Matt Kunkel is CEO of LogicGate, a leading AI-powered enterprise GRC platform.
Every year, we bring the risk community together for our premier annual user conference. This event allows us to call attention to new developments in the risk management space and highlight the need for flexibility and agility. But it also gives us an important opportunity to hear directly from our partners and customers about the challenges they face. More than that, it helps us better understand what is most important to them in a partner.
Those insights are increasingly critical, particularly at a time when AI adoption soars across nearly every industry. Customers don’t just need a vendor—they need a trusted partner that can help them make informed decisions about a constantly evolving technology. After speaking to other leaders at this year’s conference, I walked away with five core themes that highlight what it means to be a good partner as we navigate and lead the Agentic Era of GRC.
1. Focus On Execution
In today’s technology market, there is an awful lot of noise, especially where AI is concerned. Vendors are promising capabilities that may sound exciting, but don’t accurately represent what their solutions can actually do. When it comes to AI, the need for honesty and transparency goes far beyond how models are trained and maintained. Customers shouldn’t have to parse through paragraphs of marketing jargon to get an accurate understanding of how your solutions function. They expect you to be upfront.
That transparency can take you far. Don’t just tell customers your solution can do something—show them. It’s hard to overstate the impact live demonstrations can have, whether they take place in person, remotely or on stage at a conference. Customers are used to exaggerated claims about AI capabilities, so the ability to put your money where your mouth is represents a significant advantage. Customers should know that when you say your solution can do something, they can take it to the bank.
2. Avoid ‘Black Box’ Solutions
On a similar note, it’s critical to be upfront with customers about what they can expect and when. Today’s businesses have almost certainly been burned by broken promises, especially when it comes to AI capabilities. This isn’t just about delayed release dates or missing features. It’s also about the ability to understand how a specific solution functions. Customers are tired of “black box” tools. They want the ability to verify and validate their outputs.
Customers want to see what data their AI solutions are citing, where the information comes from and how the model is processing it. Think of it like writing a college paper: your professor wouldn’t accept a paper without proper MLA citations, and today’s customers won’t, either. If customers can’t verify the accuracy of the model or its outputs, they’re going to start looking for a different vendor. No business wants to put AI agents to work in their systems if they aren’t sure they can trust them.
3. Be Clear About Your Value Props
You don’t always need to have the most advanced solution, but you do need to be honest about it. If you have genuine AI agents, that’s great. If you only have chatbot functionality, that might be more than enough for a lot of customers. But if you promise AI agents and the customer realizes all you have is a chatbot, it’s a problem. If you’re clear about what your solution can deliver, it will always be better than obfuscating the truth.
Ultimately, it’s about delivering value to the customer. Delivering value to frontline employees might mean helping them work faster. Delivering value to developers might mean allowing them to code more effectively. Delivering value to a program champion might mean automatically generating data-backed reports highlighting positive outcomes. Some need AI agents. Some need chatbots. Some need something in between. But all will appreciate the ability to make an informed decision. Even if you’re not the right partner for them today, they may return in the future if they know they can trust you.
4. Prioritize Ongoing Support
Your relationship with a customer should never end when the transaction is complete. The technology landscape is becoming increasingly advanced and increasingly interconnected, and businesses don’t always have the in-house expertise needed to manage their solutions. That’s especially true with AI tools, which are constantly being updated with new features and patched against emerging threats. If you leave customers to fend for themselves, they’re not going to stick around—no matter how good your solution is.
Today’s customers expect a high level of support. That doesn’t just mean picking up the phone when things go wrong (although you should do that, too). It also means listening to feedback and incorporating it into future updates, ensuring customers can see that you’re listening to their needs. Helping customers get the most out of your solutions in both the short and long term is the best possible way to build loyalty.
