June 02, 2026

How Eliminating Communication Friction Elevates Customer Experience Featuring Damon Covey

19 minutes

How a Unified Communication System Empowers Employees and Delights Customers

Shep interviews Damon Covey, General Manager of Unified Communications and Collaboration at GoTo. He talks about the importance of tailored, unified communication systems that reduce friction for both employees and customers.

This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:  

What advantages do unified communications bring to customer service?

How does integrating multiple channels enhance customer experience?

Why is minimizing friction important for trust and loyalty in service?

What are the disadvantages of generic versus tailored communication tools?

How can automation and AI improve customer support interactions?

Top Takeaways:  

The "swiveling chair" problem hurts both customers and employees. Integrating all communication channels into a unified system prevents employees from constantly switching between programs, improving their workflow and eliminating unnecessary friction for customers.

Employees can't provide amazing customer service if they are using slow, broken, or outdated systems. Most of the time, customers are frustrated not because of the person helping them but because of the tools that make solving the problem more complicated.

Fragmented experiences erode customer trust. Whenever a customer has to repeat themselves or start over every time they switch between modes of communication (chatbot, email, phone, etc.), trust drops. Unified systems provide smooth experiences where the next agent knows what happened before and the best tools to help the customer are within easy reach.

Follow the journey that your customers prefer. Businesses need to adapt their communication channels and technology based on what their customers actually want to use. Meet the customers where they are, whether through traditional phone calls, emails, or digital messaging.

Plus, Shep and Damon discuss generational preferences in communication and how unifying these options can improve the customer experience. Tune in!

Quote: 

"If you're building everything for everyone, you're special for no one."

About:  

Damon Covey is the General Manager of Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) at GoTo. Before joining GoTo in 2021, he served as Vice President of Product Management at Cox Automotive and spent 14 years in leadership roles at cybersecurity company Symantec.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio. 

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By Shep Hyken & C-Suite Radio

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