Episode 1: AI and the Future of Support Teams

AI and the future of support teams, 3 truly terrible predictions, several action items for support leaders, and Shawna explains the Rule of 40.

https://www.helpscout.com/resources/supportive-podcast/S1E1/

3 terrible predictions from history:

• Mail delivery by rocket
• Automation will make a second job as socially unacceptable as bigamy
• Steve Ballmer: iPhone has “no chance” of gaining significant market share

2 people to follow in AI:

• Ethan Mollick
• Genevieve Bell

Mat's predictions for the impact of AI on customer service team structure.

• Self-service will be central
• Lower cost-per-interaction means new business models for support
• Customer support QA will be transformed.
• The future of support will be built on flexibility.

Action items for support leaders:

• Decide (again) what good service looks like for your team
• Stay informed about AI tools and capabilities
• Identify and prioritize key AI opportunities

and Shawna Explains: The Rule of 40.