Host: Bob Furniss (without co-host Amos) Guest: Daniel Thomas, Informa Location: ICMI Conference Expo Floor

Guest Background

About the State of the Contact Center Report

Key Surprising Findings 1. Contact Centers as Strategic Intelligence Hubs

Major shift: Contact centers increasingly viewed as "strategic customer intelligence hubs" rather than cost centers
Described as "customer intelligence and nervous system"
No other department has closer customer proximity or more customer data
C-suite now acknowledges value with direct data funnels informing executive decisions

2. AI Perceptions and Impact

72% believe AI will transform roles, not replace them
Only ~25% think AI will lead to workforce reductions
AI expected to handle "level one, rote, monotonous, repetitive work"
Agents will focus on:
- Complex needs and edge cases
- Soft skills: empathy, communication, problem solving, critical thinking
90% of surveyed leaders believe humans necessary as AI overseers
Gartner prediction: 40% of agentic AI projects will fail by 2027 (often due to neglecting human oversight)

Agent Evolution

Agents increasingly viewed as:
- Consultants
- Solutions architects
- Higher-tier problem solvers
- "White glove service" providers
Rising expectations due to AI support
Agents becoming intelligence providers to C-suite
More analytical roles: identifying trends, patterns, creating intelligent summaries

Top AI Implementation Concerns

Workforce and Quality Management Insights Workforce Models (Nearly Equal Three-Way Split)

Quality Focus Shift

Traditional metrics: CSAT, utilization, average handle time
New priority: Agent experience rising in importance
Recognition that internal customer experience drives external customer experience

Customer Satisfaction Challenges

Current CSAT surveys often lack nuance
Can't distinguish between:
- Poor agent performance vs. poor company policy
- Single bad experience vs. overall satisfaction
Need for more qualitative feedback mechanisms
"Watermelon effect": High metrics but poor actual experience

Channel Evolution

Key Takeaways

Successful organizations treat contact centers as "valuable strategic sources of intelligence"
Organizations not recognizing this value are "dropping the ball" and will "see the consequences"
Contact centers serve as the "hub" and "nervous system" reaching everywhere in the organization
When no one knows the answer, they turn to the contact center

Notable Quotes

"If your agents aren't excited about AI, then you actually haven't communicated to them how enriching and transforming it could be"
"Agents are increasingly going to play a role where they are the eyes and the ears... providing the intelligence back to the C-suite"
Contact centers as "the strongest data... the hub... the nervous system that reaches in everywhere else"

Terror, krig, sult - og et isoleret Israel