Two days in Milan, full of AI and insights!

Last week, I spent two days in Milan for a few interesting meetings. I was invited by Smile.cx, one of the largest customer contact centers in Europe, active in sectors like the Italian automotive industry. What they’re doing there is comparable to what we’re building with CARMEN Automotive BDC in the Netherlands — but on a much larger scale.

Integration of AI

What struck me immediately was the extent to which AI is integrated into their processes. As soon as a sales agent picks up the phone, the conversation is transcribed live, while the internal AI provides real-time suggestions for arguments, next steps, and KPIs — all to support the agent in working as effectively as possible. In some cases, a voice bot even takes over the conversation. This enables a single agent to handle multiple calls simultaneously, thanks to the nearly seamless cooperation between human and machine on their side.

But… just because the system works well for the agent, doesn’t automatically mean it feels right for the customer. And that’s where the difference is made.

Statistics from an Italian dealer group (powered by Gruppo Bossoni)

I was given a look at statistics from several large Italian dealer groups who channel their first contact with online leads through the call center. They make full use of voice AI (which I’m personally not yet in favor of for outbound sales calls), combined with human agents. And the results? Impressive: connection ratios well above 60%, and even higher appointment rates. So, perfect? Not quite…

The bottleneck — as is often the case — was in the handover.

The biggest challenge remains the step from the call center (or internal KCC) to the dealer or salesperson. That’s where most leads still “evaporate”. Why? Because the salesperson thinks the lead he receives is a buyer. But that’s not the case.

It’s a qualified lead. Someone who has done more than the average online lead. They filled out a form, had a conversation with an agent, and scheduled an appointment. But still — it’s a lead, not yet a customer. The salesperson still needs to do what they do best: seduce, persuade, and close. That’s where their value lies. And that’s why — generally speaking — they should earn more than the average call center agent.

So… if you’re working with a call center (hopefully with Carmen Automotive BDC 😉), an internal KCC or another partner for your online leads? Make sure the handover to the salesperson is seamless. Sell the salesperson the opportunity. Clearly inform the lead that a colleague will be in touch. And make it personal — for example, with a short video from the salesperson themselves. Because the rule still holds: people buy from people.

Thanks to Nicola Barozzi and Francesco Rienzi for inviting me!