Emma Auscher, Global Head of Customer Experience at Notion, is done with customer experience being treated as a transactional function. For too long, CX has been the department where complaints are handled, where large teams face high attrition, and where the work is often undervalued. To Emma, that perception is unfair. CX professionals are deeply passionate, customer-obsessed teams charged with caring for the lifeblood of each business: its customers.

That’s exactly why AI customer experience agents presented such an exciting opportunity. For the first time, with the rise of generative AI, CX is now a hub of innovation, an arena where companies can experiment and redefine how customers interact with their favorite products. An effective AI agent isn’t just another chatbot, it’s a way to elevate the entire customer journey, making each of Notion’s one million customer inquiries each year more seamless, intuitive, and effective.

With more customer data at their fingertips than ever before, Emma’s team saw a chance to reinvent how they support users at scale. But for an AI-first company like Notion, the challenge wasn’t just adopting AI, it was about choosing the right solution.

The search for the right AI agent

Initially, Notion carefully weighed whether to develop capabilities in-house or partner externally. They ultimately chose to evaluate external solutions so their teams could focus on building the core platform. 

What followed was a thorough RFP process, where they evaluated a range of agentic solutions based on the following key criteria::

• A truly native generative AI solution – Notion wanted a modern solution that was purpose built to help teams create an incredible customer journey, not a retrofitted decision-tree chatbot. 
• Quality of the tool & UI – The AI agent needed to feel intuitive for both Notion's internal teams and their customers.
• Depth of integrations – The tool had to integrate seamlessly with Notion's existing systems to ensure a fluid cross-platform experience.
• Product roadmap – Notion wanted a solution that was building for the future and could remain agile as AI models continue to evolve. A true collaboration – They needed more than a vendor; they wanted a collaborative team that would value their feedback and build alongside them.

After extensive vetting, Decagon emerged as the clear winner.

Implementation & transformation

The first major impact of implementing Decagon was a sharp drop in ticket resolution times. With intelligent routing ensuring customers reached the right expert faster, misrouted tickets and unnecessary escalations became a thing of the past. As a result, first-touch resolutions increased, and agent workload significantly decreased, allowing the team to handle more inquiries without additional strain.

At the same time, operational efficiency skyrocketed. By consolidating tools and automating repetitive inquiries, Notion dramatically cut response times and reduced dependency on redundant platforms. What once required multiple steps and manual intervention was now handled seamlessly and intelligently, freeing up resources for higher-value work.

Automation didn’t just improve efficiency, it elevated the role of CX agents. Instead of spending time on low-impact tasks, the team focused on upskilling and specialization, developing a bench of product experts who could provide deeper insights and more meaningful customer interactions. This shift led to higher customer satisfaction, stronger retention, and more impactful engagements.

Beyond support, Decagon helped Notion transform CX into a strategic advantage. With real-time product insights and a distilled view of the customer lifecycle, the CX team played a critical role in cutting down silos between support, product, and go-to-market teams. Support was no longer just about solving problems - it became a driver of growth, engagement, and long-term customer success.

Beyond a chatbot: The future of AI in CX

For Notion, Decagon is more than just a chatbot, it’s a strategic asset. The company is looking ahead to proactive agent support, tighter integrations, and deeper insights to enhance the entire digital experience.

CX is no longer just about handling tickets. It’s about empowering customers, driving engagement, and shaping the future of digital experiences. And with AI leading the charge, Notion is proving that CX isn’t just a department, it’s a competitive advantage.

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