Barry Cooper is Group Head of Customer Experience at moneycorp, the international payments and foreign exchange specialist. With nearly two decades of customer service experience across multiple sectors, Barry brings valuable insights from his journey through the energy sector, insurance, and now financial services.
Having started as a customer service advisor at one of the big six energy companies, he progressed through various roles before moving into consultancy and eventually joining moneycorp in 2019. Initially hired on a 14-month fixed-term contract, Barry's people-first approach led to a permanent position where he now oversees customer experience strategy across the organisation.
Barry will be speaking at UCX Manchester, taking place on 2nd and 3rd April at Manchester Central.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What will you be speaking about at UCX Manchester and how does this align with this year's theme: Innovation with Integrity | Driving Value, Delivering Purpose?
At UCX Manchester, I'll be discussing how artificial intelligence is reshaping the customer experience landscape, particularly within financial services. We'll be exploring the balance between technological advancement and maintaining meaningful human connections with customers.
AI offers tremendous opportunities for innovation in customer service – from chatbots and self-service options to speech analytics and intelligent routing. However, integrity comes from implementing these technologies with your people and customers firmly in mind. It's not about deflecting customers away from human contact; it's about enhancing the overall experience when and where it makes sense.
For example, if a customer wants to use live chat or self-service, that should work seamlessly. But when it doesn't, how easily can they reach a team member? Innovation without integrity creates frustrating customer journeys – like being trapped in AI loops with no escape route. We need to drive value by deploying technology strategically while delivering on our ultimate purpose: serving customers effectively whether through digital or human channels.
Q: How will your session help attendees balance technological advancement with purposeful, responsible innovation?
There's understandable concern in the CX industry about AI and automation replacing jobs. My perspective is that these technologies won't replace people but will transform their roles. When your digital channels work perfectly, that's fantastic – but when something goes wrong, the customer who reaches your team is likely frustrated and dealing with a more complex issue.
This means your people will increasingly handle more emotionally charged, complex interactions. The technological advancements free up time from routine queries, but that time needs to be redeployed purposefully to manage these more challenging situations.
I'll be sharing practical approaches to implementing AI and automation that complement rather than replace the human element. For instance, using speech analytics and AI to provide agents with information in real-time so they don't have to put customers on hold. This improves both the customer and employee experience simultaneously.
It's about striking a balance: using technology to handle the straightforward while empowering your people to excel at the complex and emotional aspects that machines simply can't replicate.
Q: If you could offer three takeaways from your speaking session, what would they be?
1. Embrace technological change with confidence: Don't be afraid of AI and emerging technologies – they're evolving rapidly and are here to stay. The key is to be part of the journey, learn about these technologies, and understand how they can enhance your customer experience offering rather than viewing them as threats.
2. Keep your customers' needs central to technological decisions: Understand what your customers want, where they want it, and when they need it. Technology should be deployed to meet genuine customer needs rather than simply for cost reduction. In financial services especially, speed is important but safety, security, and reassurance are often the primary concerns.
3. Bring your people along on the digital transformation journey: Your teams must feel included and valued as you implement new technologies. Prepare them for how their roles will evolve, equip them with the skills to handle more complex interactions, and use technology to make their jobs more satisfying rather than more precarious.
Q: What are your hopes for UCX Manchester this year?
This will be my first time attending UCX Manchester, and I'm very excited about it. If you're curious about AI and other innovations but perhaps uncertain about their implications, UCX Manchester is the perfect place to explore these topics and connect with industry experts who can answer your questions.
I'm looking forward to engaging with peers and experts across the industry to gain insights into how different organisations are approaching AI implementation in customer experience.
These events are invaluable for sharing experiences, challenges, and solutions. I hope to come away with fresh perspectives and practical ideas that I can bring back to moneycorp to enhance our customer experience strategy further.
Barry Cooper will be speaking at UCX Manchester, taking place on 2nd and 3rd April at Manchester Central. For more information and to register – for free – please visit: https://ucx-manchester-2025.reg.buzz/
