Calabrio’s latest research has unearthed a number of insights into the current state of the contact center agent experience.
With so much of the customer service and experience sector focused on KPIs and the latest efficiency-boosting tech solutions, the people working in the industry trenches are often overlooked.
In failing to consider agent satisfaction, contact centers risk increased turnover, absenteeism, and burnout.
In its Voice of the Agent study, Calabrio surveyed over 500 European contact center agents to unpack the trends and challenges affecting agents in their day-to-day work lives.
Arguably, the most surprising revelations in the report revolved around how agents viewed their roles, with 70 percent claiming that they would recommend their jobs to others.
In addition, 64 percent confirmed that they were proud to work in a contact center, while 66 percent advised that they were satisfied with their jobs.
These figures seem at odds to traditional views of contact center work.
Indeed, in a conversation with CX Today, Calabrio’s Vice President of Solution Engineering, Ed Creasey, discussed what he considers to be a perception shift in contact center careers.
“I was an agent in the 1990s, so this has probably been the most revealing research I’ve worked on,” Creasey said.
“I would say until relatively recently, being an agent was regarded as monotonous and stressful.”
For Creasey, the contact center he experienced as an agent was a “brutal” work environment of high call volumes and over 90 percent occupancy rates, leaving the agents with little breathing room.
The result? A high-stress, low-paid job with demanding customers, little training, and minimal recognition.
So, what’s changed?
The Contact Center Reimagined
Positioning Creasey’s contact center experiences from the 90s alongside the results of Calabrio’s 2024 research, highlights just how much has changed in the sector in the last 25-30 years.
Obviously, technological advancements have played a huge part in this. Centers these days are a long way removed from the phone-heavy environments of yesteryear.
Today, agents are far more tech savvy, with their roles necessitating the use of a wide range of tools and features to interact with customers across multiple channels.
More recently, AI – particularly generative AI (GenAI) – has come to the forefront of the customer service and experience tech space.
And while there can be a tendency to assume this will be some sort of magic bullet innovation, Calabrio’s study warns against overreliance on AI.
Indeed, of those surveyed, 56 percent did not find AI helpful in their daily tasks.
This is clearly at odds with the general vendor perspective on the role of AI within the contact center, a point that Creasey picked up on.
“At every contact center and CX conference I speak at, you have a room full of software vendors all telling us how AI is going to change the world,” Creasey said.
“There’s this big assumption that technology is going to solve our challenges. But as we’ve seen with chatbots, if it isn’t properly implemented, trained and monitored, revolutionary technology that is supposed to help customers – and agents – actually fails completely.”
The report claims that the drive to digitize the customer journey has led to agents having to juggle a multitude of systems and applications, which has often overwhelmed employees rather than assisted them.
So instead of focusing on support, agents lose time searching and switching between tools to find key information.
The study makes clear that the industry must rethink its usage of AI, focusing on tools that anticipate customer needs and guide agents to relevant information, rather than implementing new solutions “for the sake of it.”
The goal should be to balance human expertise with efficient automation for better outcomes.
Key Takeaways
As well as unpacking some of the more significant findings of the survey, Calabrio’s report also included the following key takeaways for any contact center looking to maximize the experience and potential of their agents:
Focus on Targeted, Proactive Training
Onboarding isn’t enough. Centers should focus on proactive training to address key skill gaps. Leaders are advised to start small with targeted initiatives to help agents succeed in a fast-changing environment.
Refine AI to Empower Agents
Use AI to anticipate customer needs and streamline workflows. Effective AI provides agents with timely information, empowering them to offer empathetic, personalized support.
Evolve Compensation to Reflect Agent Value
Align pay and benefits with agents’ growing responsibilities. Competitive salaries, flexible
leave, and supportive policies show that you value their contributions.
Optimize Forecasting and Scheduling
Involve agents in scheduling decisions to improve balance and prevent understaffing. Transparent holiday booking and flexible options create fairer, more supportive schedules.
Build Careers, Not Just Jobs
Show agents their growth matters by defining career paths and offering regular feedback. Early progression discussions and development opportunities boost engagement.
Foster Teamwork in a Hybrid World
Encourage social interactions to strengthen team culture in hybrid environments. A supportive, cohesive team is key to long-term agent motivation and success.
For more insights and analysis around the current contact center agent experience, download the full report today.
