A conversation with Chris Bryson, Director of Data Solutions, and Vicky Byrom, Director of Data Science
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is starting to reshape how businesses manage customer relationships. For many, CRM has been more about technology than strategy. AI has the potential to change that by helping organisations use data more effectively, make faster decisions, and improve customer experience.
To explore what this shift really means, we spoke with Chris Bryson, Director of Data Solutions, and Vicky Byrom, Director of Data Science. They discuss how AI is changing CRM, the challenges that come with it, and what leaders should focus on in the years ahead.
1. How is CRM changing now that AI is everywhere?
Chris Bryson:
“The thing that’s always struck me about CRM is that people get hung up on the platform and the technology, when actually CRM is about understanding and improving the customer experience. I just wonder whether that’s got lost a little bit in favour of the tech.
AI can help capture all the signals around a customer and add them to your knowledge. That means you can make better decisions for each individual. It ramps up the knowledge and trust of who your customer is, and it does it much faster than we’ve ever been able to do.”
Vicky Byrom:
“I think anyone operating CRM without AI is going to be left behind. There’ll be an expectation from customers that AI is part of their relationship with a brand. All of that should be happening in the background. If it’s not, you’re not hitting the right beat for the customer experience.”
2. Does CRM risk becoming outdated without AI?
Vicky Byrom:
“Yes. From an experience point of view, but also from how you run CRM. If you’re not using AI for things like the next best action or the next best interaction with a customer, then you’re going to look pretty old school to the customer.
Ai for marketeers is an enablement tool, everything from copy to messaging. Without that, CRM will feel like it’s stuck in the past and highly inefficient. Imagine your recruitment strategy in future if you aren’t embracing these tools now”
Chris Bryson:
“I’d add that maybe it’s not that CRM becomes outdated, but that up until recently people paid lip service to it. Product or channel owners in bigger organisations could get by without really understanding the full customer relationship.
With AI, we’ll get far more insight from interactions, and that could lead to a big ramp up in customer contact. That makes the role of controlling and optimising customer interactions even more important, otherwise you just swamp customers with unnecessary contact.”
3. How can CRM platforms unify data for more intelligent engagement?
Chris Bryson:
“I think the majority of the tools are there. The difference is how AI can accelerate things. It can help with the data wrangling, fill in gaps in our knowledge, and codify unstructured signals from customer interactions. Even five years ago that was really difficult.
Generative AI now lets you surface customer issues and problems way more quickly than before.”
Vicky Byrom:
“Most organisations are set up with product P&Ls, not customer P&Ls. So, whenever they look at activity there’s already a product in mind, not the whole customer experience.
AI might actually force people to think more about the longer-term journey and engagement at the customer level with a brand, rather than just individual product points.”
4. What impact does AI have on CRM decision making?
Vicky Byrom:
“So, whilst Ai can be a great enabler, we do need to mention human in the loop and how initially until we prove out these systems there needs to be potentially more intervention. AI can be powerful, but you still need guardrails until you have comfort in the way agentic system operates. That goes back to control and ensuring your organisation has decided which decisions the AI tools can make, and which will still require oversight.
You can’t just jump on the bandwagon. You need a proper framework in place for how you adopt AI in CRM, otherwise you’re taking on unnecessary risks.”
Chris Bryson:
“This accuracy piece is really interesting. Generative AI will give you an answer if you ask, but do you know if it’s the right answer?
There have to be guardrails from an accuracy perspective as well as from an implementation perspective.”
5. How does AI change the customer experience?
Chris Bryson:
“The real difference is the speed an organisation can respond to customer behaviour.
The issue in the past with next best action was that it took weeks to design, sign off and create content. By the time you launched, you’d missed the opportunity. With AI, you can move from a two- or three-week cycle to sometimes getting a new action out in an afternoon.
That agility is what changes the experience for customers.”
6. What are the biggest challenges in making CRM the AI orchestration layer?
Vicky Byrom:
“Skills are still rare. Lots of people are talking about AI, but not many are actually doing it. The real question is who you can rely on to guide you through the process, rather than rushing into expensive hires for skills you might not need in the long term – the age old build v buy is going to be a decision many organisations will have to make.”
Chris Bryson:
‘’The fundamentals of data quality just get amplified – ensuring relevant and ‘safe’ AI based interactions needs an even greater focus on ensuring data is not just accurate, but well maintained and timely for real time consumption. Ensuring customer ‘closeness’ is also important, ensuring AI provides a meaningful customer experience’’
7. Over the next three to five years, what will separate the leaders from those that fall behind?
Vicky Byrom:
“The ones with a really strong business strategy will succeed. They’ll know where to use AI as the right solution, rather than just jumping on the bandwagon. That’s true for any technology.”
Chris Bryson:
“I’d add the ability to fail fast. Twenty years ago, people spent millions building CRM or data warehouses before the business ever saw a result. By then, priorities had moved on.
The companies that succeed with AI will be the ones who get something into market every few months, learn from it and build momentum.”
8. What’s the single most important message for business leaders?
Chris Bryson:
“We’ve got an amazing opportunity to improve our knowledge of the customer and act on it, but it has to be done in a structured and controlled way. If you don’t, you’ll just create a mess along the way.”
CRM has always promised a clearer view of the customer. AI is bringing that promise closer, but only if it is used carefully. The message from both Chris and Vicky is clear: success depends on strategy, governance, and control.
Key Takeaways
- AI is now essential. Without it, CRM risks being left behind.
- Customer-first, not tech-first. Platforms matter less than deep understanding of customer needs.
- Governance is critical. Human oversight, frameworks, and guardrails protect accuracy and trust.
- Agility drives advantage. Faster cycles mean closer alignment to customer behaviour.
- Leaders balance strategy with speed. Success comes from pairing vision with a test-and-learn mindset.
Contact us here to discuss in more detail.
