The Future of AI in Sales and Customer Service

The Future of AI in Sales and Customer Service

Author: Chad Burmeister February 26, 2026 Duration: 33:53
Summary In this conversation, Chad Burmeister interviews Michelle Donnelly, Chief Revenue Officer at Crescendo, discussing the transformative impact of AI on customer experience. They explore how Crescendo's AI-native platform enhances customer interactions, the integration of human agents, and the efficiency gains from AI implementation. Michelle shares insights on industry applications, ethical considerations, and the future of AI in sales, emphasizing the importance of human touch in customer service. Takeaways Crescendo has achieved $100 million in AI ARR in just two years. AI chatbots can accurately handle 98% of customer inquiries. The integration of AI and human agents enhances customer experience. AI can transform customer service into a profit center. Speed and efficiency are critical in customer interactions. AI can provide insights that improve product offerings. Companies can achieve significant cost savings with AI implementation. The human touch remains essential in customer service. AI can help new sales hires become productive faster. Ethical considerations in AI deployment are crucial for customer trust. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Crescendo and AI in Customer Experience 02:49 Transforming Customer Experience with AI 06:00 Industry Applications of AI in Customer Service 10:55 The Role of AI in Enhancing Human Agents 16:26 Efficiency Gains and ROI from AI Implementation 18:43 The Future of AI in Sales and Customer Interaction 22:12 Ethical Considerations in AI Deployment 24:29 The Future of Physical AI Agents 26:57 Skills for the Future Sales Workforce

Chad Burmeister has spent his career at the forefront of sales transformation, and in The AI for Sales Podcast, he brings that experience into direct conversation with the tools reshaping the profession. This isn't about speculative futurism; it's a grounded exploration of how artificial intelligence is actively being applied to real sales challenges. Each episode delves into practical strategies, dissecting how the synergy between human intuition and machine intelligence can streamline processes, unlock insights, and ultimately close more deals. You'll hear from practitioners and innovators who are using AI to enhance everything from lead generation and conversation intelligence to pipeline management and coaching. The guiding principle here is efficiency, captured well by Dr. Joel Le Bon's observation that in sales, time kills deals, but in this arena, AI kills time. Brought to you by partners like BDR.ai, Nooks.ai, and ZoomInfo, the discussions are rooted in actionable intelligence. If you're in sales, leadership, or entrepreneurship and feel the pressure to do more with less, this podcast offers a clear-eyed look at the technologies that are becoming essential companions. Chad facilitates conversations that cut through the hype, focusing on tangible results and the creative application of these powerful tools in a modern commercial landscape.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The AI for Sales Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Building Trust in Sales with AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:37
Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister interviews Ari Galper, a leading authority on trust-based selling. They discuss the importance of building trust in sales, the role of AI in enhan…
The New Era of Originality in AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:28
summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, Chad Burmeister interviews Jon Gillham, founder of Originality.ai, discussing the significance of originality in the age of AI. They explore the value proposition of o…
The Future of Sales in an AI-Driven World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:07
summary In this conversation, Chad Burmeister and Dr. Ashwin Mehta discuss the transformative impact of AI on customer experience and sales processes. They explore how AI can enhance the customer journey, reduce costs, a…
Unlocking Business Growth Through Consciousness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:44
Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, Chad Burmeister and Townsend Wardlaw explore the profound impact of consciousness on business growth, the evolution of user interfaces in the age of AI, and the critic…
Transforming Customer Experience with AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:01
summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister speaks with Michael Katz, founder and CEO of FlowSend. They discuss the transformative impact of AI on customer experience, the importance of pers…
The Future of AI Expertise [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:15
Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister speaks with Yuval Keshtcher, founder of the UX Writing Hub, about the evolving landscape of AI expertise and its implications for customer experie…
Navigating the AI Revolution in Sales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:08
Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister engages with Jeff and David Bush, leaders at BDR.ai, to explore the transformative impact of AI on sales and customer experience. They discuss the…
Unlocking Sales Potential with AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:25
summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, Chad Burmeister speaks with Matt Slotnick, co-founder and CEO of Poggio, about the transformative role of AI in sales. They discuss how Poggio helps organizations leve…
AI's Impact on the Customer Journey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:51
Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, Chad Burmeister interviews Matt Darrow, co-founder and CEO of Vivun. They discuss the significance of the name 'Vivian', which means 'lever' in Finnish, and how it rel…
Revolutionizing Sales Training with AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:42
summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, Chad Burmeister speaks with Stephanie Middaugh, Customer Success Manager at Luster.ai. They discuss the transformative role of AI in sales, particularly through Luster…