Questions for now - Compelling perspectives on digital CX

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Aug 2026

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Listen to Questions for now to hear big thinkers discuss today’s big questions in digital CX. Featuring thought leaders from beloved brands and influential institutions, Questions for now is packed full of compelling perspectives and actionable insights.

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August 31, 202625 min

How can agentic AI drive customer and revenue engagement? (feat. Salesforce)

On this episode, we explore how agentic AI is turning the contact center into a growth engine — and how to make that shift without losing customer trust. Salesforce is framing the 2026 Dreamforce conference around the agentic enterprise: organizations where AI agents handle routine work autonomously so people can focus on what still needs a human. Salesforce's State of Service: AI Agents Edition , which surveyed more than 3,000 customer service professionals, found AI agent adoption nearly doubled year over year, climbing from 39% to 66%, with Salesforce projecting AI will resolve half of all customer service cases by 2027. That adoption curve is an opportunity for contact centers to move past being a cost center and build a revenue channel instead, a shift called revenue engagement. It means building trust through service conversations, leading to a cross-sell, a larger sale or a stronger relationship. John Robb, product leader for voice AI and Agentforce Contact Center at Salesforce , and Gopi Ramineni, Salesforce practice leader at TELUS Digital , walk through what it takes to drive revenue engagement. Along the way, they speak about matching AI response speed to what a live caller expects, unifying customer data across systems so an AI customer service agent has the full picture before it acts and tracking a customer's value across their whole relationship with a company to see whether a service conversation is earning enough trust to influence a sale. Show notes Register for Dreamforce 2026 and join TELUS Digital at Hotel Zetta, September 15–16, 8am–9pm PDT: https://sfpractice.telusdigital.com/dreamforce-2026

July 30, 202615 min

Why doesn't your contact center AI know what your best agents know?

On this episode, we ask why the knowledge top contact center agents have often never reaches contact center AI systems — and what it takes to build a feedback loop that captures it. The most valuable knowledge in a contact center lives in two places: call transcripts, and the people already excelling at the job. Reviewing call transcripts for quality and compliance is standard practice. But most of that review is built to flag what went wrong on a call. It rarely explains what worked, or why. What's needed instead is a structured, outcome-tied annotation layer built to explain why a call went well, turn by turn. Derek Brameyer, head of application engineering at TELUS Digital , draws on his work building this kind of annotation system for CX leaders. He explains why tying annotation to verified operational data rather than AI-inferred guesses is what makes it reliable enough to act on, and how that kind of feedback loop can be built with the interactions you already record and transcribe. Show notes Read Derek Brameyer’s latest article, Institutional knowledge is the missing layer in most contact center AI data strategies Listen to the Questions for now episode How can brands design and deliver seamless customer experiences?

June 24, 202624 min

You deployed AI in your contact center. Now what? (feat. Ryan Strategic Advisory)

On this episode, we look at where enterprise CX AI actually stands in 2026 — and why deployment and performance are not the same thing. The Enterprise CX AI: 2026 Global Survey , conducted by Ryan Strategic Advisory and commissioned by TELUS Digital, reached 815 enterprise CX decision-makers representing 19 industry verticals and organizations with annual revenues ranging from $10M to over $5B. Among its findings: AI-assisted agent interactions, where an agent handles the conversation while AI tools surface information, suggestions and automations in real-time, are now the dominant model, leading in six of the seven functions the survey measured. But there’s more to the story. Only 32% of organizations have AI-powered quality assurance in place, meaning nearly seven-in-ten of the surveyed organizations are running AI-assisted operations at a volume their quality assurance infrastructure likely can't keep pace with. Meanwhile, CX budgets are largely holding or growing, with 40% of enterprises reporting increased AI investment heading into 2026 and nearly 50% holding steady. At that level of commitment, the question shifts to whether what's been deployed is performing to the level that's expected. Peter Ryan, president and principal analyst at Ryan Strategic Advisory, and Erin Walker, global vice president of CX AI at TELUS Digital, approach the question from two complementary vantage points — the survey data and the delivery floor. Together, they cover where the enterprise market stands on CX AI. Show notes Download the Enterprise CX AI: 2026 Global Survey conducted by Ryan Strategic Advisory and commissioned by TELUS Digital: https://www.telusdigital.com/insights/customer-experience/resource/enterprise-cx-ai-2026 Learn more about CX Strategic Assessments from TELUS Digital: https://www.telusdigital.com/solutions/cx-consulting

May 29, 202614 min

How well have you tested your CX AI models, chatbots and agents?

On this episode, we explore what rigorous AI safety testing looks like for customer-facing AI — and why most deployments carry more risk than the teams running them expect. Testing AI before launch is standard practice. But one-time manual testing treats AI like a deterministic system. Model behavior is probabilistic, and the consequences of inadequate testing fall into four categories: people data harm, other types of data harm, reputational harm and commercial harm. Each represents a distinct exposure with real consequences for your organization and your customers. Meaningful AI safety testing requires something different: continuous, automated adversarial testing at scale, designed to find what a bad actor would find before they find it. TELUS Digital's benchmark research, running 34 models through more than 620,000 simulated attacks, found attack success rates ranging from 1% to 90%, and identified five gaps in how most organizations approach testing: scale, scope, variety, repetition and simulation realism. Bret Kinsella, senior vice president and general manager of Fuel iX at TELUS Digital, draws on the GenAI safety model benchmark report to explain where CX AI tends to fail adversarial testing methods, how the exposure management framework reframes risk as an ongoing operational discipline and the question every CX leader should be asking about the AI their customers are currently interacting with. Show notes Watch Uncharted, TELUS Digital's AI safety and security summit, on demand: https://www.telusdigital.com/insights/fuel-ix/resource/uncharted-ai-security-safety-summit-videos Download the full GenAI safety model benchmark report: https://www.telusdigital.com/insights/fuel-ix/resource/genai-safety-benchmark-2026 Learn more about Fuel iX Fortify, TELUS Digital's continuous adversarial testing and validation platform for enterprise AI, and request a free AI safety & security analysis: https://www.telusdigital.com/solutions/fuel-ix/fortify Connect with Bret Kinsella on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bretkinsella/

April 23, 202633 min

How do you move from chaos to clarity with CX AI? (feat. Zendesk)

On this episode, we explore AI orchestration in contact centers — and what CX leaders need to know to move from digitized chaos to operational clarity. Most brands have implemented AI in their customer experience operations to some degree. But when systems are siloed, data is fragmented and workflows are disconnected, AI can magnify problems instead of solving them. AI orchestration in the contact center changes that by connecting your data, systems and workflows so AI can make real decisions across every channel. This can increase resolution rates, improve agent experience and drive measurable business impact. Nuri Gocay, director of contact center platform architecture at Zendesk, and Abby Spahich, global vice president for digital CX solutions at TELUS Digital, map the path from operational fragmentation to orchestrated clarity, making the case that true AI orchestration is ultimately about delivering better customer experiences, not just better efficiency metrics. Their perspectives cover readiness, organizational barriers and the first steps toward a truly orchestrated CX operation. Show notes Join us at Zendesk Relate 2026 in Denver, Colorado, May 18–20, 2026. TELUS Digital is a platinum sponsor — be sure to stop by our booth to connect with our team in person. Read Abby Spahich’s latest article, The modern CCaaS strategy: Five steps for turning efficiency into growth . Connect with Abby Spahich on LinkedIn . Connect with Nuri Gocay on LinkedIn .

March 26, 202627 min

How is AI simulation reinventing contact center agent training? (feat. ElevenLabs)

On this episode, we explore how realistic voice simulations are accelerating agent readiness — and what CX leaders need to know to implement AI training at scale. Generative AI and voice simulation technology are fundamentally transforming how organizations prepare agents for service delivery. When agents feel prepared and confident, they deliver customer care that can result in better first contact resolution, higher customer satisfaction and increased customer lifetime value. Listen for the compelling insights of Mitch Lieberman, vice president of product for Fuel iX™ at TELUS Digital , and Jack Piunti, go-to-market leader at ElevenLabs , as they reveal how leading organizations are using AI voice simulations to train contact center agents more efficiently — reducing agent ramp time while building genuine confidence. Along the way, they'll share real results from Fuel iX Agent Trainer, powered by voice AI technology from ElevenLabs, and explain how this approach can create measurable improvements in customer experience. Visit our website to learn more about TELUS Digital. Show notes Accelerate agent proficiency with Fuel iX Agent Trainer: https://www.telusdigital.com/solutions/fuel-ix/agent-trainer Case study: Discover how TELUS Communications transformed contact center agent training with AI: https://www.telusdigital.com/insights/customer-experience/resource/telus-contact-center-agent-training-ai

March 12, 202610 min

What does IDC research reveal about the untapped potential of CX partnerships? (feat. Robin Jakobsen)

On this episode, we explore why enterprises often trust their CX service partners with their customers — but not their revenue. A new IDC study, sponsored by TELUS Digital, reveals a striking imbalance between the percentage of enterprises that rely on a CX service partner for support and analytics and those that engage those same partners for inbound B2B or B2C sales, despite revenue growth ranking among their top desired outcomes. Host Robert Zirk sits down with Robin Jakobsen, director of product strategy for Customer Experience Management at TELUS Digital , to find out what's behind that disparity and what enterprises could gain from closing the gap. Along the way, the two discuss a shift from outsourcing as a defensive cost center to a CX partnership enabling revenue growth. Visit our website to learn more about TELUS Digital. Show notes Download the full IDC InfoBrief, "From Efficiency to Excellence: Driving Enterprise Value Through Customer Experience Partnerships" : https://www.telusdigital.com/insights/customer-experience/resource/idc-cx-outsourcing-revenue-growth-research

February 24, 202630 min

Is sales misalignment costing you customers? (feat. Robin Jakobsen and Shawn Casemore)

On this episode, we explore the critical connection between sales and customer experience teams — and why a misalignment might be costing you customers, revenue and brand reputation. When sales sets expectations that CX can’t meet, customers may churn faster than you can acquire them, wasting your customer acquisition costs. The problem isn’t what either team does in isolation, but rather the handoff between them. Drawing from 20 years of experience, Robin Jakobsen, director of product strategy for CXM at TELUS Digital, reveals what this sales team alignment gap can cost your business and how CX leaders can take a proactive role in fixing it. Shawn Casemore, keynote speaker and author, brings additional sales expertise, explaining where the disconnect happens and how both teams can shift from competing priorities to shared outcomes. Together, they share the orchestration tactics and strategies CX leaders need to prevent customer churn, build loyalty and align with sales around revenue metrics. Visit our website to learn more about TELUS Digital. Show notes Download TELUS Digital's 90-day customer activation checklist for B2B customer success and onboarding teams. Learn how TELUS Digital’s B2B Sales Outsourcing can help you transform your sales ecosystem with exceptional buyer-seller experiences.

January 22, 202637 min

Is your agent experience powering your CX — or sabotaging it? (feat. Ken Hughes and Estuardo "Ligo" Ligorría)

On this episode, we explore the hidden cost of overlooking agent experience — and how it impacts your customers. Your contact center agents handle hundreds of customer interactions every week, from routine questions to complex issues. When your agents feel empowered, they resolve problems with creativity and empathy, turning satisfied customers into loyal advocates and ultimately helping you win the moments that matter. When they don't feel empowered, they deliver transactional service, avoid taking initiative and may even start looking for the exit — sabotaging your CX in the process. Join Ken Hughes, keynote speaker, consumer behavioralist and author, and Estuardo "Ligo" Ligorría, regional vice president of operations for the Americas at TELUS Digital, as they reveal what the best CX leaders get right, what it means for them to truly “show up” for their frontline teams, and how to navigate the tension between efficiency and the human connection. Visit our website to learn more about TELUS Digital.

December 29, 20258 min

What five questions should CX leaders ask to improve customer outcomes in 2026?

On this episode, our expert guests from this year’s past episodes each share one critical question that customer experience (CX) leaders need to ask themselves to deliver better customer outcomes in 2026. We've compiled the most important questions from our conversations this year — each one designed to reveal where your CX strategy is vulnerable and what to do about it. Join us as we explore those questions with previous guests: Mark Abraham (co-author, Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI ) Brian Breslin (vice president, fintech and SaaS, TELUS Digital) Diane Magers (co-author, The Customer Experience Field Guide ) Adrian Swinscoe (author, Punk CX and Punk XL ) Jelena Bajic (vice president, global operations excellence, TELUS) For more from today's guests, check out these episodes of Questions for now : On The era of AI-driven personalization is here. What now? , Mark Abraham reveals the five key promises brands must fulfill to delight customers at every interaction. On Why do satisfied customers leave? , Brian Breslin uncovers what separates customers who stay from those who leave for a better offer. On Is experience management the new customer experience? , Diane Magers explains the strategic shift to organization-wide experience management practices. On How can you alleviate cost pressures in customer experience? , Adrian Swinscoe and Jelena Bajic share strategies for delivering exceptional outcomes in CX when leaders are asked to do more with less. Visit our website to learn more about TELUS Digital.