Contact Center Show

Most customer experience goals miss the mark, focusing on vanity metrics that don't genuinely help customers. Executives often pursue a single 'magic number,' ignoring service complexity. There’s a disconnect between leadership and frontline teams, with automation optimizing metrics but frustrating customers. AI can be a game changer for analyzing issues, yet poor goal-setting can distort success and punish effective automation. The hosts suggest shifting to customer-impactful outcomes to align goals with actual needs.

Amas and Bob dissect their 2025 predictions with a focus on AI's impact on contact center knowledge, grading it a C+ due to fragmented data. They highlight the reversal of remote work trends, attributing it to management struggles rather than ideology. The duo predicts a rebound of voice channels in 2026 while emphasizing the need to fix data bottlenecks. They challenge the idea of replacing agents with automation, advocating for recognition of human roles and the importance of easing employee friction with AI.

Amas Tenumah, a seasoned contact center practitioner and author of HOLD, dives deep into the failures of customer service. He argues that poor experiences are deliberately designed, not accidental, fueled by toxic corporate incentives. Amas unveils how marketing has supplanted service as the trust mechanism, and discusses the damaging impact of metrics that prioritize avoidance over effective communication. He advocates for a consumer-led revolt to demand better service, emphasizing that real change comes from holding companies accountable.

Summary The conversation explores the integration of AI in sales, focusing on how it enhances customer engagement and improves sales efficiency. Bob Furniss discusses the importance of using data to empower salespeople rather than reducing their numbers, emphasizing a customer-centric approach to AI in sales. Takeaways AI can enhance customer engagement in sales. The focus should be on empowering salespeople with data. AI is not just about reducing costs but improving efficiency. Sales strategies should prioritize customer needs. Data-driven insights can lead to better sales outcomes. AI can make sales calls faster and smarter. The role of AI is to support, not replace, sales personnel. Understanding customer needs is crucial in sales. AI tools should be designed to assist sales processes. The future of sales lies in the integration of technology and human touch.

Summary In this conversation, Amas Tenumah, Bob Furniss and Brad Cleveland discusses the three levels of value that contact centers create: efficiency, customer satisfaction and loyalty, and strategic insights provided by AI. He emphasizes the importance of these levels in improving products, services, and processes. Takeaways there's three levels of value that contact centers create Level one is efficiency customer satisfaction, loyalty, if we do a good job it's the strategic insight that AI can provide it can still tell us, hey, here's a trend I'm seeing Here's an opportunity to improve products and services AI doesn't have to be perfect to provide value Strategic insights can drive business improvements Understanding trends is crucial for growth Contact centers play a vital role in customer experience Titles Unlocking Value in Contact Centers The Role of AI in Customer Service Sound bites "Level one is efficiency" "customer satisfaction, loyalty, if we do a good job" "it's the strategic insight that AI can provide" Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Contact Center Show 00:27 AI and Its Impact on Customer Interactions 00:31 Future Jobs in the Contact Center Industry

Low-Cost, High-Impact CX Improvements The Power of Language: Transform "I can't" into "How can we" Shift from "I have to" to "We get to" Being "impeccable with your word" (inspired by The Four Agreements) Words trigger emotional responses that shape customer perception Getting CX Buy-In Across Organizations The Alignment Problem: CX initiatives fail when metrics aren't shared across departments Success came when executives adopted the same CX metrics as the CX team Without shared goals, customer insights get shelved with "we'll get to it later" The Pilot Program Strategy: Start small before asking for big budgets Show proof of concept with intentional, measurable pilots Use success to rally and align different areas of the company Real Example - CX Day Success: Introduced first-ever CX Day celebration at 145-year-old engineering company Started small despite skepticism Now an annual tradition that continues after her departure Rethinking CX Metrics Beyond Traditional Measurements: NPS and effort scores are starting points, not endpoints "Satisfaction" is no longer good enough (it's the equivalent of "fine") New focus: Emotional altitude across every touchpoint The Emotional Impact: Brains constantly cycle between thinking and feeling Emotions create lasting imprints that shape brand perception Research shows: 12 positive experiences needed to overcome 1 negative Measure emotional highs to identify gaps and successes The Four Rs of CX Impact: Revenue Retention Reputation Referrals The Future of Contact Centers Human + AI Integration: Smart companies intentionally map where humans add value vs. where AI should handle interactions The answer is "both/and" not "either/or" Critical: Validate designs with real customers, not just internal teams The Contact Center Superpower: Contact center teams speak to more customers in a week than other departments do in a year This proximity to customers gives agents unique power to be organizational change agents Voice of customer insights should inform product development, marketing messaging, and more Words Matter in the AI Era: Example: Website offering "24/7 support, our guides are happy to help you" "Guides" for both humans and AI feels impersonal Naming and framing still matters The Power of Customer Voice The 10-Minute Video Story: A contact center leader captured customer feedback about a failed new product. At an executive meeting, he played a 10-minute compilation of customer complaints. The CEO's initial advisor said it was a career-ending mistake The CEO walked out during the video Result: CEO returned and said it was "the best 10 minutes anybody's ever played" and named him employee #1 Customer voice changed the company's trajectory The Validation Imperative: Internal perspective isn't enough Customer validation must be iterative, not one-time Can't use internal team as proxy for outside voice Both internal knowledge AND customer validation matter The Fundamental C-Suite Challenge When C-suite leaders aren't aligned in their meetings, misalignment trickles down through the entire organization. This is the root problem preventing effective CX implementation. Notable Stories The Morgan & Morgan Tattoo Story: Leadership promised to get company logo tattoos if the team hit an unprecedented conversion rate goal. When they achieved it, 40 leaders got matching tattoos - four tattoo artists came in for the day. The question became: "Is your brand tattoo-worthy?" Stacey's Podcast Origin: Bought her first microphone for under $50, then waited six months before taking it out of the box due to fear. That mic ignited her journey to intentionally sharing her voice through podcasting. Living Podcasting: At the conference, Stacey pulled out her mic to record a 10-minute session where Amas (who has Parkinson's) gave direct advice to her relative with a similar condition - creating immediate, personal value rather than secondhand communication. Takeaways for Contact Center Leaders Language shapes reality - Small word changes create emotional shifts in customer experience Demand metric alignment - CX can't succeed unless executives share the same measurements Start with pilots - Prove value small-scale before requesting major investment Leverage your proximity to customers - Use it to become the organizational glue and change agent Validate everything with real customers - Internal assumptions aren't enough Map the human-AI journey intentionally - Design where each adds value, then test with customers Bring customer voice to leadership - Sometimes the most powerful thing is making them listen directly Average isn't acceptable - Move beyond satisfaction to creating emotional highs

div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0 standard-markdown"> Episode Summary Broadcasting live from the ICMI conference in Orlando, Amas and Bob discuss the evolving role of AI in contact centers, the ongoing struggle for strategic recognition, and welcome special guest Bianca, who shares her unique perspective on running HR as a contact center at Michigan State University.

Daniel Thomas, a researcher at Informa, discusses the evolving role of contact centers at the ICMI Conference. He reveals that contact centers are transforming into strategic customer intelligence hubs, significantly influencing C-suite decisions. Surprising survey findings show that 72% believe AI will enhance agent roles rather than replace them, with agents focusing on complex issues and soft skills. Daniel also highlights the shift to omnichannel support and the importance of workforce flexibility in hiring and retention.

Summary In this conversation, Amas, Luke and Bob explore the evolving complexity of contact centers, challenging the notion that they are becoming simpler. They emphasizes that while the intention may be to simplify processes, the reality is that sophistication often leads to increased complexity. They also highlights the reliance on outdated metrics, such as those managed in Excel, which can contribute to agent burnout and friction with customers. They advocate for a shift towards more effective lead metrics to enhance the overall efficiency and satisfaction in contact centers. Takeaways Contact centers are perceived as becoming simpler, but they are actually becoming more complex. Sophistication in processes can lead to increased complexity. There is a challenge in addressing the complexity of contact centers. Many organizations are still reliant on outdated tools like Excel. Using lead metrics can help prevent agent burnout. Improving metrics can reduce friction with customers. The conversation highlights the need for modernization in contact center operations. Understanding complexity is crucial for effective management. Agent burnout is a significant issue in the industry. A shift in metrics is necessary for better outcomes. Sound Bites "Sophistication also brings complexity." "We are still for the most part stuck in Excel." "Lead metrics could stop agent burnout." Live from Orlando at ICMI Expo

Summary In this conversation, Amas Tenumah and Bob Furniss discuss the evolution of contact centers, the impact of CRM systems like Salesforce, and the role of AI in enhancing agent performance. They reflect on the historical context of CRM, the challenges faced by agents, and the future of customer service technology, particularly focusing on the Agent Force initiative. The discussion also touches on the sentiment within the Salesforce community and the potential for new competitors in the market. Takeaways Salesforce has become a dominant player in the CRM space. The evolution of contact centers has been significant over the years. AI can enhance agent performance rather than replace them. Understanding customer needs is crucial for effective service. The Agent Force initiative aims to improve agent capabilities. There is a negative sentiment towards Salesforce in the contact center community. The cost of building technology is decreasing, making competition more feasible. AI's role in customer service is still evolving and needs to focus on agents. Salesforce must communicate its value to agents to maintain loyalty. The future of customer service technology is uncertain but full of potential. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Context Setting 01:29 The Evolution of CRM and Contact Centers 06:05 Current Trends in Salesforce and AI 11:13 Agent Force and the Future of Customer Service 15:54 Prognosis for Salesforce and the Industry