Leading the chatbot conversation

DIRK JAN DOKMAN CO-FOUNDER CX Company

MEMBER IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Tell us about your company:

CX Company have been innovating and developing enterprise intelligent assistance and chatbot technology for over 14 years.

We operate in the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands and deliver our chat bots in 22 languages all over the world. I am proud to say we handle over four million interactions a day for some of the world’s leading brands, improving customer satisfaction, increasing conversion rates and saving huge amount of costs.

What has been your biggest success?

I have built and sold two business in the past. However, now having CX Company active in four countries and growing, I truly believe that the journey towards success is more interesting than the success itself.

Which projects excite you right now?

Unlike the Netherlands, the UK is often slow to adopt new technologies; however, when you do, you run fast and push the boundaries quicker. So for me, we are working hard to take the vacant market leader position in the UK. This means we are having some brilliant (human) conversations with some incredible brands at a senior level. The potential in the UK is vast, so it is truly exciting.

Probably, best not to mention Brexit at this stage, which as a Dutchman is making interesting watching!

How has being a member of The Clubhouse contributed to the success of your business?

I like to have a very energetic working environment and The Clubhouse definitely creates that. Being in central London is very convenient for me and our team, as I am living in the Netherlands and our team lives across the UK. Our clients and other contacts love to visit us in one of The Clubhouse locations.

Where can members find you? Every Monday we are downstairs at The Clubhouse, St James’s. If you hear a guy talking English with a strong Dutch accent (which I have failed to get rid of), it is probably me.

cxcompany.com

QUICK-FIRE ROUND

Favourite place to go in London?

So many favourite places: breakfast at Daylesford, Notting Hill; lunch at the sushi belt at Kulu Kulu (near The Clubhouse, St James’s); dinner at Rambla in Soho. And going to a jazz concert in Ronnie Scotts or a classical performance in Wigmore Hall. This is what I love about London, a place for every mood.

Who inspires you and why?

Looking at Fynn, my 1½-year-old son, how he looks at the world full of excitement, positivity and curiosity. As adults, we should try to look in the same way at the world we are living in.

Best bit of advice you’ve been given?

Hire people who are smarter than yourself.

If you were on a desert island, what would you bring?

I hope the desert island is big enough to bring my racing bike.

Which super power would you like to have?

Mind reading.

What is the worst business ‘faux-pas’ you’ve committed?

Talking with an Englishman and thinking that the man was really interested when he said “interesting”.

cxcompany.com