Contact centers are at the crossroads of demand and technology. A recent McKinsey survey indicated that call volumes were expected to rise in the past year as more consumers prefer to interact with a human at any stage of a transaction. On the flipside, continuing innovations in Artificial Intelligence technology can provide cost effective interaction solutions for businesses that rely on inbound channels for sales, service and support. With questionable economics and highly competitive marketplaces, businesses must figure out a way to balance the needs of the customer with practical ways of delivering service and heading into 2025, live agents and cutting edge technologies will play pivotal roles in the contact center industry as leadership seeks to improve individual customer experiences while operating at a higher level of productivity and efficiency.

Agents Welcome Dynamic and Flexible Scheduling

Contact centers have some of the highest turnover rates in the industry with some estimates pegged in between 40% to 60%. Continued innovations in call center technology has enabled many operations the ability to move to remote work models which offers cost savings but delivers distinct benefits to the individual as well. For 2025, customer service representatives are seeking schedules that are flexible and work comfortably with the agent’s life outside work. Flexible and dynamic schedules drive productivity as agents are scheduled when they want to work, positively impacting motivation. Contact center supervisors can use time zone differences to their advantage when utilizing remote work and dynamic scheduling, increasing coverage and filling hours with motivated representatives.

IVR’s Make Way for Real Engagement

In 2025, Artificial Intelligence will continue to make inroads in the contact center industry with assistive technologies that will disrupt the traditional way of handling inbound calls. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems were once cutting edge in contact center operations but highly capable AI based systems are set to replace most IVRs in the coming year. Compared to IVRs, using AI systems as ‘gatekeepers’ can offer inbound callers a more interactive and engaging way to start the call. Plain language inputs either by voice or through typing will enable customers to easily find their way around the system as well as quickly handle level 1 type requisitions such as change of address or pricing inquiries. AI systems can also gather data that will assist the live agent in expediting and resolving the call. In the coming year, the industry will see more assistive opportunities for AI technology to drive productivity and elevate customer experiences.

AI Functionality Extends to Call Quality

One of the tasks of contact center leadership is to manage call quality, otherwise known as Quality Assurance (QA). Critical for a successful operation, QA is a time consuming task that requires consistent attention and feedback to the agents. Innovations in AI have created opportunities for technology to automate Quality Assurance tasks, reducing the burden on already overworked contact center supervisors and managers. Machine learning technology can listen and analyze calls, taking into account pace, tonality and vocabulary use. Call outcomes are also noted and applied to overall performance of the call. Based on pre-set metrics, the technology can create evaluation reports and training strategies to improve aspects of the call if needed. Using AI for call quality can provide the evaluations at the needed frequency to increase performance and accuracy of the individual representative.

The Bottom Line

Contact centers still play a major role in revenue generation as well as support and after sale interactions. Increasing prices across the board are only fueling customer expectations for top level experiences and brands that deliver those exceptional interactions will be able to maintain customer loyalty as well as enjoy extended reputational marketing benefits. But how do businesses achieve more with less resources? Heading into the new year, live agents as well as cutting edge AI technology will play dual roles in delivering those experiences and maintaining high performing KPIs. Effective call center management would start with the individual representative and ensuring they have the skills sets and work environment they need to get the job done well. With increasing attrition and shrinking entry level labor pools, focusing energies on improving ‘agent life’ will yield long term benefits to the business. Using AI based technologies as ‘gatekeepers’ can provide that important balance of efficiency as machine learning helps human agents with critical data needed for calls while reducing the number of simpler calls that could be handled by automated IVR systems. For any brand, the customer facing part of the business is essential at maintaining high levels of service as well as driving reputational marketing.