Alan Talanoa. Image background: © Sono Creative/Stock.adobe.com
Alan Talanoa, CTO of Aircall, discusses his role and how AI integration can benefit digital transformation strategies.
Alan Talanoa is the chief technology officer (CTO) at Aircall, a business phone and communication platform.
Prior to joining Aircall, Talanoa held a number of leadership positions at a variety of tech companies. He was CTO at software company Humu, VP of engineering at healthcare platform Honor, director of engineering at Lyft and software development manager at AWS.
In his current role, Talanoa leads a team in developing products tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises and businesses, which he says are “the backbone of the global economy”, accounting for 90pc of businesses worldwide according to the World Bank Group.
“Until recently, [SMEs’] access to game-changing technologies has been limited as it’s been dictated by who has the biggest budget or resource,” says Talanoa. “My focus is therefore on democratising access to advanced communication and engagement technology for this sector.
“This involves strategising on how cutting-edge technology can be used to boost productivity and improve customer experiences, without draining limited resources and ultimately helping SMEs thrive in a competitive market.”
What are some of the biggest challenges you’re facing in the current IT landscape and how are you addressing them?
In today’s competitive business environment, SMEs face the challenge of delivering impactful customer experiences at speed. Since only approximately four hours of the working week are dedicated to meaningful customer interactions, there’s a pressing need for IT leaders to leverage voice technologies to facilitate genuine conversations for customer-facing teams. This can unlock greater personalisation and authenticity for them – major growth drivers for businesses today – so it’s crucial that we make this possible.
How we’re addressing this challenge is a core part of Aircall’s 10-year history: listening to its customers. We are focusing our technology around user experience, the tools customer-facing teams need most and making them more accessible than ever. This way, SMEs can unlock the potential of voice to enrich customer experiences and gain a competitive edge in the market.
‘AI isn’t about replacing the human element but enhancing it’
What are your thoughts on digital transformation in a broad sense within your industry?
In our industry, digital transformation – including AI integration – is essential to enhance customer experience, improve team productivity and drive revenue growth. When so much relies on human connection and emotion, many might expect AI to have a detrimental effect. But in reality, 68pc of workers expect AI to help improve customer service and support, while 65pc foresee greater sales performance or revenue growth because of it. AI isn’t about replacing the human element but enhancing it.
At Aircall, we have expanded our AI capabilities with tools such as automated call summaries and optimised workflows – automating the busywork and enabling more time for meaningful interactions. By embracing AI, customer-facing teams can dedicate their team to delivering personalised conversations.
Sustainability has become a key objective for businesses in recent years. What are your thoughts on how this can be addressed from an IT perspective?
Sustainability has rightly gained prominence in business agendas over recent years, and IT plays a crucial role in addressing it. In sales, for example, one of the benefits of soft phone systems versus hard phones is that there’s no new hardware, meaning companies no longer need to buy 200 plastic phones for the sales floor. Further, implementing technology that enables hybrid and remote work helps reduce emissions as fewer people are commuting and can be connected with their teams just as effectively from home. These innovations might start with enhancing collaboration and productivity, but they actively contribute to a greener and more sustainable future for businesses and society. The work of IT leaders has always been focused on the future, and the future of the planet needs to be a part of that.
What big tech trends do you believe are changing the world and your industry specifically?
From our Voice of SMBs 2024 Report, we know that the top priority for SMEs is improving customer experiences (61pc) – a goal that can be achieved through omnichannel communications that prioritise emotion and personalisation. This trend aligns perfectly with the growing emphasis on authentic connections in business. Emotion is a powerful force in business, helping teams to connect with customers and not just sell to them.
Leveraging technologies that facilitate genuine human-to-human interactions excites me the most, because it enables us to build stronger relationships with customers and differentiate ourselves in the market. Embracing these trends allows us to meet evolving customer expectations and drive meaningful impact in the digital age.
What are your thoughts on how we can address the security challenges currently facing your industry?
At Aircall, we take cybersecurity and compliance very seriously. Protecting customer data is our main priority as well as complying with the obligations set forth by GDPR. Now with the rise of AI, the steps to navigating security challenges are evolving further. Addressing this starts with having clear guidelines on what data to use or input and setting the boundaries for experimenting with it within your team. New technologies always bring new challenges, but we shouldn’t let that hold our innovation back. With the right preparation, we can ensure our technologies remain as responsible and as watertight as we, and our customers, need them to be.
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