Former Kraken exec Todd Humphrey launches firm to improve customer experiences in sports and beyond

Much less than 5 mins after consulting with Todd Humphrey at a Seattle coffee bar, the long time technology officer is currently measuring the client. He swiftly examines just how coffee enthusiasts engage with each various other and their innovation tools, and marvels why they have actually concerned this specific area.

Humphrey has actually invested years concentrated on utilizing innovation to boost the client experience — from his very early days at Kobo working with e-reader solutions, co-founding medical care start-up Organization, a chief executive officer job at job administration business LiquidPlanner, and a lot more just recently as a director with the Seattle Sea serpent, where he was elderly vice head of state of development and follower experience.

Humphrey left the NHL franchise business previously this year to start a brand-new experience: Highmark Sports Group, his very own working as a consultant focused on assisting sporting activities groups, organizations, and business enhance their procedures.

The Canadian indigenous and previous expert hockey gamer isn’t wandering off much from Seattle’s hockey scene. He’s an elderly consultant for the Seattle Gush, the brand-new females’s professional hockey group that plays its first-ever home game tonight at Environment Promise Sector. He’s likewise collaborating with the Hockey Hall of Popularity in Toronto.

We just recently overtook Humphrey to get more information regarding his method to assisting companies enhance their client experiences and just how to stabilize brand-new innovations like expert system with vital human touches. The meeting was modified for clearness and brevity.

GeekWire: Todd, many thanks for consulting with us. Exactly how are you considering innovation and the client experience in 2025?

Todd Humphrey: “I’m old adequate to keep in mind what the experience made use of to be like. You would certainly check out a video game that was taking place that evening in the paper. You would certainly turn up, you would certainly stroll in, it would certainly scent like stagnant beer and snacks, and there would certainly be peanuts on the flooring. They would certainly play the nationwide anthem and the video game would certainly begin.

The in-venue follower experience has actually completely been spruced up. Modern technology plays a significant component of that. I think of the door-to-door experience, and all the various touch factors. From the minute a person gets up, they’re mosting likely to inspect the application to see that’s having fun. You can inform them the most effective means to reach the video game and where to park.

Once they go through the doors, you’re considering lines. The standard NHL follower invests greater than one hour standing in lines throughout the three-hour experience. We attempted to reduce that by over half, and I believe we arrived.

You intend to obtain individuals to, from, and with the place in a truly effective fashion. Modern technology aids with a few of that– electronic ticketing, way-finding, mobile buying, mobile settlements.

We actually made use of that Amazon method of the client experience and functioning backwards– at the end of the day, what are all the rubbing factors, and just how do we minimize those?

There’s a significant possibility for various other groups and companies to actually reassess their experience. And it’s not simply sporting activities groups. It’s when you most likely to a performance, when you most likely to the Hockey Hall of Popularity– what does that seem like? Exactly how do we transform it right into an even more of an alternative, general experience past the moment you invest in the structure?”

GeekWire: Exactly how do you string the needle of integrating innovation and automation– yet likewise concentrating on the human components of an experience?

Humphrey: “Modern technology is a vessel that you need to utilize since it’s anticipated and it’s actually practical. Everyone’s obtained a computer system in their pocket, being in their hand, and if you can utilize it in properly, it’s a terrific take advantage of factor.

At the very same time, I do not intend to see groups and organizations and business obtain as well hung up on the technology, since I believe little points like the human communications issue.

When you stroll right into a field for a performance or a video game, you’re going have a touch factor with ticketing and protection prior to you get in. If those communications are amazing, your occasion is off to a truly great begin.

I believe that educating individuals that function there to welcome individuals and involve with individuals and look them in the eye and be familiar with that they are — it’s a significant benefit.

When I most likely to QFC, I do not intend to inspect myself out. Occasionally it does not function too. And I would certainly miss out on that communication with the cashiers. They have actually seen my youngsters mature throughout the years. They understand that I am and what I do. There’s a great deal to be stated for that.

As long as innovation is amazing and ChatGPT informs all of us the solutions, individuals still like human communication. When individuals most likely to occasions, they actually intend to be seen, they intend to be listened to. And when I see an usher at Environment Promise Sector high-fiving a Sea serpent follower throughout an event, it simply heats my heart, since that’s what it’s everything about.

AI is mosting likely to give even more effectiveness for us and make points much easier to do. However beyond of that, since there’s a lot curved towards innovation, I believe real-time occasions, shows, video games, movie theater– all the areas where individuals can collect are mosting likely to be more vital. Individuals simply have a natural wish to be with each other and applaud with each other.”

GeekWire: What recommendations do you have for start-up leaders that might not be leading a sporting activities franchise business, yet still engage with consumers and intend to enhance their experiences?

Humphrey: A lot more business require to take their client experience and job in reverse. You likewise require to have sentence in what you’re developing and why you’re developing it. And it’s speaking with even more consumers. Some business construct in silos. The even more you can talk with individuals to listen to directionally where you could intend to go, the much better.

However at the end of the day, you as a firm, as a management team, need to choose your lane. I would certainly obtain sentence around that.

It’s likewise recognizing what the entire trip is mosting likely to be for that follower or client, whether it’s a SaaS client or a cloud client or an AI-driven client. What is that client mosting likely to really feel completely with the experience? And can you develop an organization that supplies an unbelievable, top-tier experience– and likewise drives earnings? It’s a difficult point to do.”