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
AI's Impact on Sales and Marketing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:00
Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister interviews Ted Benson, founder of Everpilot, about the transformative role of AI in sales and marketing, particularly in influencer marketing. The…
Navigating AI in Sales Processes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:39
Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, Chad Burmeister and Alice Heiman discuss the transformative impact of AI on sales and customer experience. They explore how AI tools are changing the way customers res…
AI and the Future of Customer Engagement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:24
Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister speaks with Dan Griffith, founder and CEO of Greater Gain Group and Grow Digital, about the transformative impact of AI on sales and customer expe…
Revenoid: Transforming Sales with AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:54
summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister speaks with Satwick Saxena, founder of Revenoid, about the transformative role of AI in sales. They discuss the challenges of intent data, the evo…
The Future of Customer Experience [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:12
summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister speaks with David Guedalia, CTO of Lucia, about the transformative impact of AI on customer experience and sales efficiency. They discuss how AI s…
Leverage AI and Data for Strategic Judgement with Kevin Tate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:02
Summary In today's episode of The AI for Sales Podcast, Chad is joined by Kevin Tate, former Chief Marketing Officer of Clearbit, to talk about the role of AI in "killing" time and how it helps us achieve time efficiency…
The Human Element in Sales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:28
Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, Chad Burmeister interviews Mike Todasco, a recognized expert in AI and innovation. They discuss the transformative impact of AI on customer experience, sales processes…
Misconceptions About AI in Sales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:30
summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister speaks with Kris Hook, founder of Asteria, about the transformative role of AI in sales. They discuss how AI enhances customer experience, the imp…
Mastering Sales Strategies in an AI World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:44
Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, Chad Burmeister interviews Doug C. Brown, CEO of CEO Sales Strategies, discussing the transformative impact of AI on sales and customer experience. Doug shares his jou…
Transforming Patient Care with AI Innovations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:54
summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister speaks with Thushara Urumbil, Senior Director of Engineering at Huron Consulting Group, about the transformative role of AI in healthcare. They di…