Dennis Woodside at AI Summit: Getting started with AI

Freshworks’ CEO details a proven AI action plan

Nov 14, 20241 MIN READ

At the Freshworks AI Summit earlier this week, business leaders and product experts shared insights about how companies are leveraging AI to improve customer and employee experience.

As part of dual keynote presentations with Freshworks Chief Customer and Marketing Officer Mika Yamamoto, Dennis Woodside, CEO of Freshworks, discussed how AI is transforming the business landscape by automating routine tasks and helping companies to scale faster and more efficiently.

He also addressed common barriers some companies say have prevented them from getting started and outlined five steps to overcome those barriers.  

1. Identify key areas for impact

“Brainstorm: What part of the business do you want to impact? Do you want to increase deflection rates, reduce operational costs, or increase efficiency of your agents?”

2. Narrow down and specify use cases

“Get specific—laser in on areas you want to see immediate value … involve stakeholders from across your business.”

3. Set expectations and benchmarks

“Benchmark using today’s CSAT score, look at the time your agents typically spend on basic queries, and estimate the impact you expect from AI.”

4. Test AI in real-world scenarios

“Test AI in real-world situations against response time, accuracy, security, and privacy,” he notes, underscoring the importance of real-world validation.

5. Reinvest gains

“Decide where you want to refocus your staff’s time … to more complex problem-solving or strategic work.”

People-first AI is transforming service. Are you ready?