Ward Dey, CPP

One line from this piece really stayed with me: “Nobody owns the customer relationship. Everybody does.” In large, complex organizations, that feels accurate. The CSM isn’t the sole owner of the account. They’re the orchestrator, connecting Product, Sales, Support, Finance, and executive stakeholders around a shared outcome. I also appreciated the emphasis on moving beyond dashboards. I’ve seen too many teams rely on color-coded health scores without acting on the signals behind them. Usage shifts, contract milestones, stakeholder disengagement: those only matter if they trigger timely action. The same applies to AI. It can summarize meetings, flag sentiment changes, and surface patterns across accounts. But without consistent data models and clear definitions, it just adds another layer of reporting. For me, customer success at scale isn’t about adding more tools or touchpoints. It’s about building a coordinated system where data leads to action and where the entire organization shows up in the customer experience.

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Last month we had the opportunity to bring together an incredible group of clients for Würk's Spring 2026 Client Advisory Board (CAB) in Denver. If you’re not familiar with our CAB, it’s our opportunity to work directly with our clients, collaborating on insights that inform our roadmap, while also creating space for meaningful relationships to form. In a historically underserved industry, it felt imperative to create this space not just to make sure we’re building the right solutions, but to ensure our clients feel heard and taken seriously in a market that’s still finding its footing and learning how to grow. We do this twice a year; one in-person session and a more tactical, virtual version. The in‑person sessions are some of my favorites. They reflect a level of intentional investment in understanding our clients’ needs, market pressures, and pain points, that many other companies don't often make. They play a direct role in shaping future decisions, solutions, and even partnerships as they’re living these experiences every day, and that perspective is invaluable to us. And while these conversations help guide our strategy, they almost more importantly strengthen relationships: between Würk and our clients, and among our clients themselves. Of course none of this would be possible without Dan Obendorfer and our product team, who drive the entire experience and turn that shared feedback into real, delivered solutions. This year, we also had the opportunity to learn more about our partnership with Empower and cannabis‑compliant 401(k) solutions from Josh Haynes and Tom Krusic, CFP®, CPC, AIF®. Thank you to everyone who came, as participant or presenter. This is how trusted partnerships are built! #EnjoyWurk #ClientAdvisoryBoard #ClientPartnership

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If you lead Customer Success, you’ve felt this. A customer issue escalates… and the root cause isn’t the customer at all. It’s capacity. Coverage. A decision that stalled because people plans and budgets weren’t aligned early enough. Our research with 4,700 managers shows the hidden cost of that fragmentation: 60% spend 3+ hours assembling data across systems before making a people decision. That “decision drag” doesn’t stay internal. Customers feel it in slower responses, missed handoffs, and teams stretched too thin. If customer experience matters this year, aligning HR and Finance isn’t a back-office topic. It’s a customer value driver. 👉 Read the research: https://lnkd.in/diDzMSrW 

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☎️ “Welcome to customer service. Your call is important to us…” At Sierra, we’re building AI agents that understand intent, resolve issues end-to-end, and improve with every interaction. Powering experiences for brands you interact with every day. If you’re exploring conversational AI beyond the chatbot era, this 2-minute introduction gives a clear overview of what we’re building: 👉 https://lnkd.in/ej2bmarD

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Please join Kelli Brady and me Wednesday this week with the ARF as we present new research from OptiMine about MMM model refresh cadence. We'll share findings from the research as well as real world case studies from brands that have moved to faster, more frequent model updates. https://lnkd.in/gtw9AV8t

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What You'll Learn: 🟣 Define what the Golden Dome is to understand your true niche. 🟣 Understand the bigger picture of Golden Dome so you can make better pursuit decisions. 🟣 Strategies to get positioned before task orders are released. 🟣 Prepare yourself to win task orders. 🔗 Don't miss it: https://bit.ly/45tXqKd #GovCon #GovernmentContracting #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #SHIELD

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𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀! 🚀 Mission Andromeda has landed, kicking off Gong's new product launch cadence. This launch brings powerful new capabilities to help revenue teams move faster and execute with confidence, including: ✨ Gong Enable — AI role-plays to help reps practice real moments before they happen live ✨ Gong Assistant — always-on conversational guidance for everyday workflows ✨ Account Boards — unified view of all accounts to align AE + CS ✨ Account Console – deep dive view of a single account ✨ Gong MCP Support — integrated AI across your tech stack Proud to be part of a team building the #1 revenue AI OS,  and excited to help our customers put these to work Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gymbkMz2

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If you're going to be in Carlsbad for B2B Marketing Exchange be sure to check out "Reimagining Content Syndication in a Modern Account-Based GTM Motion”. I will be hosting a practical case study session with Brian Grady, Director of Demand Generation at RethinkFirst. Traditional content syndication was built for volume. Modern GTM teams are built for precision. In this session, we’ll break down how leading B2B teams are transforming content syndication from a top-of-funnel lead engine into a strategic lever within an account-based motion. Learn how to align syndication with target account strategy, orchestrate cross-functional execution across marketing and sales, and measure impact beyond raw MQL volume. We’ll share a real-world case study covering: 🟣 How we've shifted from lead-centric to account-centric targeting 🟣 The integration of syndication into ABM and sales workflows 🟣 Pipeline and revenue outcomes from a modernized approach 🟣 Lessons learned (what worked, what didn’t) If you’re rethinking how paid content distribution fits into a precision GTM model, this session will offer a practical blueprint. RethinkFirst ⚔️ ProspectBase 🕰️Monday, March 9: 4:30 PM - 05:00 PM 📍Breakout 2: Luna 4 Add this session to your schedule in the B2BMX app: https://lnkd.in/gdnWnpXC

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I wanted to share this white paper with my network. It’s a spot-on analogy around the current state of cybersecurity with AI accelerating threats faster than many orgs are designed to respond. Great read!

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Growing demand shouldn’t slow you down, but for Austropical, distributor onboarding and GDSN requirements were stalling momentum. Product data gaps made it harder to meet large distributor expectations and move deals forward. Here’s how they cleared the data jungle and got growth back on track. 🌴 Read the story: https://lnkd.in/eKpxcJ9n

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⏳ How much time does your team lose after a call just documenting what happened? With Cox Business Connect with RingCentral, the built-in AI Assistant handles it automatically: 📝 Live note-taking during every call 📋 Instant summaries when the call ends 💡 Conversation insights to spot trends and opportunities All inside the platform that already manages your calls, messages, and video meetings. Watch the video below 👇 Ready to see a demo? Send me a DM. #AIAssistant #UnifiedCommunications Cox Business RingCentral Crystal Fulton Nick Rodriguez Raisa T. Sandra Krief Adrian Medynski Erika Schmidt Christopher Caruana Ramin Missaghieh Rafi Hazan Jennifer Middlebrooks Suzette Roberts Marissa Covington Jody Novotny

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For years, contact centers have focused on monitoring. 👂 Listen to calls. ⚠️ Score them. 📊 Report on them. But monitoring doesn’t create outcomes. Control does. The biggest shift happening right now isn’t more automation. It’s moving from “observing conversations” to shaping them in real time. That’s where performance, compliance, and consistency finally scale. And it’s exactly where MosaicVoice plays. Read more 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gS2Zx6Ht

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ZoomInfo is the first data partner for Salesforce’s new Prospecting Agent! The best AI agents start with high quality data—that’s why ZoomInfo is connecting its real-time intent signals and verified B2B data directly into Agentforce Sales. Learn more about how your agents can be fueled by real-time intent and verified professional data from ZoomInfo directly within Salesforce: https://sforce.co/3OU5zCx

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Who Benefits Most from SSO? SSO is a huge opportunity for businesses most people overlook: * Local shops (“best pizza in Denver”) * Service providers (“how to pick a realtor”) * Niche brands (“top gear for fly fishing”) * Creators (“how to edit video fast”) If you’re small, scrappy, and don’t have Google SEO budget, this is your way in. What’s the last thing you found through social search?

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"Still using 'Press 1 for...'? Your customers are hanging up before you even say 'Press 2.' 📞❌ Traditional IVR was great in 1995. But in 2026, customers expect actual conversation, not a maze of button presses. AI voice agents don't just route calls. They understand, engage, and solve problems like a trained team member. The businesses still using old-school IVR are losing customers to competitors who've upgraded. Don't be that business. 👉 Try @ContactSwing free and experience the difference yourself. #IVR #AIVoiceAgents #CustomerExperience #BusinessTech

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CX Debt stalling your growth? I spent last week on the road in Salt Lake City and San Francisco, and while the scenery changed, the conversation didn't. The recurring theme? CX Debt. We’ve reached a tipping point where "good enough" workflows and "good enough" AI are becoming major liabilities. After hearing from customers and prospects, it’s clear that CX Debt is primarily accumulating in two areas: Broken Orchestration: We’ve optimized individual touchpoints but neglected the actual journey. When the agent’s context doesn't match the customer’s history, the "interest" is paid in frustration and lost time. The AI Performance Gap: Many organizations have deployed AI as a band-aid rather than an engine. If your AI isn't actively reducing friction for both the customer and the agent, it’s likely just adding to the noise. Addressing CX Debt is about orchestrating the customer and agent journey so that AI actually does the heavy lifting. Traditional tools like Zendesk, Gladly, and others are like your old filing cabinet. "File the ticket and please provide me that TPS report". Try adding in their AI, and you are due for the "ultimate" surprise, the one you can't afford. Huge thanks to everyone in SLC and SF who shared their perspective. It’s time to stop managing the debt and start investing in a seamless journey. How are you leveraging AI to pay down your CX debt this year? #CustomerExperience #AI #Orchestration #DigitalTransformation #SLC #SF Kustomer

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🚫 Stop Calling It "Cold Calling." Start Calling It Proactive Value Delivery. The old idea of the intrusive outbound call center is dead. In the modern, customer-first economy, outbound teams are not a drain on resources, they are Growth Catalysts. The shift is simple; Value over Volume. When executed strategically, outbound doesn't just "dial for $"—it builds loyalty, prevents churn, and unlocks new revenue streams that passive support can never reach. 3 Ways Modern Outbound Becomes a Revenue Engine: 1️⃣ Proactive CX as a Differentiator The Shift: Stop waiting for customers to complain. Use data to anticipate their needs, flag pain points, and delight them before they even consider churning. The Impact: A well-timed, empathetic call can turn an at-risk user into a loyal advocate, securing long-term Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). This is CX-driven retention. 2️⃣ Revenue Expansion Beyond Sales The Shift: Outbound is not just for New Business Acquisition. It's the most effective channel for complex upsells, cross-sells, renewals, and win-back campaigns. The Power: A retention-focused outbound team often generates more durable long-term revenue than a single upfront sale. In my experience, re-engineered customer journeys have yielded a 15% reactivation uplift from dormant segments. 3️⃣ Human Connection in a Digital World The Shift: Automation handles the transactional volume; Voice handles the Value. In a landscape saturated with bots, the human connection bridges empathy with expertise—solving the complex issues that truly solidify loyalty. The Result: Outbound transforms from a low-FCR complaint channel into a high-touch advisory service. If you are treating your outbound call center as a necessary evil, you are leaving substantial revenue on the table. It’s time to equip these teams to become the growth catalysts they are meant to be. 👉 Question: What is the single biggest operational barrier preventing your outbound team from leading with value instead of volume? #CXTransformation #RevenueGrowth #OutboundSales #CustomerExperience #CustomerSuccess #B2B

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