Why AI Can't Fix a Broken Culture with Sarina Swan of Vitalant and Chad Anderson of Mercedes-Benz USA
Disruptive Innovators: Champions of Digital Business - CIO & IT Leader Interviews, Digital Transformation, Digital InnovationShow Notes
Recorded live at the CCW Las Vegas show floor, David Wright sits down with Sarina Swan, Sr. Director, Customer Contact Center of Vitalant, and Chad Anderson, Head of Customer Care and Roadside Operations of Mercedes-Benz USA, to unpack culture, AI adoption and customer experience. Sarina speaks to the upside once things are working, and Chad flags the prerequisite — you can't skip the culture/process work and expect AI to compensate.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
00:00 Introduction. 03:33 Sarina explains why customer experience is critical to donor retention at Vitalant, the second-largest US blood bank. 05:21 She argues CX leaders should look past the AI hype and refocus on the fundamentals of the customer journey. 07:02 The cultural and change-management work required before new technology can succeed. 09:03 Vitalant's five-year strategic plan uses technology to support, not replace, its people. 11:04 An anti-rotation calling service more than doubled Vitalant's connect rates, from about 12–16% to 22–26%. 14:00 Sarina’s advice to her younger self: be confident in your ability, and take more risks. 16:40 Chad describes leading cultural transformation and customer insights at Mercedes-Benz USA. 18:38 Organizations invest heavily in technology but too rarely invest in preparing their people. 21:04 AI will only amplify a broken culture, not fix it. 28:26 Chad’s closing advice: never forget your employees, because they drive every technology outcome.
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RESOURCES MENTIONED
CCW Las Vegas 2026 https://www.cxtoday.com/events/ccw-las-vegas/
Vitalant Website https://www.vitalant.org/
Mercedes-Benz USA Newsroom https://media.mbusa.com/
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