was interviewed about his experience in digital strategy and the intersection of digital strategy and behavioral psychology. Chris discussed how digital strategy is focused on people and how AI is used to execute it. He also discussed the importance of understanding the customer journey, communicating with customers, and messaging effectively. Chris believes that the next decade will be filled with business and technical innovation and how technology will shape the world. He believes that in order to succeed in digital strategy, one must focus on people and understand the importance of customer engagement and communications.

Chris and Drake discussed the importance of people in digital strategies and the increasing importance of human interaction in businesses. They discussed how the purpose of AI is to provide customers with fast answers, but in many cases AI can't answer the question and customers have to get in touch with a real person. Chris highlighted the economic benefit of AI, as it saves businesses money by eliminating the need for 24/7 support teams. Ultimately, they agreed that while AI is critical, the human connection is still crucial.

Chris and Drake are discussing the challenges associated with AI and customer service. Chris explains how emotional and personal needs can be difficult to address with AI, and Drake shares his experience as an internet service provider, emphasizing the importance of connecting with customers and helping them understand the problem. They agree that while people prefer the convenience of a golden button solution, it can take away from the emotional connection and relationship building associated with customer service. Drake adds that it is important to consider how to balance digital and real-world strategies in order to ensure customer satisfaction.

Chris and Drake discussed the importance of approaching businesses with an outside-in perspective rather than an inside-out perspective. Chris used the example of an internet service provider trying to get customers on Netflix to illustrate his point. He explained that the customer's problem needs to be identified first, and then the technology and product can be used to solve it. He also noted that executives often argue that they have put together a business case, analyzed the problem and built a system, but that this approach does not always work. Chris concluded that no matter what kind of business it is, people are the basis for success and that the customer's perspective must always be taken into account.

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