Why Gladly won 'Disruptive Technology of the Year'—and what it means for CX

The news is out: Gladly has been named Disruptive Technology of the Year at the 2025 CCW Excellence Awards, organized by Customer Contact Week—the industry's leading conference series. We're honored to be recognized alongside finalists like Microsoft, Observe.AI, and Krisp—but more than that, we're excited about what this award represents for the future of customer experience.

Breaking the false choice

For too long, CX leaders have been forced into an impossible decision: fast service or personal service. Cut costs with impersonal automation, or invest in human support that scales poorly. This tradeoff has defined the industry for decades.

"We're disrupting the customer experience space because we refuse to accept the old tradeoff that forces businesses to choose between efficiency and great experiences," says Charlie Besecker, President of Gladly. "With Gladly, you get both—and we're honored the industry is recognizing that approach."

What is disruptive technology—and why Gladly fits the definition

What is disruptive technology? Disruptive technology is innovation that fundamentally changes how an industry operates, often displacing established methods and creating new market dynamics. Unlike incremental improvements, disruptive technology redefines what's possible and forces entire sectors to evolve.

The CCW Excellence Awards created the Disruptive Technology category to honor exactly these types of innovations that fundamentally reshape how businesses serve customers. What makes Gladly disruptive is our approach to AI in CX.

While traditional platforms layer AI onto fragmented ticketing systems, Gladly was designed from day one around customers, not cases. That people-first foundation enabled us to build Customer AI—intelligence that powers seamless, context-rich experiences across every channel. It's also what makes Sidekick, our AI agent, different. Sidekick doesn't just answer questions; it supports the full customer journey, from initial inquiry to purchase guidance to intelligent escalation.

The timing is everything

This recognition comes at a critical moment for the industry. Recent research shows sentiment toward AI has dropped 12% year-over-year as reality hasn't matched the hype, while service quality hits decade lows. With AI expectations finally shifting from hype to measurable outcomes, brands need a new way forward. They're looking for solutions that don't force them to choose between operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

That's exactly what Gladly delivers—radically efficient service that's also radically personal.

What this means for you

If you're a CX leader tired of managing tradeoffs, this award isn't just validation for us—it's proof that there's a better way. You can automate without losing the human touch. You can scale without sacrificing quality. You can drive down costs while building deeper customer relationships.

Implementing a disruptive innovation strategy means challenging industry assumptions and building solutions that eliminate false choices. The old rules of customer service are changing. The question is: will you be part of writing the new ones?

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