TECHtonic: Trends in Technology and Services

During this episode of TECHtonic, host Thomas Lah has a compelling conversation with Kelley Jarrett, SVP of Revenue Strategy, Operations, and Enablement at ThoughtSpot—an AI-powered analytics platform. They discuss how AI is transforming revenue generation workflows and operational efficiency within organizations.

Kelly shares her unique insights on leveraging AI for quick, data-driven decision-making, highlighting real-world use cases across industries like retail, healthcare, and aviation. She discusses ThoughtSpot's journey from an on-premise solution to a SaaS model embracing AI, and how this evolution is enabling businesses to unlock unprecedented value from their data.

Listen in to discover how AI can be a game-changer in reducing costs, accelerating growth, and driving revenue excellence.

In this episode, Thomas finally finds the person he’s been searching for: Mike Fouts, Chief Business Officer at ShareFile, who speaks to how AI and data are revolutionizing the sales function in technology companies. Mike shares his hands-on experience leading a digital-first, data-driven transformation at ShareFile, including detailing how AI is being used to predict renewals, drive customer engagement, and reshape the traditional go-to-market model.

From verticalizing sales strategies to automating customer interactions and leveraging data to predict churn and expansion opportunities, Mike explains how the integration of AI is making sales teams smarter and more efficient. With insights on evolving sales roles, data modeling, and the future of B2B transactions, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways for revenue leaders looking to stay ahead in a rapidly changing market.

Listen in to learn how your company can embrace AI and data to innovate its sales strategy and drive revenue growth!

Are you effectively leveraging AI in your workflows? As Thomas continues the AI research journey, AI Use Cases for Generating Revenue, he reveals the power of AI in revenue generation. With TSIA’s latest paper, The Emerging 20, highlighting critical AI use cases, Thomas is on a mission to show how AI is a game-changer for businesses today.

Joining his conversation are Seth Halpern and Derek Butts, co-founders and co-CEOs of Embrace.ai, an innovative AI startup that is transforming how companies accelerate go-to-market workflows. Seth and Derek share their journey of building Embrace from the ground up, discussing how their platform is enabling companies to streamline sales, marketing, and customer success processes. They reveal the tangible benefits of AI in reducing costs, speeding up go-to-market strategies, and significantly improving customer satisfaction.

They also discuss in detail the practicalities of implementing AI, including how to curate content, train AI models to speak in your company’s voice, and empower sales teams with real-time insights. Using real-world applications, this episode provides a detailed look at how AI is reshaping business models and why companies must adopt these technologies now to stay competitive.

In this episode of TECHtonic, Thomas Lah welcomes Dr. Jessica Kriegel, Chief Scientist of Workplace Culture at Culture Partners. In light of today’s rapid shifts in technology business models, the conversation addresses head-on the challenges of change management. Jessica shares her insights on why traditional approaches fail, the importance of continuous change, and how to cultivate a culture where employees not only embrace change but thrive in it. Drawing from her experience in the technology industry and beyond, she discusses how to build accountability, shift beliefs, and gain alignment within leadership teams. Join us as we explore strategies to navigate and lead through the constant transformation in today's technology landscape.

Then catch Jessica in person at TSIA World ENVISION this October 21 - 23! In her inspiring keynote, How To Get People To Give A Sh*t, she will motivate your team to step into accountability and take an active role in growing your business impact.

The transformative potential of AI in the technology industry is driving companies focus on growth without significantly increasing their sales and marketing spend. Thomas speaks with Brent Grimes, CEO of Reef.ai, about how to efficiently drive revenue growth by introducing AI into the process.

Brent shares the journey of Reef.ai and its aim to predictively unlock customer value, helping companies transition from gut-feel decisions to data-driven strategies. This allows for optimized resource allocation and significantly improves revenue retention and expansion, all through a robust AI-powered approach.

They discuss the importance of leveraging machine generated and process consistent data to create powerful predictive models, including the critical role of continuous improvement and feedback loops in refining these models for optimal performance.

Listeners will walk away with valuable insights into the practical applications of AI, such as enhancing churn prediction, mitigating risk, and driving customer engagement. Join Thomas and Brent for a real conversation as they demystify AI's role in transforming technology business models by removing the guess work from revenue growth.

On this episode of TECHtonic, Thomas asks hard questions about the shifting landscape of customer success with Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight. Inspired by a provocative chapter in Frank Slootman's "Amp It Up" that questions the necessity of customer success, Thomas and Nick explore the current debates and future directions of this critical business function.

Nick shares his insights on why customer success is more vital than ever, especially as technology companies face increasing pressure to prove their business value. From the historical context of customer success a decade ago to today's innovative strategies, Nick discusses the integration of AI, the importance of verticalization, and the evolving roles within customer success organizations.

Listeners will gain valuable perspectives on how to leverage AI for better customer experiences, early warning systems, and productivity enhancements. Nick and Thomas also tackle the challenge of balancing cost efficiency with maintaining the core capabilities of customer success teams and the necessity of adopting a beginner’s mind in the face of seismic industry shifts.

Tune in to receive actionable advice and discover how you can stay ahead in the debate on the value of customer success and prepare your organization for the future.

Join Thomas Lah and Chad Quinn, CEO of Ecosystems in an engaging episode of the TECHtonic podcast. Chad shares his insights on helping technology providers prove the business value of their solutions through Ecosystems' collaborative web platform and AI-driven tools like ViViEN, the Virtual Value Engineer.

Discover how focusing on common objectives, quantifying root cause problems, and incorporating diverse value drivers can significantly increase win rates, renewals, and expansion opportunities. Gain valuable tips on overcoming commoditization pressures and experimenting with hybrid value-based pricing models to stay competitive in the evolving tech landscape. Don't miss this enlightening discussion on making technology business models successful by truly connecting with customer value.

Join us for the first episode of TSIA Takes, a limited TECHtonic podcast series. During this series, Thomas Lah dives deep into the pivotal question: What is the value of customer success? This pressing question has turned the customer success organization upside down as it navigates what the future of its business looks like.

In this episode, Thomas is joined by Jim Roth, President of Customer Success at Salesforce, who discusses Saleforce’s pioneering approach to integrating customer success, support, and training into a seamless, unified experience. They explore the dynamic roles within Salesforce, emphasizing the importance of customer success managers (CSMs) as orchestrators who ensure comprehensive customer support.

Jim shares how Salesforce's strategy of merging support, training, and success roles leads to a more streamlined and compelling customer experience. This allows Salesforce to leverage data to drive customer health, adoption, and education and create a unified customer success score that guides its strategies.

They also discuss the financial models behind customer success, debating the merits of monetizing versus offering services as part of the overall customer experience. Jim provides a compelling argument for why tech companies should consider customer success a critical investment rather than a cost center.

Whether you're a tech industry veteran or new, this episode offers insights to elevate your understanding of customer success. Take advantage of this first episode of our TSIA takes special podcast series, which challenges conventional wisdom and provides a fresh perspective on making your customer success business model successful.

Join us for a captivating episode of TECHtonic, where Thomas Lah sits down with Mari Cross, Chief Customer Officer at Infor. In this insightful discussion, Thomas and Mari discuss the dynamic landscape of customer success and the crucial role of the chief customer officer.

Discover how Infor navigates the challenges of transitioning from legacy systems to modern, cloud-based solutions, and how they leverage AI and automation to enhance customer experience. Mari shares her unique perspective on balancing customization with standardization, driving digital transformation, and the strategic importance of understanding industry-specific needs.

Key topics include:

• The responsibilities and impact of the chief customer officer at Infor.
• Strategies for aligning sales and customer success across global regions.
• The shift from on-premise to SaaS and the role of AI in this transformation.
• Insights into the future of software business models and the move towards consumption-based pricing.

Learn how Infor is leading the way in customer success and what the future holds for technology business models. Learn how Infor is leading the way in customer success and what the future holds for technology business models. Get ready to rethink your customer journey!

In this episode host Thomas Lah sits down with Eduardo Coloma, the CEO of Maptek, a leading provider of software and hardware solutions for the mining industry. This episode delves into Maptek's journey from traditional business models to a subscription-based "as-a-service" transformation, highlighting the challenges and strategies involved.

Eduardo discusses the reasons behind Maptek's shift to a subscription model, emphasizing the need for flexibility and scalability in a cyclical industry like mining. He explains how this transition not only aligns with evolving customer preferences but also positions Maptek for long-term success. Eduardo shares the importance of building organizational capabilities, such as customer success and product telemetry, to support a successful transformation.

The conversation also explores the role of AI in Maptek's offerings. Eduardo highlights how AI is used to improve geological modeling and scheduling solutions, significantly enhancing efficiency and decision-making processes. He discusses the potential of AI to revolutionize internal workflows, particularly in predictive analytics for customer success.

Lastly, Thomas and Eduardo discuss the importance of embracing technological changes, advising CEOs to evaluate and mitigate both business and technology risks. Identifying the crossroads we are at today and how these changes are reshaping industries at an unprecedented pace.

This episode serves as a valuable resource for companies navigating their own transformations, providing practical insights and strategies from a leader who has successfully steered his organization through significant changes. Tune in to learn how Maptek is leveraging innovation to stay relevant and competitive in the rapidly evolving technology industry.