About the Show
Another Cloud Podcast
A podcast designed to bring you stories from the smartest minds in IT, operations and business, and learn how they’re using Cloud Technology to improve business and the customer experience.
Latest Episode
Another Cloud Podcast – Episode 54: The Home Depot Keeping Culture #1
Hosts: Aarde Cosseboom & Alex McBratney, Guest Speaker: Michael Jones – October 21st, 2021 (40:15 minutes long)
It’s not every day we get to peek behind the curtains of a Fortune 20 enterprise. Today we were lucky enough to sit down with Michael Jones, Sr. Director of Customer Care to learn how The Home Depot has stayed true to its mission of taking care of its people and their customers. We tackle everything from customer care and support, culture, and how their leaders have shaped the company.
Meet the Hosts
Aarde Cosseboom
For the last 2 decades Aarde’s professional experience has been in the Contact Center world, helping businesses support their consumers through cloud based SaaS products and technologies. He Enjoys working with large global customer service teams to increase and leverage; customer experience, customer success, operations, technology, customer service, and people development. Aarde is also the author of the Contact Center book – ‘Enable Better Service: A Customer Service Contact Center Story of Breaking Away from the Norm Through Creativity, Technology and Innovation’.
Alex McBratney
Alex began his career in telecommunications as a Time Warner Cable sales consultant for Sandler Partners. After only 18 months, Alex had acquired 395 clients and sold just over $2M in contracted revenue all through knocking on doors. There, he quickly acquired the skills, adaptability, and know-how required to succeed as a leader in IT consulting. In 2016, his focus shifted to developing full-service consultancy for his mid-market clientele as he recognized a need for simple yet reliable processes throughout the sales cycle. Four years later, the newly created Adler Advisors team has over 100 mid-market clients with more than $19M in contracted revenue, supported by a growing team. He has found success through a relentless work ethic and a knack for truly listening to clients. Alex has built a loyal network of clients by always doing right by them and putting their needs first.
Dustin Riedel
Dustin brings over 20 years of experience in various aspects of telecommunications consulting. After selling Voice hardware solutions for Affant Communications, Dustin joined LanTelligence selling Shoretel Contact Center solutions to mid-market organizations. In 2007, he joined Sandler Partners as a Channel Manager (ie. Superstar) and has been named the Top Sales Rep each year since 2016 with over $5M in annual revenue and $15M in contracted revenue. Dustin brings a combination of humor, honesty and goal-oriented ambition to every client project. He takes pride in understanding the “why” and providing solutions that are accurate, cost-effective and future-proof. He is on the Board of Africa New Day, a non-profit that empowers people to become leaders in their community, equipped to tackle Congo’s problems at the source.
Jeff Young
Jeff brings over 40 years of IT experience to The Confer Group, including 39 years at Haynes International, Inc., most recently serving as their Vice President and CIO for 15 years. After retiring in 2020, Jeff has dedicated himself to continuing to connect IT executives with one another and with vendors that can supply the technologies necessary for day to day operations. Throughout his professional career, Jeff has accumulated a vast knowledge of technology operations which allows him to act as an essential resource to other IT executives in his role as CIO in Residence. He is excited to bring his passion for connecting with and providing support to CIOs to The Confer Group. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys being on the water, perfecting his imperfect golf game, and spending time with his family.
Most Viewed
Another Cloud Podcast – Episode 5: CCaas Tomorrow: The Future of the Contact Center Industry with Erika McDowell
Hosts: Aarde Cosseboom & Alex McBratney, Guest Speaker: Erika McDowell – March 10th, 2021 (51:09 minutes long) – Transcript and audio only
The future of the contact center industry is very promising. With the migration of the major CCaaS players into the cloud, there are some solutions that were built in the cloud using the IOT (Internet of Things) and open API. Join us and Erika McDowell as we talk about Dialpad and how they fit into this UCaaS and CCaaS cloud landscape.
All about CX
Another Cloud Podcast – Episode 11: Getting to the Heart of Customer Experience with Nate Brown
Hosts: Aarde Cosseboom & Alex McBratney, Guest Speaker: Nate Brown – April 15th, 2021 (43:05 minutes long) – Transcript and audio only
In this episode, Nate dishes out a new level of energy when talking about the customer experience and how employees have to love the company first. Aarde and I dive deep with Nate to learn his approach to the CX and leading change.
Tune in as we share about:
Employees being brand ambassadors
CX communication
Some of Nate’s top books
The Brand Promise
The Home Depot Culture
Another Cloud Podcast – Episode 54: The Home Depot Keeping Culture #1
Hosts: Aarde Cosseboom & Alex McBratney, Guest Speaker: Michael Jones – October 21st, 2021 (40:15 minutes long)
It’s not every day we get to peek behind the curtains of a Fortune 20 enterprise. Today we were lucky enough to sit down with Michael Jones, Sr. Director of Customer Care to learn how The Home Depot has stayed true to its mission of taking care of its people and their customers. We tackle everything from customer care and support, culture, and how their leaders have shaped the company.
Future of AI
Another Cloud Podcast – Episode 34: Eye Opening… AI is taking over
Hosts: Aarde Cosseboom & Alex McBratney, Guest Speaker: Tyson McDowell – July 13th, 2021 (42:50 minutes long)
TEDx Talks speaker Tyson McDowell sits down with us to talk about why AI is driving society to a dark place, how we have more control than we think and what he and his team are doing in trying to a better internet into fruition. Click the link in the comments below to listen to Tyson’s TEDx Talk.
CX Author/Keynote Speaker
Another Cloud Podcast – Episode 48: Customers are Demanding and Impatient – How do we keep them?
Hosts: Aarde Cosseboom & Alex McBratney, Guest Speaker: David Avrin – October 5th, 2021 (42:16 minutes long)
Customer Experience leader, speaker, and author extraordinaire David Avrin joins us today as we talk about how NOT to lose your customers. Why quality is not a differentiator these days and how speed, convenience, and flexibility are what drive consumers today. Listen in and learn from one of the best around customer experience.
See why David Avrin is becoming one of the most in-demand Customer Experience Keynote Speakers in the world today. Watch his preview videos: www.DavidAvrin.com
Crocs Shoes
Another Cloud Podcast – Episode 45: Finding Success at CROCS
Hosts: Alex McBratney, Guest Speaker: Brian Gustin – September 22nd, 2021 (40:25 minutes long)
Brian Gustin and I cover a lot of ground on the show. With close to 16 years at Crocs, he’s had his share of learning across multiple departments and successful moments. Today we get to learn how he took his service team global, managed 5x volume during their giveaway to frontline workers, and how they’re using technology to transform the customer and agent experience.
The 3 R’s of CX
Another Cloud Podcast – Episode 47: It’s NOT just the Customer Experience anymore!
Hosts: Aarde Cosseboom & Alex McBratney, Guest Speaker: Dennis Wakabayashi – September 30th, 2021 (38:19 minutes long)
That’s right… there’s more to just making a great customer experience. These days too many companies are falling flat on the employee experience. Today Dennis Wakabayashi sheds light on how he sees experience through the lens of the 3 R’s, how technology helps and hinders us, and how we as consumers are already subscribed in today’s world.
Outsourcing with BPOs
Another Cloud Podcast – Episode 53: Demystifying the Outsourcing of Contact Centers
Hosts: Aarde Cosseboom & Alex McBratney, Guest Speaker: Fred Stacey – October 18th, 2021 (46:24 minutes long)
Today we’re talking all about outsourcing. Fred Stacey has spent the last 26 years in the contact center outsourcing business and today we had the chance to sit down and learn from one of the best. Fred dives into the current trends in outsourcing, how customers are pushing their tech stacks to the BPOs, what markets are up and coming, and other tidbits around the industry.