How Crate & Barrel is using AI to turn CX into a Revenue Machine

Kate Showalter spent 30+ years at Crate & Barrel—starting on the retail floor and rising to VP of Customer Care. Now she's doing what most CX leaders only dream about: turning customer service into a revenue machine.

In this conversation, Kate reveals how she built an AI strategy without ever tracking deflection, why she manages AI like headcount (not a tool), and how she convinced her CEO and CTO to invest in customer experience as a competitive advantage.

Kate's approach is refreshingly different: customer experience isn't about cutting costs—it's about building loyalty that drives lifetime value.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Conversational AI
00:19 Meet Kate Showalter: A Journey of Innovation
02:32 Embracing AI in Customer Experience
06:25 Transforming Contact Centers into Revenue Centers
11:50 Managing AI and Human Teams
17:03 Building Strategic Partnerships for AI Implementation
20:49 Customer Experience Wins
21:32 Engaging with the CEO
23:35 Prioritization and Communication
27:17 Visibility and Customer Care
29:47 Strategic Partnerships and AI
34:26 Personal Insights and Conclusion

ABOUT RADICALLY PERSONAL
Radically Personal is a podcast for CX leaders who refuse to compromise. Hosted by Gladly founder Joseph Ansanelli, each episode explores how the world's most customer-centric brands are using AI to deliver both radically efficient operations and personal experiences. From scaling small teams or expanding enterprise-level efforts, we dive into the strategies, tools, and leadership philosophies shaping the future of CX.

ABOUT GLADLY
Gladly is a people-centered AI customer service platform built to navigate today's rapidly evolving consumer landscape. It empowers brands to deliver world-class customer experiences at scale, enabling them to efficiently overcome the challenges of declining customer loyalty and rising costs. Its unique approach puts customers at the center, unifying all interactions into a single, lifelong conversation. Visit https://www.gladly.ai/ to learn more.

#CustomerExperience #AI #CXStrategy #ArtificialIntelligence #RetailTech #CrateAndBarrel #CustomerService #CXLeadership #RadicallyPersonal #AIRevenue #CustomerLoyalty