From Call Center to AI Catalyst: Matt Price on Elevating Human Agents with LLMs

Interview by Bernard Desarnauts
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Matt Price has seen a lot. The CEO of Crescendo has lived through waves of tech transformation from PCs to SaaS, and today, he’s riding the next one: AI. But unlike the hype-chasers or naysayers, Matt is doing what few are: building something real, at scale, that combines AI with people to deliver better customer experiences.

We caught up with Matt to talk about what that actually looks like in practice, from empowering 3,500 human agents with AI, to navigating the hype vs. ROI reality check many small businesses still face.

AI for Everyday Use: Power User, Realistic Expectations

When asked what comes to mind first when he hears “AI,” Matt didn’t hesitate: “ChatGPT.” He uses GPT-4 for deep research and GPT-3.5 for lighter tasks, running up to 30 queries a day.

Is he a prompt nerd? “Reasonably advanced,” he says, though he leans on his team of AI experts when prompts fall short. “Sometimes the issue isn’t me, it’s a model limitation.”

Human-First, AI-Empowered

What makes Crescendo different is its hybrid model: thousands of human agents, all supported by AI systems. But Matt’s vision goes deeper than just productivity.

“We’re not just using AI to handle support tickets,” he says. “We’re using it to upskill agents, giving them access to tools, helping them grow beyond their day-to-day.”

For Crescendo, AI isn’t about replacing worker;s it’s about unlocking their potential and tapping into an underutilized talent pool. It's also a talent attraction strategy: agents aren’t just “call center staff,” they’re AI-enabled knowledge workers.

Where the AI Gaps Still Exist

Matt’s team is well ahead in areas like engineering and product development, using AI to deliver integrations in hours, not weeks. But even at Crescendo, there’s still room to grow in functions like sales, marketing, and internal operations.

He sees big potential in “micro-vertical” targeting using AI to go after highly specific customer cohorts with personalized campaigns, even down to automated ABM and geotargeted billboards.

“It’s crazy how much is possible,” he says, “but most of it is gated by the systems you’re trying to automate against.”

SMBs Need More Than a Bot

Many small businesses still see AI as either too good to be true or simply inaccessible.

“There’s pressure to ‘get AI,’” Matt says. “But launching a proper AI support system requires more than buying a bot and connecting it to Zendesk.”

Crescendo’s answer? A “customer service as a service” model. SMBs don’t need to build or train AI; Crescendo does it for them. “We’re your team,” Matt explains. “Just call us and we'll spin it up.”

Culture Change, Not Just Cost Savings

One of the most unexpected outcomes of AI-powered support? Customers are actually talking more, not less.

“With voice AI bots, customers feel less pressure to end a call quickly. They repeat themselves, ask for clarification, and explore. The interaction time goes up.”

And inside the company, the culture is shifting too. “We’ve got people in traditional roles now in AI-enabled roles. It’s inspiring,” Matt says. “They’re not afraid, they’re excited.”

A Future of Trust, Not Fear

As the tech matures, Matt’s focus is on trust and clarity, helping employees understand what AI will (and won’t) do to their jobs.

“The first phase is reassurance,” he explains. “The second is opportunity. We show how people can lean into the tools, and they take off.”

And with that mindset shift, Crescendo’s not just surviving this tech wave, it’s shaping it.

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