Five9 has announced the appointment of Steve Blood as the company’s new VP of Market Intelligence and Evangelism, as the CCaaS specialist aims to enhance its global CX offerings.
Having previously been at Gartner for over 23 years, where his most recent position was as Vice President and Analyst in the company’s Customer Service and Support Team, the switch “underscores our (Five9’s) role as an innovator,” according to Five9 CMO, Niki Hall.
“His profound understanding of market demands will help amplify Five9’s thought leadership and his invaluable contributions will undoubtedly bolster our mission to deliver unparalleled CX solutions across all scales and sectors.
We are beyond thrilled to welcome Steve and look forward to achieving remarkable milestones together.
With a wealth of analytical and research experience in the CX sector, Blood’s new position will see him play an integral part in Five9’s ambitions to grow and expand its global customer experience leadership offerings.
In discussing the announcement, Blood was full of praise for his new employer:
“Five9 has achieved strong brand recognition and demonstrability in a market that was dominated by legacy customer experience and service technology.
I’ve been watching this market for decades and have always been impressed by how Five9 has grown organically to one of the largest CCaaS players today.
It may be some time before Blood’s impact at Five9 can be measured, but what can the man’s background and experience tell us about what he’ll bring to the role?
What Will Five9’s New VP Bring to the Table?
Having worked for one of the CX industry’s premier research and guidance providers for almost a quarter of a century, Blood will have invaluable insights into the trends and notable occurrences throughout the sector during this period.
Most recently, his analysis contributions have included the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Contact Centre as a Service, Predicts 2024: Customer Service and Support Strategy and Leadership, and Market Guide for Digital Customer Service and Support.
More specifically, Blood’s expertise lay in the fields of market insights, contact center applications, digital customer service and customer service analytics.
The former Gartner man also has experience in providing guidance on customer service technology to end users and buyers within mid-sized, large, and enterprise organizations.
This has included working with clients across various continents – a skillset that will undoubtedly prove to be highly useful given Five9’s global plans.
With the opportunity to make his mark in a new environment, Blood is clearly looking forward to the challenge:
“I believe in the power of the collective – and Five9 has always embraced collaboration as a core strength, which aligns firmly with my beliefs. The opportunity is immense, and I am excited to be a part of Five9’s next chapter of growth.”
More Fresh Blood
Steve Blood isn’t the only fresh blood to join Five9 in recent times, with Nikki Hall taking over as Chief Marketing Officer in late 2023.
Hall made a name for herself during her time at Contentsquare – a company that may not be familiar to many contact center leaders, but one that has gained considerable recognition within sales and marketing circles.
Her expertise, particularly in messaging and customer journey optimization, are expected to bolster Five9’s efforts in enhancing the customer experience.
In discussing her plans for the role, Hall outlined substantial opportunities in integrating the entire customer journey, spanning pre-purchase, transactional, and post-purchase phases – stating:
By orchestrating that journey and having visibility across all these areas, there’s a massive opportunity to deliver truly differentiated, connected experiences, even outside the contact center.
