In this episode, Ashish Shajapurkar, Senior Vice President for the Microsoft Business Unit at Persistent Systems, is joined by Tim Willemsen, Manager of IT Applications at Medline, and Nelson Rodriguez, Product Go-to-Market Leader for AI Business Processes at Microsoft, for a conversation on how GenAI is redefining customer relationships. Together, they explore how CRMs are evolving from systems of record to intelligent, adaptive systems of action that can understand context, intent and emotion in real time.
The discussion unpacks how rising customer expectations and data complexity are driving the next wave of CRM modernization. Nelson shares how enterprises are shifting from rigid workflows to natural, conversational experiences powered by AI. Tim offers real-world insights into how Medline transformed case management using AI-driven classification and summaries. enabling teams to respond faster, more consistently and with greater personalization.
The conversation also highlights why modernization has become critical for large enterprises. Legacy systems, siloed workflows and fragmented data slow down decision-making and create friction across sales, service and marketing. Tim explains how Medline built a connected CRM environment with unified data and AI-driven insights to deliver a single source of truth, while Nelson outlines why organizations must continuously adapt as customer behavior and expectations keep evolving.
A significant part of the episode focuses on adoption, culture and change management. Tim breaks down the three pillars of successful transformation: Leadership Alignment. Business Engagement. and Continuous Enablement. Nelson emphasizes that transformation succeeds only when people understand why it matters and feel ownership of the journey. Technology partners like Persistent play a key role by bringing proven patterns, guiding teams through complexity and ensuring modernization delivers real, measurable value.
Tune in to learn how intelligent, AI-powered CRMs are reshaping enterprise engagement, creating systems that are more contextual, more adaptive and more empathetic, and why the path forward lies in building connected, resilient and trust-rich customer ecosystems.
Join the conversation! Contact us at podcasts@persistent.com.
Speakers:
Ashish Shajapurkar, Senior Vice President, Microsoft Business Unit, Persistent Systems
Tim Willemsen, Manager IT Applications, Medline
Nelson Rodriguez, Product Go-to-Market Leader for AI Business Processes, Microsoft
