Michael Pointer

Sr. AI Strategic Sales Specialist @Talkdesk

✔️ ITSolution Integrator👍 Sales & BizDev🧑‍🔬 Engineer🧨 ConsultingSystem ArchitectCustomer Success ManagerTech SupportDatabase DeveloperML EngineerData ScientistData EngineerEngagement Manager

Talkdesk, a leading cloud-based contact center software provider, continues to leverage AI technology to enhance customer service experiences. The company's AI capabilities help businesses to streamline their operations, improve customer interactions, and drive sales growth. As a Senior AI Strategic Sales Specialist, Michael Pointer plays a pivotal role in driving the adoption of Talkdesk's AI solutions. He works closely with clients to understand their business needs and align them with the right AI tools. His strategic insights and sales expertise continue to contribute to Talkdesk's strong market position in the AI-driven customer service space.

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Work Background

TalkdeskSr. AI Strategic Sales

Jan. 2024Pennsylvania, United StatesCustomer facing lead delivering business value analysis and technological architectures, fully developed use cases, and purpose-built AI solutions to unlock operational expense savings and revenue growth across call centers in the cloud. Strong Generative AI, Analytics, and Conversational AI Focus, including CCaaS automation, containment, agent empowerment and CX discovery

TalkdeskAI Value Consultant, Value Consulting Office

Aug. 2023 - Jan. 2024PA, USACustomer facing lead delivering business value analysis and technological architectures, fully developed use cases, and purpose-built AI solutions to unlock operational expense savings and revenue growth across call centers in the cloud

TalkdeskAI Strategic Sales Specialist

Jan. 2022 - Aug. 2023

AnodotSenior Sales Engineer

Sep. 2021 - Jan. 2022

PresidioPrincipal Solutions Architect

Jun. 2021 - Sep. 2021New York, United StatesSenior pre-sales data and AI architect with over 20 years of experience working with enterprise data, analytics, enterprise search and discovery, conversational AI, NLP and machine learning across multiple cloud environments: AWS, GCP, Azure, and IBM.

Dagostino Electronic Services, Inc.Principal Architect

Jul. 2020 - Jun. 2021Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Deloitte ConsultingSpecialist Master, Analytics & Cognitive

Nov. 2018 - Jun. 2020Greater Pittsburgh AreaConsulting manager specializing in the application of cognitive/AI solutions, analytics, and automation to deliver business value to the clients of Deloitte Consulting USA and other member firms. Specialist in IBM Watson Cloud, Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, including big data, machine learning, NLP, analytics and conversational AI.

IBMWorldwide Technical Sales Leader

Aug. 2016 - Aug. 2018 Worldwide Technical sales lead focusing on strategy, revenue achievement, customer success, including solution design, delivery, and technical excellence. I work with sales and management to target IBM solutions to business needs across geographies, industries, and domains. I team with IBM’s offering team and engineering on delivering the best product for customer needs, focusing on Data Science and Watson Explorer, including cognitive search, AI, text and predictive analytics, big data, and other integrated technologies. I am a product advocate, I write proposals, share expertise, develop and deliver training to customers, partners, and colleagues, and coordinate with IBM support, services, product management, sales, and marketing to deliver customer success. Key Achievements • Helped to secure several million dollars of revenue in Watson Explorer sales each year • Worked with services and support on critical implementation and deployment items worldwide • Led hands-on labs and advocated for IBM products at conferences around the world • Delivered multiple training courses in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia

IBMWatson Solutions Architect

Jan. 2015 - Aug. 2016Greater Pittsburgh AreaSales engineer and customer-facing solution architect delivering requirements and architecture analysis, custom code, and product configuration in support of sales to IBM's worldwide customer base. Specializing in the IBM Watson cognitive computing solutions (Watson Engagement and Discovery Advisor, Watson Explorer, and Watson Content Analytics), integration, big data, and supporting products. As a Watson Solution Architect, I am a product advocate, I write proposals, develop and deliver presentations and product demonstrations, explore client business cases and make solution recommendations, and coordinate with IBM support, services, product management, sales, and marketing.

IBMWatson Explorer Sr. Sales Engineer

Aug. 2014 - Jan. 2015Greater Pittsburgh AreaSales engineer and customer-facing solution architect delivering requirements and architecture analysis, custom code, and product configuration in support of sales to IBM's worldwide customer base. Specializing in Watson Explorer (WEX) and Watson Content Analytics, integration, big data, and supporting products. As a WEX sales engineer, I am a product advocate, I write proposals, develop and deliver presentations and product demonstrations, explore client business cases and make solution recommendations, and coordinate with IBM support, services, product management, sales, and marketing.

IBMTechnical Support Manager

May. 2012 - Aug. 2014Pittsburgh, PAResponsible for a team of escalation support engineers servicing all Vivisimo customers, Big Data, and now the IBM Watson Group cognitive computing platform. Our Level 2 team handles product issues and technical questions worldwide. I am also heavily involved in internal and customer enablement training, including API programming, product configuration, and architectural analysis.

Vivisimo, Inc.Senior Director of Global Customer Support

Oct. 2011 - May. 2012Pittsburgh, PAProvided for seamless global technical support, including defining unique business unit service requirements and instituting viable plans and processes to fully support them, creating and implementing KPIs for support services (benchmarked against "Best in Class"), providing an annual and per incident customer feedback platform to quantify and measure customer satisfaction, creating a viable customer support organizational structure and associated job descriptions including a formal technical progression track, and providing for an ongoing training syllabus to make sure that technical resources are fully qualified to support customers and partners. Delivered an enhanced service platform utilizing an integrated business systems approach, including a customer self-service and knowledge sharing portal, processes for all support engagements, as well as customer escalation of issues. Teamed with engineering, quality and marketing to provide for the best possible outcome on software releases, work with engineering, QA and marketing to define the software release process, including pre-release through GA, and create, document and execute on a process for first customer ship. Establish processes to make sure that engineering and support personnel are available to work with customers to rapidly diagnose and resolve critical issues. Ensure operational readiness for support personnel on all new releases, including training on release features and functionality. In support of overall Services revenue goals, make tactical contributions to revenue through Velocity Health Check, Managed Upgrade, and Training offerings. • Customer Satisfaction target met (+90%) as established by per-incident feedback surveys • Met annual customer retention and maintenance revenue goal • Delivered $100K in additional incremental services revenue • Implemented proactive customer alerts to case status changes and escalations • Implemented customer satisfaction monitoring and alerts

Vivisimo, Inc.Director of Customer Support

Jan. 2006 - Mar. 2012Work with sales staff to define in advance the client expectations and amount of customer support from Vivísimo Supervise applications engineers Ensure that customer expectations are met during the installation Help define the ongoing CRM infrastructure Maintain post-sales customer relations Assist with sales proposals Overall: ensure that customers and prospects have a smooth experience

Knova Software, Inc.Manager, Technical Services

Feb. 2005 - Jan. 2006 Manager of up to eight direct reports with over one million dollars in services delivered/yr. Coordinate technical team with the research and development organization. Review and approve technical tasks in new Statements of Work, RFIs, and RFPs. Responsible for software implementation [direct impact on revenue recognition]. Scope work, plan implementation architecture and direct technical team. Deliver support for custom software and application integrations. Custom programming, systems integration, training development.

ServiceWare Technologies, Inc.Manager, Technical Services

Jan. 2001 - Dec. 2005• Manager of up to eight direct reports with over one million dollars in services delivered/yr. • Coordinate technical team with the research and development organization. • Review and approve technical tasks in new Statements of Work, RFIs, and RFPs. • Responsible for software implementation [direct impact on revenue recognition]. • Scope work, plan implementation architecture and direct technical team. • Deliver support for custom software and application integrations. • Custom programming, systems integration, training development.

ServiceWareKnowledge Engineer

Jan. 1994 - Dec. 1997• Analyzed processes to identify inefficient procedures and developed targeted software. • Wrote specifications and led the team to implement improved business procedures. • Developed productivity enhancing software tools. • Project manager (ten reports) for the launch of a content product [over $1M in revenue]. • Developed a content delivery process for MS customer support [Helping to win $150K]. • Member of the design team for a new knowledge management software product. • Wrote and edited solutions and presented training on effective diagnostic design.