Harnessing AI for better customer experiences: An interview with Sudheer Someshwara

In this insightful interview, we talk with Sudheer Someshwara, the Director of Product at Yelp, who has been at the forefront of developing AI/ML products and recommendation software. With a rich career spanning from leading innovative projects at Amazon to founding Viraltag, a successful SaaS B2B marketing platform, Sudheer shares his journey, challenges, and the strategies that drive his customer-centric approach. Dive into the conversation to discover how he leverages AI to enhance trust and safety, improve user experiences, and develop data monetization strategies at Yelp while reflecting on the invaluable lessons learned from his entrepreneurial endeavors.

Sudheer, you’ve led several significant projects at Yelp, particularly in recommendation software and AI/ML products. Can you tell us some key challenges and successes you’ve encountered in this space?

At Yelp, leading the Trust & Safety, AI/ML, and Data Monetization groups, one of the primary challenges has been ensuring the integrity of reviews and combating spam and fraud. Ensuring integrity of reviews involved developing robust machine-learning models to detect and recommend the most helpful and reliable reviews based on hundreds of signals of quality, reliability and user activity on the platform. Launching ML models substantially improved our automated spam detection rates and was a significant success in this area. We also built a new team to implement offline customer safety features, such as business COVID safety precaution attributes and consumer alerts regarding health inspection warnings, to help users transact with local business with confidence during the pandemic. These initiatives improved user trust and demonstrated how AI and ML could be leveraged to address complex safety issues in a dynamic environment.

How do you prioritize customer needs while developing AI/ML solutions at Yelp?

Customer focus is at the core of everything we do. We prioritize customer needs by maintaining a strong feedback loop with our users. Any new ML model or feature we develop is rigorously A/B tested and iterated based on user feedback and impact of these models on key user outcomes. This approach helps ensure that the solutions we create genuinely add value to our customers, whether it’s through improved recommendation systems, enhanced search and ranking systems, or better data monetization solutions.

Your role at Yelp involves managing multiple teams and projects. How do you maintain alignment and ensure effective communication across a large organization?

Effective communication and alignment are critical, especially when leading diverse teams. We run annual planning sessions, quarterly OKRs, and monthly executive operating reviews to align efforts across the entire business and ensure everyone is working towards the same goals. These structured processes help set clear goals, track progress, and make necessary adjustments early on. Additionally, fostering a culture where open communication is encouraged at all levels helps prevent misalignments or issues.

Before Yelp, you founded Viraltag, a SaaS B2B marketing platform. What inspired you to start this venture, and how did you transition from a side project to a full-time business?

Viraltag started as a side project while I was at Amazon. I noticed the growing importance of visual content in social media marketing and saw an opportunity to help businesses manage and distribute their visual assets more effectively. The initial traction was overwhelming – we had about 20,000 users within the first few months. This validation encouraged me to transition from Amazon and focus on Viraltag full-time. We joined AngelPad, an accelerator that provided valuable mentorship and helped us refine our business strategy.

At Viraltag, what strategies did you implement to ensure the company remained customer-focused as it scaled?

Maintaining a customer-first approach was integral to our success at Viraltag. Every decision was made with the customer in mind, from hiring the right people who shared this philosophy to continuously gathering and acting on customer feedback. We also implemented a culture where everyone was involved in customer service regardless of their role. This ensured that we remained attuned to our customers’ needs and built a strong, customer-centric company culture.

How did your experience at Amazon help you when building Viraltag?

My experience at Amazon was invaluable. Working on innovative ad formats and leading teams taught me the importance of scalability and efficiency. At Amazon, I learned to navigate large-scale projects and collaborate across different functions, skills that were directly transferable when scaling Viraltag. Additionally, Amazon’s culture of customer obsession deeply influenced how I approached product development and customer service at Viraltag.

You mentioned taking a step back to gain a fresh perspective on the market while at AngelPad. Can you elaborate on how this approach helped shape Viraltag’s growth strategy?

At AngelPad, we learned to step back and comprehensively assess the market landscape periodically. This approach helped us identify that our initial focus on Pinterest needed to expand. We realized that our users were looking to save time and drive more traffic and sales through multiple social networks. This insight led us to broaden our platform to include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr, significantly increasing our market potential and user base.

What advice would you give entrepreneurs leveraging AI/ML in their startups?

Firstly, ensure that your AI/ML initiatives align with your business goals and customer needs. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of AI/ML, but without clear objectives, these projects can quickly become unfocused. Secondly, invest in a robust data infrastructure and prioritize data quality. High-quality data is the foundation of effective AI/ML models. Lastly, maintain a feedback loop with your users to continually refine and improve your models based on real-world performance.

Reflecting on your journey from engineering roles to leadership positions, what has been the most rewarding aspect?

The most rewarding aspect has been seeing the tangible impact of our work on customers’ lives and businesses. Whether it’s through enhancing trust and safety at Yelp or helping businesses grow through Viraltag, knowing that our solutions are making a difference is incredibly fulfilling. Additionally, witnessing the growth and success of team members I’ve mentored and worked with is gratifying.

What’s next for you in the field of AI and product management?

I’m excited to continue exploring how AI and machine learning can solve complex problems and create value across different domains. At Yelp, we’re constantly innovating and finding ways to enhance our platforms and services. I’m passionate about mentoring the next generation of product leaders and contributing to the broader tech community by sharing knowledge and experiences.

Featured image credit: Unsplash