Reimagining CRM & CX — Voice, Context, and Holistic Customer Journeys | DisrupTV Ep. 81

In DisrupTV Episode 81, hosts R “Ray” Wang and Vala Afshar are joined by:

  • Chuck Ganapathi, Founder & CEO of Tact 
  • Will Hayes, CEO at Lucidworks 
  • Ron Miller, Enterprise Reporter for TechCrunch 

They discuss the evolving expectations for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Customer Experience (CX), how voice and messaging interfaces are shaping enterprise workflows, and the importance of holistic, connected customer data across tools, platforms, and interactions.

Key Takeaways

Voice & Conversational Interfaces Becoming Integral for Field & Road-Warrior Roles
Chuck Ganapathi predicts that beyond home or desktop assistants, voice apps will increasingly be used “on the go” — in cars, in mobile work setups, for sales people and others who need access to information hands-free or without shifting between apps.

App Fatigue & the Need for Unified Experiences
Ganapathi notes that many professionals use multiple tools daily (CRM, LinkedIn, Zendesk, etc.), and switching between them is inefficient. There’s a need for devices or assistants that connect, aggregate, or simplify workflows so that users have what they need in context, without logging in/out between tools. 

Messaging & Texting as Equalizers in Customer & Enterprise Engagement
The discussion highlights how messaging platforms (e.g. WeChat, WhatsApp) are not just for personal or consumer interactions—but are increasingly part of how businesses engage with customers or employees. Business interactions are migrating into conversational, transactional messaging environments. 

Holistic, 360-Degree View of the Customer Remains Elusive
Lucidworks (via Hayes) and Ganapathi share observations that many large enterprises have multiple instances of SFA or CRM tools that are siloed. True unified customer data (context-aware, real-time, cross-tool) is still an aspiration for many organizations.

Final Thoughts

  • Enterprises must rethink CRM/CX not just by adding features, but by unifying workflows: voice, messaging, contextual data, and cross-tool access are increasingly expected by people who interact with systems on the move.
  • Tool fatigue is real. Users need efficiency, seamless context-switching, and minimal friction. Designing for the user’s journey means considering what devices they use, where they are, how they move between apps, and what their priorities are in the moment.
  • Messaging and conversation are not just "nice to have" channels—they are becoming core channels for both customer and internal enterprise engagement. Trust, speed, responsiveness matter there.
  • Data architecture is central: achieving a 360-degree customer view across tools, platforms, voice, messaging, etc., requires breaking down silos, integrating, and having real-time or near-real-time context. Gains in CX come when systems are connected and workflows are seamless.

Related Episodes

 

Business Research Themes

Future of Work, Next-Generation Customer Experience, Tech Optimization

Roles

Chief Customer Officer, Chief Digital Officer, Chief People Officer, Chief Technology Officer