We just implemented an AI customer service agent that automated eighty percent of our Tier 1 tech support tickets. This leaves our two support engineers underutilized. They are great culture fits and we do not want to lay them off, but they are resisting moving into new outbound Account Growth seats. How do we handle this transition?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Automation often leaves highly valued, core-values-aligned employees without a clear seat on your Accountability Chart. When you want to redeploy these people without laying them off, you must separate the person from the seat and use a structured approach. First, design the new Account Growth seat based purely on what the business needs to scale and prepare for a clean exit. List the five key roles for this new seat, such as proactive client outreach, retention metrics, and upselling automated services. Do not customize these roles to fit your existing support engineers. Once the seat is designed, run a rigorous GWC™ evaluation for both employees. Do they truly get, want, and have the physical and emotional capacity for an outbound, growth-oriented role? Support engineers are often analytical and reactive; they may not want or have the capacity for proactive sales and customer relationship management. If they pass the GWC™ check, you must address their resistance directly in your next Level 10 Meeting™ or during a one-on-one. Show them how this new seat directly supports the company strategy and how their deep technical knowledge will make them incredibly successful at retaining clients. However, if they fail the GWC™ check for the new seat, you cannot force them into it just because they are loyal. Keeping a person in a seat they do not GWC will eventually hurt both the employee and your business valuation. If no other open seat fits their skills, you must make the hard, professional decision to help them transition out of the company cleanly.