What has been your business/work highlight of 2024 so far?

Who is your business hero and why?

Jennifer Featherling – Specialist Solutions Architect Manager – World Wide Acceleration

She has been my mentor in the contact center/customer care industry. From giving me an opportunity to learn and grow in this space, to showing me what best works in Customer Service – she has been a great mentor to me.
Be it Industry Experience and Expertise or Innovative Approach, she is known for her innovative approach to problem-solving and her ability to adopt and implement new technologies effectively. This forward-thinking mindset is critical in the constantly evolving field of Customer Service Technology.

Jen’s dedication to continuous learning and professional growth inspires those around her to keep up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in customer service, making her mentorship particularly impactful. Having Jen as a mentor provides not just insights and guidance on the technological aspects but also fosters a holistic approach to leadership, innovation, and customer engagement in the rapidly changing landscape of customer service.

What’s the biggest business mistake you’ve made and what did you learn from it?

In a previous customer care role, I made a significant mistake by not having a backup plan while working on a project. We were overly focused on minimizing costs and didn’t account for a Plan B. When our initial cost-effective solution (Plan A) failed, we were unprepared, ultimately impacting some customers using our IVR system. I learned that while cost savings are important, they should be carefully balanced with other considerations.

What’s the most inspirational book you’ve ever read and why?

The art of happiness by Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler

The book speaks very well about how to cultivate a more fulfilling life

What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role in 2024?

One of the biggest challenges I faced occurred in a project management role involving the coordination of a multinational team for a high-stakes project. The project’s success hinged on seamless collaboration among team members who were spread across various time zones, each with its own set of cultural expectations and work practices. Our objective was to deliver a complex software solution within a tight deadline.

The challenge was multifaceted: maintaining effective communication across time zones, aligning the project’s goals with diverse team expectations, and mitigating the risks of delays due to misunderstandings or misaligned work processes. Overcoming these obstacles required a tailored approach to project management that included flexible scheduling, clear and frequent communication, and the establishment of common ground and mutual respect among team members.

Through detailed planning, the use of collaborative tools, and the fostering of an inclusive team culture, I managed to steer the project to successful completion on time and within budget. This experience taught me the critical importance of adaptability, cross-cultural communication, and proactive problem-solving in a global project management context.

What technology will have the greatest impact on your business this year and why?

AI will have the greatest impact this year

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize the call center industry in several significant ways soon. Here are some key changes anticipated:

1. Enhanced Customer Service: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants will handle routine inquiries and issues with increasing sophistication. This not only speeds up response times but also allows human agents to focus on more complex and sensitive problems, enhancing overall customer service quality.

2. Personalized Interactions: By leveraging vast amounts of data, AI can personalize customer interactions. It can predict customer needs, offer tailored advice, and even anticipate problems before they arise, providing a more intuitive customer service experience.

3. Improved Efficiency: AI will automate many repetitive tasks in call centers, such as data entry and call routing. This streamlines operations, reduces human error, and increases efficiency, allowing call centers to handle higher volumes of calls with the same or fewer resources.

4. Advanced Analytics: AI tools will offer deeper insights into customer behavior and preferences through advanced analytics. This will enable call centers to refine their strategies, improve customer engagement, and design more effective customer service solutions.

5. Proactive Customer Service: Instead of the traditional reactive model, AI enables a shift towards proactive customer service. AI can predict issues before they escalate and initiate contact with customers to offer help or advice, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

6. Enhanced Employee Experience: AI can also improve the working experience for call center agents by reducing their workload of routine tasks and providing them with real-time information and support. This can increase job satisfaction and reduce turnover rates.

7. Voice Recognition and Natural Language Processing: Improvements in these technologies will make interactions with automated systems more seamless and natural, reducing customer frustration and the need for calls to be escalated to human operators.

The integration of AI into the call center industry promises not only to improve operational efficiencies but also to transform the customer experience. However, it is essential for businesses to balance the use of AI with the irreplaceable human touch that is often needed for complex problem-solving and emotional support.