When you think about your contact center, you probably think about your most expensive channel. It’s a necessary cost of doing business, a place to handle problems. That’s how it has always been. But AI is about to turn that entire model on its head.
Along with other innovative technologies like chatbots and semantic search for FAQs, having a human-like voice conversation with a bot is no longer a far-off dream. It’s here. This means you need to stop thinking of voice as just a costly channel. Thanks to AI, traditional voice solutions will be replaced with a new ‘digital workforce’. In this blog, we'll explain what this means for you and your experts.
In the past, your IT team’s job was to get phone calls to a human agent. After that, their work was done. Now, you have a new type of employee to manage: the digital agent.
So, what does that actually look like in your day-to-day reality?
Your digital agents need to be trained on your products and processes. They need access to the right knowledge, at the right time. And just like any employee, their performance has to be monitored and improved.
You are essentially building and managing a robotic workforce that works right alongside your human team, each with their own capabilities and responsibilities. This introduces a whole new layer of operational complexity. It's definitely a big change, and one you need to prepare for.
The biggest mistake you can make is to think AI will magically fix your existing problems. If you've never tested your processes, you don't have a process. You have a document. And while it might work in theory, you can't be sure until it's put to the test.
That's why it's always good to think of the old rule: garbage in means garbage out. An AI agent running on top of a messy, inefficient process will only create bad outcomes faster.
So, before you even think about the technology, you have to get your own house in order. Start by taking a look at your current data and workflows to see if you are ready to proceed.
Remember: you have to build a solid foundation before you can build the house!
This is the question we get in every single meeting. And it’s the most important one.
The good news is that your human agents will become more critical than ever. As the digital workforce starts handling simple, repetitive tasks, your people are free to evolve into more valuable roles.
Your team will handle the complex, emotional, and high-value conversations where human empathy and creative thinking are irreplaceable. They can also become the coaches for your digital agents, monitoring their performance, flagging issues, and stepping in when a human touch is needed.
In other words: your team isn’t being replaced. They are being elevated to overseers and quality controllers.
The arrival of a true AI workforce is one of the biggest opportunities your service department will ever have. It can transform your biggest cost center into a strategic asset. But it has to be done correctly. It requires solid preparation and a clear-eyed plan that puts your processes and your people first, so you experts can become even more important.
If you’re wondering where to start, let's have a chat.
P.S. Preparing your processes for this change is a huge topic on its own. That's why we’ve written a guide on the 5 key questions every service leader should ask before starting any optimization project. Check it out here!
