The customer service partnership question has changed. AI is absorbing the simpler, repetitive work, leaving human agents to handle only the complex, escalation-level cases — so the "standardized" agent model many partnerships were built on no longer fits. At the same time, buyers are asking who owns the AI adoption decision, how much human service still matters for brand loyalty, and how much operational concentration they're comfortable with in an uncertain world.
Join Mike Ortegon (yoummday) and Tann Tueller, who leads customer experience at Weber|Blackstone, as they unpack what actually makes a CX partnership work in this shifting landscape — and how to spot the wrong fit before it costs you.
You'll learn:
Why the rise of AI is changing what "good" customer service talent looks like — and why experience now matters more than headcount
Who should really own the AI adoption decision in a partnership, and what to expect from a provider on this front
How to balance the cost pressure of automation against the brand loyalty risk of losing the human touch
Why sourcing decisions are shifting from "cheapest location" to "right experience, right resilience" — and what that means for choosing a partner
Walk away with a clearer view of what to look for in a customer service partner today, and practical lessons you can bring back to your own team.
Following more than a decade with HomeAway, Vrbo and Expedia Group, Mike is now Senior Director of Global Customer Solutions at yoummday, where he works at the intersection of travel, CX, technology and BPO.
Having worked with businesses and teams across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific, Mike brings a global perspective to the challenges facing travel brands today, from rising guest expectations and regulation to AI and the changing role of human customer service.
Most of all, he enjoys bringing people together to exchange ideas, challenge conventional thinking and explore how technology with humans firmly in the loop, can enable smarter, more personal and more meaningful customer experiences.
Over the past decade we have run a series of hugely successful industry recognised live events which include Annual Summits, Conferences, Industry Awards and top-level Roundtable Focus Group Workshops.