118. Are Micro Verticals the Key to AI Profitability?
Episode description
In the AI era, enterprise technology companies face a hard truth: generic platforms no longer win. Profitable growth now depends on delivering specific business outcomes, and that requires going deeper than ever before.
In this episode of TECHtonic, TSIA Executive Director Thomas Lah speaks with Mari Cross, Chief Customer Officer at Infor, to explore how micro-vertical strategies, AI-driven services, and outcome-based solutions are reshaping enterprise software.
Mari breaks down what micro verticals really are, and why speaking the customer’s exact language is now table stakes. She shares how Infor invested billions to rebuild its platforms around industry-specific processes, how AI enables faster value realization through packaged use cases, and why “secret sauce” often turns out to be best practice in disguise.
The conversation goes deep on:
- Why AI is forcing a shift from platforms to outcome-based solutions
- How micro vertical expertise transforms sales, implementation, and customer success
- The rise of AI-powered service models, and why services are becoming more strategic, not less
- How Infor uses AI to drive adoption, customer health, and proactive engagement
- What enterprise leaders must do to govern AI, scale ROI, and prepare their teams for what’s next
If you’re navigating AI disruption, rethinking your services model, or wondering how to actually deliver value, not just promise it, this episode is a must-listen.