EP 30 | With Kristin Zhivago | How to Sell AI Without Losing 50% Credibility?

Tune in to a compelling episode of "What About AI Agents," where host Philippe Trounev sits down with Kristin Zhivago, President of Zhivago Partners and author of "Roadmap to Revenue," named a Forbes Top 6 marketing and sales book. Kristin, a seasoned revenue coach for decades, dives into the critical mistakes companies make when implementing AI. She highlights how automating broken processes or relying on tribal knowledge can lead to a 50% credibility loss and widespread frustration. The conversation stresses that AI agents are not "hands-free" and often make promises on a company's behalf that simply aren't true. Kristin shares a striking example of AI fabricating experience in avionics for her agency, underscoring the vital need for human oversight and rigorous quality assurance, especially since "the whole business world is in beta mode right now." A central theme is the "customer's truth." Kristin champions the importance of understanding customers' true desires, concerns, and questions, revealing that the messaging companies send out often misses the mark. She advocates for external, anonymous customer interviews to uncover these nuances, contrasting them with AI's current inability to grasp such deep human insights. As AI wipes out entire industries, Kristin shares her personal journey of pivoting her own business multiple times due to tech disruptions. She advises entrepreneurs to focus on "what isn't changing" for their customers and to leverage AI to amplify existing core competencies, rather than abandoning them. The episode also touches on the evolving landscape of search, with AI's conversational nature offering a more advisory role compared to traditional search engines.

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