De-risk Change: Migrating to SaaS 2.0 ‘Effortlessly’
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At Effortless 2024, our co-founder Manoj Agarwal took at DevRev center stage to talk about how our platform helps organizations migrate from legacy systems into the AI era.
This recap dissects the session’s core:
- Overcoming transformation fears
- DevRev’s game-changing framework
- Change Management Optimisation with AI
- And success stories that prove the concept.
Held at the iconic Levi’s Stadium, the event showcased a playbook for embracing modern, AI-driven approaches in business.
Confronting the fear of innovation: DevRev’s knowledge graph
Manoj addressed the elephant in the room: companies’ fear of technological transformation. He highlighted how businesses often cling to familiar systems like Oracle or Salesforce, valuing job security over innovation. The real challenge? Overcoming the anxiety of “messing up” - from data migration headaches to operational disruptions.
Enter DevRev’s game-changing “Knowledge Graph.” This ingenious technology bridges the gap between existing systems and revolutionary platforms. It allows companies to seamlessly integrate their data with core products and customers, without the trauma of a complete system overhaul. The Knowledge Graph is DevRev’s answer to innovation without intimidation, paving the way for fearless digital transformation.
As Manoj described it, “The only reason the company exists is for its product and customers.” The Knowledge Graph connects data from various systems to these two core entities, allowing businesses to retain and utilize valuable information while benefiting from modern AI-driven capabilities.
This integration allows companies to maintain access to existing data without the need to completely overhaul their systems. From semantic search capabilities to conversational analytics, the Knowledge Graph supports various use cases, such as creating reports and analyzing data in real time, without the need for manual SQL queries.
It’s about enabling human and machine collaboration on a platform built for the future,
Airdrop: Simplifying data migration
One of the standout features discussed was DevRev’s Airdrop, which significantly simplifies data migration. Before writing the first line of code for DevRev’s platform, the team spent years developing Airdrop, understanding the challenges of migrating large volumes of data from legacy systems.
Manoj reflected on Airdrop’s evolution, noting, “Three years to perfect it, and we’re still enhancing it in year four.” The result is impressive: a seamless process that effortlessly transfers data from various systems into DevRev’s platform. Airdrop’s intelligence shines in its ability to recognize, map, and transfer vast amounts of data with minimal human intervention.
Manoj shared a case study where DevRev successfully migrated data for a large enterprise, handling millions of tickets, users, and attachments. “It’s machine time, not human time,” he emphasized, underscoring the high level of automation.
The real power lies in Airdrop’s versatility. Once it masters one platform, it can seamlessly integrate hundreds more, showcasing its potential to revolutionize data migration across diverse systems.
Velocity Global: A success story of transformation
In the second part of the session, Manoj invited Vishnu Ravikumar (Vish) from Velocity Global to share their experience and DevRev’s real-world impact. Velocity Global, a company operating in more than 100 countries, faced the challenge of managing vast amounts of data in a highly regulated industry, where accuracy is critical.
When asked why they decided to partner with DevRev, Vish explained,
We wanted to transform the way we work.
Velocity Global had previously used Zendesk but was looking for a tool that would allow them to change how they operated fundamentally. DevRev stood out for its unique approach, particularly its AI capabilities and flexibility in addressing the company’s needs.
Vish pointed out that one of the main challenges they faced was the volume of data they needed to migrate—17 million objects, 9 million comments, and over a million attachments.
We have hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, and we can’t mess that up
Despite the complexity, Airdrop made the migration process relatively seamless, helping Velocity Global maintain business continuity while transitioning from Zendesk to DevRev.
AI-powered optimization and change management
Change management emerged as a critical factor in platform migration. Vish candidly admitted, “Even when you know it’s the right move, change management is hard.” Velocity Global’s approach? Meticulous upfront planning coupled with comprehensive user support.
“You need to smother your users with support,” Vish emphasized. This philosophy translated into providing teams with robust tools and thorough training. By prioritizing user enablement, Velocity Global ensured a smoother transition, demonstrating that successful change management goes beyond just implementing new technology—it’s about empowering people to embrace it.
The results have been impressive. Since moving to DevRev, Velocity Global has seen resolution times for customer issues drop significantly, with a reduction of 20% compared to their previous system. This improvement was achieved despite the company handling the same volume of customer requests.
“We haven’t even done everything we can do to get the most out of DevRev, and we’re already seeing these benefits,” Vish
DevRev’s platform has proven to be a game-changer in cross-departmental collaboration. Vish highlighted its ability to seamlessly connect disparate systems and integrate data across teams. This interconnectedness has fostered unprecedented cooperation between customer success, engineering, and other departments.
The platform’s AI-driven features have been particularly impactful, revolutionizing customer support automation and delivering real-time insights. Vish’s enthusiasm was palpable as he noted, “There’s so much magic with the AI.” He predicted a ripple effect, anticipating other teams’ eagerness to leverage these transformative capabilities, signalling a broader organizational shift towards AI-enhanced operations.
Customizing solutions with DevRev marketplace
DevRev’s Marketplace is where users can access a range of tools, snap-ins, automations, and AI agents that extend the platform’s capabilities.
It is designed to provide both public and private solutions, allowing companies to build custom applications for their teams. This flexibility ensures that businesses can tailor the platform to their specific needs, whether through first-party, second-party, or third-party integrations.
It’s not just us building it—there are second-party and third-party developers creating tools that enhance the ecosystem.
The DevRev adoption journey
To provide further insight into the customer experience, Manoj invited Mollie Holland, CVP Customer Experience at DevRev, to explain what happens once a company decides to adopt the platform. Mollie emphasized that DevRev takes a consultative approach to ensure each customer’s success. “We map out your success from day one,” she said, outlining how DevRev works closely with customers to understand their goals and help them adopt AI in ways they may never have considered before.
Training and enablement are critical components of the adoption journey. DevRev offers a range of educational tools, from microlearning sessions to product certifications, to ensure that teams are fully equipped to use the platform effectively.
This isn’t just about snapping in a new tool,” she said. “It’s about truly changing the way you work.
DevRev’s two-way sync feature, enabled by Airdrop, allows businesses to continue using their existing systems while gradually transitioning to the new platform. This flexibility gives companies the confidence to move forward at their own pace, knowing that they won’t disrupt their operations during the migration process.
Turing squad: DevRev’s ongoing support model
DevRev’s Turing Squad continues to work with customers even after they go live, helping them optimize workflows, refine AI automations, and measure success.
We don’t just leave you after implementation. The Turing Squad helps ensure that you’re getting the most out of DevRev
Turing Squad is an initiative designed to provide continuous support to customers even after the initial implementation. Mollie highlighted that the Turing Squad is a dedicated team of success managers, applied AI engineers, and solution architects who continue to work with clients long after they have adopted the platform. This ongoing support helps optimize workflows, improve team efficiency, and ensure that customers are getting the most out of DevRev’s AI-powered tools.
The Turing Squad doesn’t just leave after implementation,” Mollie said. “We continue working with customers, looking at metrics, solving problems, and enhancing their use of AI through solutioning.
This approach ensures that businesses not only implement DevRev successfully but also continue to evolve and adapt their processes as they grow.
The Turing Squad essentially becomes an extension of the customer’s team, assisting with everything from AI integrations to workflow optimizations and analytics. Mollie emphasized that DevRev takes pride in being hands-on, providing a seamless experience from day one and continuing to support businesses on their journey.
Bolt: A rapid migration success story
Another story came from Bolt, a company that managed to migrate to DevRev in just two weeks.
Elec Boothe, Support Engineering Leader at Bolt, shared a compelling case of rapid digital transformation. Unlike Velocity Global’s gradual transition, Bolt achieved a remarkable feat: migrating from Zendesk to DevRev in just two weeks.
Facing significant internal changes, including a staff reduction from 20 to 5, Bolt needed a solution to maintain customer service quality. Elec explained, “We had to ensure our customers didn’t feel the impact.”
As AI became crucial to their strategy, Zendesk’s limitations became apparent.
Zendesk was behind the curve on AI."
This realization led Bolt to choose DevRev, attracted by its AI-centric roadmap and capabilities, demonstrating how the right platform can enable swift, impactful organizational change.
A two-week transformation for Bolt
Bolt’s migration timeline was extremely tight, as they needed to switch from Zendesk within weeks.
We were aiming for a six-month contract extension with Zendesk, but they only offered one-year contracts.
Faced with this decision, Bolt decided to partner with DevRev and move forward quickly.
“We signed the contract while doing the migration, and it went flawlessly. I put my life on the line for this migration, and the team at DevRev made it happen, allowing Bolt to switch platforms in just two weeks.”
DevRev X Bolt success story: Consolidating systems and improving efficiency
Post-migration, Bolt leveraged DevRev to streamline operations, addressing the inefficiencies of their previously fragmented systems.
DevRev unified our workflows, enabling faster problem-solving.
The platform's AI-powered clustering feature significantly accelerated issue resolution, a stark contrast to Zendesk's limitations.
Bolt is now integrating DevRev with GitHub, enhancing their development processes. Looking ahead, Elec enthusiastically shared,
We're exploring DevRev's full potential, with our engineering team next in line for transition.
This holistic approach demonstrates DevRev’s capacity to transform entire organizational ecosystems, from support to development.
Zero-Risk migration with DevRev
DevRev’s Airdrop ensures a zero-risk migration process, allowing companies to switch platforms at their own pace while minimizing operational disruptions.
Manoj highlighted a significant advantage: both Velocity Global and Bolt implemented DevRev without incurring professional services costs. This cost-effective transition underscores DevRev’s user-friendly design and efficient onboarding process.
The platform’s AI-driven capabilities and flexibility have yielded tangible benefits for adopters, including enhanced customer satisfaction, reduced operational costs, and improved efficiency. By integrating AI, automation, and collaborative tools, DevRev enables companies to modernize their operations seamlessly, ensuring business continuity while driving innovation. This approach positions DevRev as a catalyst for digital transformation across diverse industries.
The only way to keep customer satisfaction high at the lowest cost is if the machine does more work while you focus on other important things.
Future-proofing business with DevRev
“The platform is built with security and scalability in mind, and it’s ready for enterprises of any size. Whether a company is just starting its AI journey or looking to migrate from a legacy system, DevRev’s platform provides the tools and support needed to succeed.”
DevRev’s robust security infrastructure stands as a cornerstone of its enterprise offerings. The platform boasts enterprise-grade encryption, multi-factor authentication, and compliance with global standards including GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO certifications. With a global presence and round-the-clock support, DevRev is well-positioned to serve the needs of international enterprises.
The platform’s design prioritizes both security and scalability, making it suitable for organizations of all sizes. Whether a company is embarking on its initial AI journey or transitioning from legacy systems, DevRev provides the comprehensive toolkit and expertise necessary for successful digital transformation. This combination of advanced features, global support, and adaptability positions DevRev as a compelling choice for businesses seeking to modernize their operations securely and efficiently.
To summarize Manoj’s discussion he discussed how DevRev’s is designed to help businesses navigate the challenges of AI adoption without the fear of failure. Through its Knowledge Graph, Airdrop, and AI-driven insights, DevRev offers a seamless, scalable solution that transforms the way companies work. The stories from Velocity Global and Bolt illustrate how businesses can make the leap to AI-powered operations while improving efficiency, collaboration, and customer satisfaction.
As Manoj put it, “The only way to succeed is if the machine does more work while you’re sleeping or doing other important tasks.”
Missed DevRev Effortless Bay Area? Watch the event here.
Read more about Effortless 2024 here.
