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3 minute read
Summary
On this episode of Direct from the Expo, The Collab Collective's Craig Durr sits down with Damon Covey, GM, GoTo Connect, live from Enterprise Connect 2025. Their discussion covers how GoTo is simplifying AI for small and mid-sized businesses, making enterprise-level technology accessible without complexity. Covey shares insights into GoTo’s latest innovations, including AI Receptionist and Connect CX, and how businesses can leverage AI to enhance customer communication and operational efficiency.
Their Discussion Covers:
- GoTo's Business Communication Portfolio: An overview of GoTo Connect and its range of telephony and contact center solutions.
- AI for Small Businesses: How GoTo is bringing AI-powered solutions to smaller organizations that may not realize they need contact center capabilities.
- AI Receptionist & Connect CX: New innovations designed to help SMBs handle customer interactions more effectively.
- Practical AI Implementation: Advice on how SMBs can start integrating AI into their workflows without overwhelming complexity.
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Transcript
Craig Durr: Hey, everyone. This is Craig Durr, Chief Analyst and Founder of The Collab Collective, and I want to welcome you to another edition of Direct from the Expo – Enterprise Connect 2025. Today, I’m joined by Damon Covey, Chief Product Officer of GoTo.
Damon, how are you doing?
Damon Covey: I'm doing great. Thanks for having me, Craig.
Craig Durr: I'm excited to share more about GoTo with our audience. Let’s start with the basics—can you give us an overview of the GoTo Connect portfolio?
Damon Covey: Absolutely. We provide a comprehensive set of business communication solutions, from telephony to full contact center functionality. Essentially, everything a business needs to communicate effectively with their customers.
Craig Durr: And you recently introduced something in between those solutions—the Connect CX product, right?
Damon Covey: Yes, exactly. Many small businesses don’t realize they operate a contact center, but they still need structured ways to engage with customers. Connect CX gives them that capability without requiring a full contact center infrastructure.
Craig Durr: AI is a big topic at this event, and it can be intimidating for businesses. How is GoTo approaching AI in a way that makes it more accessible?
Damon Covey: Great question. Our goal is to make AI practical. In fact, I sometimes joke that my job is to make AI boring—meaning that it should just work, seamlessly, without customers needing to think about it. There’s a lot of hype around AI, but we want to focus on making it something that businesses can actually use to improve customer interactions.
Craig Durr: GoTo serves a wide range of customers, but you have a strong focus on SMBs. How do your AI solutions cater to their specific needs?
Damon Covey: That’s our core focus—smaller businesses and distributed enterprises. Think about a company with 100 employees, where 70% of them interact with customers. They need tools that improve those interactions without adding complexity. AI helps by analyzing call recordings, identifying trends, and even assisting with sentiment analysis. It provides insights that were previously only available to large enterprises.
Craig Durr: I really like that Connect CX bridges traditional call center features with everyday business needs. Everyone is in customer service, whether they realize it or not, and your technology helps businesses unify that experience.
Damon Covey: Exactly. A unified inbox—whether it’s phone calls, web chats, or text messages—ensures that all employees have visibility into customer interactions. This is critical for smaller businesses that need to maximize efficiency.
Craig Durr: One of the biggest challenges SMBs face is resource constraints. How does AI help them fill the gaps?
Damon Covey: That’s a key advantage. Small businesses can’t always have someone available to answer calls or handle inquiries. AI solutions, like our AI Receptionist, provide an always-on presence. It can answer common questions, route calls, and ensure that businesses never miss an opportunity to engage with customers.
Craig Durr: You also just announced a new solution specifically for the automotive industry. Can you share more about that?
Damon Covey: Absolutely. My background includes time at Cox Automotive, and we’ve seen strong demand for AI-driven customer engagement solutions in the automotive space. We launched CX for Automotive and BDC Complete, which integrate with dealership systems to capture and streamline customer interactions. Many dealerships don’t consider themselves contact centers, but they function like one. Our tools make that process more efficient without disrupting their existing workflows.
Craig Durr: That’s a great example of how AI can be applied in a way that feels natural. What’s your advice for SMBs that are unsure about how to get started with AI?
Damon Covey: Start with customer communication. How do your customers want to engage with you? Once you identify that, look for ways to optimize it with AI. A great starting point is an AI receptionist—it’s easy to implement, provides immediate value, and helps businesses handle inquiries more efficiently. From there, you can explore sentiment analysis, quality management, and other AI-driven enhancements.
Craig Durr: You’re talking about AI as something that should just exist in the background—almost like oxygen. It’s not about AI itself; it’s about solving real business problems.
Damon Covey: Exactly. It should be part of the toolset, helping businesses bridge gaps and improve efficiency without being overwhelming.
Craig Durr: That’s a great perspective. For viewers who want to learn more about GoTo’s solutions, what’s the best next step?
Damon Covey: If you have a trusted IT or telecom partner, start there. Many of them work with us and can provide great insights. Otherwise, reach out to us directly—we’d love to provide a demo and show how our solutions fit into your specific business environment.
Craig Durr: Fantastic. Damon, this has been an insightful discussion. You’ve done a great job of breaking down AI in a way that makes sense for SMBs. Thanks for your time!
Damon Covey: Thanks, Craig.
Craig Durr: That’s it for this edition of Direct from the Expo. I’m Craig Durr, coming to you from Enterprise Connect 2025. Take care!
