In early February I attended the IP Integration “Spotlight” event at the Midland Hotel in Manchester where we were provided access to some great insights from the team and from Steve Morrell of ContactBabel, what follows are my thoughts and reflections arising:
Something around customer adoption of automated solutions has been playing on my mind, it often happens when I suggest someone talk to an automated bot solution so they can experience first-hand how far the technology has come, where it is going and what the real possibilities are.
Being in the CX world and having several partners on our network that have such solutions, I have a number saved to my phone, just for this type of conversation. If I pull the phone from my pocket, find the number, dial it and hand it someone to have a conversation then I often feel that the “conversation” isn’t as free flowing as it should be. Why? Well that is a great question.
I suppose it could be that for the past 15 years when contact centres have effectively forced customers to speak to automated voice response systems, we have typically limited customer so saying one word “listen to the following list of options and then say the option you would like” or “in a few words please say why you are calling today” so for years we’ve been saying ‘please speak to this automated system in a short staccato format’. Now, in a matter of a couple of years, some businesses are offering customers the opportunity to speak freely to their bots or automations, whilst others are still on the limited few words space. No wonder consumers get confused – and the acceptance and adoption of voice automation could well be held back as a result.
Voice is here to stay?
The truth is that voice interactions are still our favoured route of contact as customers, when it comes to getting things done and obtaining reassurance that we’ve been heard. Whilst the death of voice in contact centres has been forecast for the past 20 years, the reality remains that voice is here to stay, millennia of evolution cannot be undone so quickly. Data shared at our webinar on the State of the Customer Experience Market with David Rickard of Everest Group in November (article link) validated this, as their research highlighted that 72% of revenues amongst the outsource community were still coming from voice-based activity in 2023 when both agent supported voice and conversational AI driven interactions were considered.
The data shared in the room in Manchester by Steve Morrell of ContactBabel corroborated this view, with 64% of interactions being cited as voice in his forthcoming 2025 report. Also that we are so keen to ensure that we speak to someone that we will now wait in the longer queues that have been identified post pandemic and that we have accepted these as the norm.
So, as a human race we have a deep attachment to use of voice, however I’m still receiving articles daily which suggest otherwise – and ours is an industry which is based on employing people to talk to customers. We need to acknowledge that ‘the bots’ or automation is coming for our lunch, which according to an article in the New York Times on February 1st it may however already be in a place to arrange someone to bring our lunch and where may that end?
An article by Kevin Roose details several tasks which he managed to complete using OpenAI’s Operator, a new AI agent in the week prior. Most of the tasks it did autonomously with minimal intervention. It met its brief of being an AI agent that uses the computer to accomplish valuable real-world tasks, without the need for supervision, to complete tasks in the background with a handoff back to the user to enter passwords or payment card details. However, in Kevin’s article he talks of how it ordered lunch to be delivered to a colleague’s house and responded to LinkedIn messages well, up to the point where it started signing him up to attend webinars, amongst other tasks. There were, however, several tasks where the automation struggled or needed an amount of reassurance or confirmations. Because of which he felt that it would have been faster to do the tasks himself, but acknowledged that the AI agent is at an early stage of development.
What we do know is that the evolution of technology is only gaining pace. Peter Diamandis, founder of the XPRIZE (https://www.xprize.org/) , is cited as having said in 2020 that “the next 10 years will bring more progress than the last 100 years” Given the pace of change in the past 5 years, it is reasonable to assume that Moore’s Law will hold true in this instance – and that we need to be ready for this.
As humans we like voice, we choose voice. But if personal assistants in the form of OpenAI’s Operator or DeepSeek were to be adopted by the general public (your customers) to complete their home admin tasks, then these systems won’t have the same emotional connection to voice conversations and will be happy to interact directly with a company bot. However, how quickly will we reach that point?
Public adoption is key then?
We can implement the best solutions in the world, but if nobody uses them, what use are they?
Whatever is coming next, we have a dependency on customers to embrace and use those solutions, whether that is voice automation in the contact centre or the potential for the eventual use of “their own” automation by customers to engage with brands to resolve issues.
We’ve seen before conversations around ‘brand by-pass’. Now, using an Alexa or alternative voice-activated AI assistant to complete simple tasks is clearly the gateway to us getting to a point of asking technology to, say, engage with our utility provider to amend our direct debit or to find a cheaper insurance renewal. At this point we as individuals will have less input to what brands we choose to purchase, so then the brands that will succeed are those that are easiest for our automations to interact with.
But before we get to this utopian vision of admin free lives with our AI assistants ensuring the effective running of our homes and lives, we need to pass a point of public adoption of AI.
A 2023 report from Ipsos shows that 66% of people they surveyed globally expect that products and services using artificial intelligence will profoundly change their daily life in the next 3-5 years. Whilst this is the average, the range of responses on a country and demographic level vary considerably, with the proportion expressing this belief in South Korea as high as 82%, whilst France sees the lowest number agreeing with this sentiment at 51% (we in the UK see 58% agreeing with this statement).
Products and services using artificial intelligence will profoundly change my daily life in the next 3-5 years – 66%
So, whilst there is broad agreement that services using artificial intelligence will change our lives, what people are willing to adopt and how is a key consideration, acknowledging that some will be unable to adopt due to a variety of reasons.
The conversation at the Spotlight event therefore quite naturally centred on work that could be done to implement changes or applications of AI to better support the contact centre agents in delivering service efficiently without too much impact to the customer, generating a series of marginal gains which support the agent in resolving customer queries, potentially reducing call durations and in turn queues and repeat contacts – a series of win/win scenarios which:
- Improve service
- Reduce pressure on the contact centre team
- Reduce repeat contacts
- Reduce the time customers spend trying to get through
- Reduce costs
- Improve staff wellbeing
Changes which fulfil the appetite of businesses to implement changes and leverage AI, but consider how willing customers are to adopt these changes.
Is some re-programming required?
If we want the possible AI solutions to be successful, we will have to consider how we guide customers to use these solutions most effectively. Our industry has created a sub-optimal situation through a combination of poor customer experiences in the past, limited system capabilities and a “tell me in three words” approach. If we want customers to embrace the possibilities of technology, then we need to bring them on the journey.
Consider how self-serve check-outs have become the norm when we are out shopping in recent years . There is a journey that I’ve certainly been on to this point, which I discussed with IPI’s Sam Grant at lunch.
Coming prepared, we need our customers to come to the contact prepared to engage with AI.
Similarly, from prior experiences I soon learned that I need to stop putting my shopping bag in the bottom of my basket, then putting my items of purchase on top of it, which created friction in the process when I needed to get to my bag to enable me to pack items as I scanned them. So, ideally, we need our customers to come to the contact prepared to engage with AI (unless they don’t want to?)
Offering a choice? Do I want to self-serve or would I prefer to queue?
When I’m approaching the tills, I can see a queue for a till with a cashier or I can see available self-serve checkouts. If I can also see someone there by the self-serve tills to support me, then I can make an informed decision.
Unexpected item in bagging area! Solutions need to be flexible enough to minimise friction.
That bag I just dug out from my basket, I’ve tapped that I’ve brought my own bag, but it is perhaps heavier than the scales expect, therefore I’ve got an unexpected item. I’m removing and resetting the bag but there is a red flashing light and now I’m waiting for someone to come help me. We’ve all been there (please tell me this wasn’t just me!). The solution has now evolved, though, replacing scales either with additional trust by the retailer, or with cameras, but the result is a smoother customer experience.
Authorisation for purchase There will be times when someone must step in. If so, ensure it is done in a timely fashion.
OK I bought wine, it’s the weekend, please don’t judge me. The process to verify that I’m of age and can make that purchase has parallels also. We need to ensure that if a customer needs support then it is quickly available. Now I want those annoying flashing lights to flash brighter, because I need help to complete my purchase.
How do you want to pay? Payments need to be frictionless, tap and go, no creased banknotes!
The same will apply to your callers they need to be able to make the payment without being moved to another channel and of course you need to ensure you are properly protecting that payment data.
Do you require a receipt? perhaps we need to acknowledge that customers will want validation of their conversation, of what was committed to and that they can trust that it will be done.
It has taken me a long time to reach the point of clicking no to a paper receipt. I want to be able to evidence that I’ve paid and not just walked round the shop popping things in my bag. Part of the reason so many of us are still reverting to speaking to a human when we have an issue, other than our lived experiences of trying to explain a complex situation in 3-word blocks, has to be that we can say “I talked to …. And he said he’d sorted it”.
What does it all mean?
People are complex. The implementation of self service and automation of the simpler query types means that average contact centre conversations are now much longer than they were and with rising staff costs there is a clear pressure on businesses to make changes to reduce customer servicing costs.
There is a broad spectrum of solutions available to support businesses address these challenges, whether outsource or technology. These need to be properly aligned to your objectives, and it is likely that you may need to speak with someone around how to select, prioritise and deploy these solutions.
If you need to chat then feel free to drop us a line.
As part of our recent webinar with Zoom, we discussed how a brand is far more than just a name or a product; it’s the sum of what the public thinks, feels, and believes about a business. It’s built on both tangible elements like product features and packaging, and intangible ones like emotional connections, marketing, and even independent conversations beyond a brand’s control. Delivering on the brand promise—a commitment to customers about what they can expect—is therefore paramount to success. But when businesses fail to deliver, the consequences are costly and far-reaching.
Businesses increasingly turn to outsourcing partners to support customer service and contact centre operations. However, ensuring these partners can uphold the brand promise is critical. By exploring the importance of a brand promise, the risks of failure, and the value of the right outsourcing partner, organisations can better position themselves for success.
What is a Brand Promise, and why does it matter?
A brand promise communicates the essence of a company’s mission, values, and purpose. It represents what customers should expect when interacting with the business. For example, Red Bull’s brand promise encapsulates the idea of “freedom” and giving “wiiings” to people and ideas. They successfully integrate this into their sponsorships of extreme sports and events, translating their values into tangible experiences that reinforce their mission.
Delivering on this promise consistently builds trust, fosters advocacy, and encourages loyalty. Customers who feel a brand aligns with their expectations and values are more likely to:
- Pay a price premium for products and services.
- Recommend the brand to others, driving organic growth.
- Maintain long-term relationships, increasing customer lifetime value.
The cost of failing to deliver on the Brand Promise
When businesses fail to meet expectations, trust is eroded. Research reveals that 31% of customers are willing to pay more for excellent service, but failure to deliver service quality results in significant revenue loss. Poor service costs UK businesses an estimated £7.3 billion per month in employee time spent resolving issues. Additional consequences of falling short on service delivery include:
- Damaged Reputation: Dissatisfied customers share their negative experiences online, influencing potential buyers before they even engage with the brand.
- Increased Marketing Costs: Companies must invest heavily to rebuild trust and mitigate reputational damage.
- Lower Customer Lifetime Value: Customers experiencing poor service are unlikely to return, reducing their overall spending potential.
Service delivery directly underpins the price premium brands can command. Without great service, even the best product offerings lose their appeal—and profitability.
Managing customer experience at scale
The challenge for brands lies in scaling customer experiences while maintaining human, natural, and supportive interactions. Customers expect more than just advanced technology; they demand seamless, elegant, and intuitive service that delivers the right information at the right time. Poor customer satisfaction—as seen in the UK Customer Satisfaction Index, which recently dropped to its lowest point since 2015—reflects the critical need for investment in experience.
To understand how service impacts decision-making, organisations should explore:
- Price Premium Expectations: How much more are customers willing to pay for exceptional service?
- Perceptions of Good Service: What defines great service from a customer’s perspective?
- Service’s Influence on Purchasing Decisions: How does a seamless experience drive loyalty and sales?
Leveraging outsourcing to deliver consistent experiences
Outsourcing has been a transformative tool for businesses over the past 40 years, enabling growth, transformation, and improved customer service outcomes. To realise these benefits, organisations must select their outsourcing partners carefully, considering solution fit, commercial alignment, and cultural compatibility.
- Solution Alignment: The partner’s solution must match the company’s specific needs, including sector expertise, channel coverage, geography, and appetite for automation. Proven experience with similar challenges can offer peace of mind.
- Commercial Mechanisms: The cost of service should account for the entire support structure—not just front-line agents—to ensure scalability and sustained quality. Contracts should incentivise mutual success and allow for evolving requirements over time.
- Cultural Fit: Partners must embody the company’s values and approach, representing the brand authentically to customers. Building a genuine partnership requires mutual respect and clear processes for engagement.
Mitigating outsourcing risks
To minimise risk, businesses must define clear objectives, success measures, and realistic timelines before outsourcing. Processes should be fully documented, and knowledge transfer planned meticulously to ensure a smooth transition. Continuous communication with the outsourcing partner is essential for alignment.
Outsourcing also enables access to specialised skills, flexible scaling, and cost efficiencies, all of which support business growth without overextending internal resources. The key is selecting a partner who acts as an extension of the organisation’s team—not just a supplier.
Conclusion
Delivering on the brand promise is a strategic imperative that builds trust, drives loyalty, and sustains growth. Poor service is not just an operational issue but a risk to brand value and viability. Businesses that prioritise exceptional customer experiences can protect and enhance their reputations, achieving sustainable success.
Outsourcing, when approached thoughtfully, can be a powerful enabler of these outcomes. By choosing the right partner and fostering a collaborative relationship, organisations can mitigate risks, enhance service quality, and uphold their brand promises with confidence.
At Customer Contact Panel (CCP), we’ve witnessed first hand how these factors are influencing decision-makers, especially CX leaders and CFOs. If you’re in the midst of making an outsourcing choice, you’ve probably got one of the following on your mind.
Growing Customer Demands: Meeting High Expectations
It’s not just about answering calls anymore. Customers want fast, personalised, and empathetic interactions that feel seamless and aligned with your company values. This means businesses must be more careful than ever when choosing an outsourcing partner. A BPO’s cultural fit with your company is crucial—they need to speak your tone, align with your brand, and uphold the level of service your customers expect – all of which take time which you don’t have. So, companies are scrutinising potential partners more closely, ensuring they’re a perfect match.
Technology: The New Wild Card
Right now, you’re being asked to do more with less or deliver a better service with the same budget. With inflation, high interest rates, and currency fluctuations, offshoring doesn’t feel like a financial guarantee anymore. Add in automation—think AI tools and chatbots – and CFOs are starting to wonder if tech could be the silver bullet to that beast of a budget. Whilst AI and Automation can scale fast, they can come with hefty initial costs. Businesses are now weighing their options:
- Do they stick with outsourcing (onshore, nearshore, or offshore)? or
- Do they double down on tech?
It’s a tough decision. Get it right, and they could boost customer loyalty; get it wrong, and it might lead to a backlash.
ESG: Outsourcing in a Politically Charged World
Outsourcing is no longer just about cutting costs; it’s also about navigating complex ethical and political waters. With Keir Starmer pushing for stricter ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) standards, businesses are questioning their outsourcing partners, especially if those countries are known for poor labour practices or environmental issues. Throw in political instability and outsourcing now feels like a risky gamble. Operations could grind to a halt at any time, and businesses can’t afford that.
On top of that, data security is tighter than ever. With the UK government’s more stringent regulations, especially for industries like finance and healthcare, outsourcing is becoming bogged down in compliance red tape. A single data breach could ruin a brand’s reputation and customers’ trust—so finding a partner who understands data security is more important than ever.
Lastly, with the UK’s £22 billion budget shortfall and a focus on reshoring jobs, companies are balancing cost savings against their political and ethical responsibilities.
How CCP Makes Your Life Easier
At CCP, we get it – outsourcing feels complex. But we’re here to simplify it for you. We help businesses make smart, informed and equitable choices through services such as:
- Partner Matching: We connect businesses with a handpicked network of pre-vetted outsource partners (220+ partners infact), cutting down on the time and risk of finding the right partner.
- Cultural Fit Analysis: We ensure your outsourced team aligns with your brand’s values and service style, so there’s no misstep in tone or approach.
- Technology Sourcing: We know how difficult it is to cut through the sales patter and find the right tech for your customer contact needs. Well look no further, we have a network of 120+ pre-vetted and audit technology partners – who will get right to the point.
The Bottom Line
Outsourcing decisions are taking longer now because the stakes are higher. Customers expect nothing less than excellent service, and businesses are being much more careful about who they partner with. But with the right approach, outsourcing remains a powerful tool.
At CCP, we guide businesses through the process, ensuring they find the right fit, reduce risks, and build lasting partnerships. In fact, 93% of CCP’s clients maintain long-term relationships with their outsourcing providers – proof that our approach works.
With CCP by your side, navigating the increasingly complex outsourcing landscape is much smoother, helping you make the right decisions for today’s customer demands and tomorrow’s success.
It’s often said that everyone has an opinion. In the same way, most of us feel like every contact centre has a seasonal peak (or more than just one). Most often the peak comes in the run-up to Christmas, with a secondary surge in the New Year. But – even for consumer retail – is the contact centre Christmas peak no longer quite the scary summit it once was?
Just last week, the CCP team heard from an outsourced contact centre partner with deep capabilities in the retail and delivery sectors. It was having its traditionally busy pre-Christmas peak season – but only because it had gained a new client. Otherwise, 2024 contact volumes are notably down on previous years.
So, have we passed peak peak?
(Here I should say a big ‘thank you’ to Rochelle Weinstock and Nev Doughty for the fascinating chat I had with them the other week about a whole series of CX topics and challenges, including the Christmas Peak, which inspired this post).
Types of peaks
Broadly, there are two types of customer contact demand peaks:
- Structural Peaks
These might be the result of predictable external factors, like Christmas. Or internal factors that tend to drive customers to make contact, such as billing or renewal cycles, pricing increases and so on
2. Spontaneous Peaks
These are, by definition, not predictable and can’t accurately be planned for with any degree of confidence. For an ecommerce or insurance firm this could be the impact of bad weather, or for just about any type of organisation, a failure of customer-facing technology and systems will trigger contact. Other events that can drive a surge in contacts are less the acts of God (or the technology gremlins), but more personally identifiable.
A colleague recently told me that lots of financial services and utility firms’ contact centre planning managers live in dread of an unhelpful mention or piece of consumer advice from Martin Lewis on breakfast TV!
Closer to home, we are all familiar with the confusing marketing email campaign, changed app or IVR menu options or a competitor’s service failure – all of which encourage customers to make contact, service levels to plummet and customer experience to degrade.
And that’s the important thing. As we all know, peak demand is notoriously hard to manage operationally
- Short-term extra staffing is difficult to resource and – especially with growing customer management complexity – quality in the short-term will rarely match that of existing staff
- Asking existing staff to repeatedly work overtime can sap enthusiasm and goodwill
- Degraded service levels can lead to repeated contacts across multiple channels, as well as post-contact process backlogs
But the longest-term impact is on your customers, who will remember their personal experience of failure demand, lengthy wait times and delayed resolutions long after the end of the peak season.
Can you defeat the peak?
As already mentioned, the traditional Christmas peak seems to be diminishing for a variety of reasons including:
- Online retailers are increasingly managing to automate or self-serve most simple query types
- For many consumers the cost of living crisis not only continues, but is worsening – with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reporting a 0.7% fall in retail sales in October and an increase in the energy Price Cap due in January. Which means that for lots of customers Christmas is a reduced affair
- The institutionalising of Black Friday (or, more accurately, a ‘Black Friday period) serves to smooth the retail impact of Christmas
People working flat-out in retail–focused contact centres right now may smile ruefully reading that, because for them the Christmas peak is still a big deal, but it’s definitely typically less than it used to be.
So, what about other ‘structural’ peaks? We’re all a bit weary of reading about what AI might do for us, but the advent of affordable, scale data analytics and manipulation tools can make a real difference. If an organisation suffers under the long-term impact of initial ‘lumpy’ customer acquisition, annual price changes or contract renewal cycles, then proactive efforts can be made to test and flex communications and offers to best serve both retention and ‘contact smoothing’.
Spontaneous peaks sound like, by definition, they can’t be combatted. Well, up to a point, but a lot of unintended consequences can be better understood. And if colleagues and business partners understand the cost and customer experience impact of their actions then that can be a game-changer. If colleagues regard the contact centre function as fixed cost of doing business, then they will have little incentive to help influence its demand.
Although it’s often easier said than done, ensuring the contact centre has representation and a voice in planning decisions helps guard against ill-timed, confusing or unsettling communications, offers and changes in proposition. In many organisations, the contact centre is closest to the customer base and so best placed to anticipate unintended impacts and customer responses.
Can tech help?
Of course, if you can’t avoid a planned or unanticipated surge in contacts, technology can help you cope. Appropriately deployed technology will help reduce handling time, allow for more self-service and make your frontline advisors’ lives easier – at any time of the year.
But tools to specifically help you manage peak volumes include:
- Queue-buster tools, which allow queuing callers to request a call-back instead
- Visual IVR, which can help steer customers from live calls to a digital self-service option, if appropriate
- Rapid analysis of contacts received to update online guidance, FAQs and your chatbot
And, of course, outsourced contact centre resource can be invaluable in helping you handle an immovable peak.
Your peak experience
What’s your peak experience? Have you found that the traditional Christmas peak is diminishing – or is it just moving to different times?
Would you like to discuss the tools and techniques that are available to both reduce peak surges and better equip you to handle them? Then get in touch, we’d love to chat.
There are several universal truths, one of which is that we all have at least one subscription! Though I think that if we were asked to list all the things we pay a monthly or annual fee for we would probably come across some we’d forgotten about. We questioned how many subscriptions we have that you may not feel we’re getting value from?
Another consideration is that even if we’ve not been using our Netflix, Disney+, AppleTV, or whichever service one as much as we’d like, we may be holding onto the knowledge that we will likely binge some boxsets over the festive period and how many of us then realise we are all subscribed to Amazon Prime and other subscriptions may have been unnecessary.
A third is that we are often encouraged to review our discretionary expenditure in January and cancel any that we don’t need or to look for a better deal.
It is always good to speak with experts in a field to understand how these elements all play out, Jonathan West is Client Development Director at Step Change Outsourcing and knows only too well the first-hand challenges of a subscription-based business model having led the Sky Business Division as National Sales Manager and Head of Indirect (Consumer) Channel at Three. Simon Kissane is highly experienced in delivering CX and Contact Centre Performance Improvement having supported a number of interim positions and extensive experience as a Head of CX and Operations in the mobile and broadband space.
What does the data tell us?
Data from Barclaycard in 2020, Whistl in 2022 and from Statista suggest that on average a UK household has 8 subscriptions ranging from streaming services to food kits, healthcare and pet products.
Finder.com suggests 2023 research shows 79% of UK adults (42 million of us) have at least one subscription service. However 23% of us feel these services are too expensive and 51% would be willing to cut that subscription to save money. Some research data which claims that we are spending an average of £500 each annually seems to focus on streaming services.
Further subscriptions which saw significant growth during the pandemic were the subscription box services. Whistl report an 18.9% year on year growth in in in the UK in their reports and referencing data from the Royal Mail in stating the market will be worth £1.8bn in 2025.
Whilst a little dated, the Whistl report shares some insights around key metrics for subscription boxes, their data suggests,
- 81% of households have at least one box subscription
- average spend of £52 per month in 2021 with annual spend to £620
Those subscriptions typically last 9 months
- 40% of us subscribe for convenience and 55% to save time
- 74% wish that companies made it easier to manage subscriptions

“how likely they would be to cancel their subscriptions if they were to increase slightly in price”
Clearly the different types of subscription are driven by differing motivations. Time and convenience are a key element, howeverthe value of the subscription is a vital consideration, too.
Data from the Department for Business & Trade, published in April 2023 (based on research with 2,000 UK adults conducted by Opinium Research in November 2021) showed the following level of subscription holdings:

Respondents were asked the critical question as to their expected behaviour if prices were to increase and unsurprisingly, they were more likely to consider cancellation as listed below by subscription type (key sectors):
- 79% Food & Drink
- 76% Digital fitness and wellbeing
- 73% Health and beauty
- 66% Flowers, craft, chocolates and treats
- 64% Entertainment and books
- 64% Product delivery services
- 38% Charitable donations
Subscriptions to telephone and broadband services don’t seem to appear in the data. Perhaps they have ‘crossed the line’ into the utilities space? Digital connectivity may have become a physiological need, in the words of Maslow even. This seems fair considering that we all need data connectivity to live our day to day lives today.
But if we consider for a moment the broadband and fixed landline space, the regulator Ofcom has been busy making changes in the past few months that could impact the sector. On this basis, have sensitivities around price and service ever been so important to that sector – and are there considerations that can be applied across all subscription markets?
So, what does that mean to the customer contact community?
Well, there is a chance that a broken process earlier in the year – which made your contact centre hard to deal with – is going to result in customer retention issues when that customer reaches the end of their contract.
Or that automation process that you are thinking of implementing due to pressure from the business to reduce operational costs needs to be just right, or else it may result in driving customers not only to self-service, but away from your business altogether.
It could mean that you have an amount of retention work to do, or that you need to start thinking about additional marketing spend next year to attract new customers to maintain your numbers, never mind growing the customer base.
For many customers managing, their relationships digitally – like with NOW TV, for instance – should be easy. But my personal experience of trying to cancel a NOW subscription over the weekend was time-consuming and frustrating:
- Cancellation was not possible via the App which means logging onto my account,
- then being asked no fewer than 6 times whether I really wanted to cancel,
- and being presented with offers and discounts to retain me.
This feels like an example of when an understandable business desire to create a bit of friction has gone too far, turning off customers from coming back in the future.
However, the first that businesses with digital based relationships may know of my intent to cancel is when I’ve clicked on a box and my money stops the following month. Many will then commence an e-mail campaign, or outbound calling perhaps, to ‘win-back’.
One touch switching
The implementation of the Ofcom rules on one touch switching from September 12th enabled customers to move to a new provider with just one contact. This means that alternative network providers (alt-nets) – despite huge investment in their infrastructure – are now in a place where customers can simply walk away without having to contact them, similar to my cancellation of my NOW TV subscription.
The new provider manages the switching process and the incumbent has little option but to go with it. Are the developing the expectations that customers will have about the ease of cancelling their telco and broadband subscriptions being mirrored across other services?
Additional considerations
In our discussion, Simon, Jonathan and I also considered whether there is a clear role for NPS in customer retention and operational performance. This was a topic which was discussed also on a Scorebuddy webinar that I supported, recently. With the level of insight available from the contact centre, do you really still need to ask the question around likelihood to recommend a product or/service? It could be that you can see this through all the other data and insights at your disposal. However, you need to ensure that you have the time and knowledge to implement the changes needed, which is where businesses can fall short.
“CX has never been so important, moments of truth matter and there is a need for experience and empathy”
When it comes to growing any form of subscription business, there is a clear need to balance acquisition with the realities of ongoing customer service. The work of retention and win-back teams should not be underestimated, but if you get the customer service right then retention is less likely to be needed.
Scaling a business to cope with customer demands can be challenging. The transition from small in-house operations with wider departments helping where they can in supporting customer needs in those moments of truth (when something hasn’t been delivered as promised) can take people away from their roles in the wider business and risk future growth ambitions. Where customers have bought/subscribed via a click then the first time your team speak with them could be at the point of disconnection and considering the costs of developing your business or network, there is a need to maximise customer lifetime value.
When growing a business and a contact centre team, you need to ensure that you are properly supporting and developing your staff. As businesses grow it is not just customers numbers where retention may become a challenge. With Simon and Jonathan I discussed these challenges around recruitment and training, this is where we have seen outsourcers taking the load, so that “you do you and let the outsourcer do the heavy lifting”.
Is your customer contact approach fit for purpose?
With the potential challenges of growth and increasing costs in 2025 from minimum wage and national insurance increases ahead, maybe it is time to review where you are on your journey and whether there are opportunities to optimise current operations – through either process review or implementation of new contact centre technology?
Perhaps you’ve reached a point where you need additional support from an outsource partner who has walked this path before and can help you grow customer numbers and/or evolve to the next stage of your growth, whether that is with
- acquisition activity
- out of hours support,
- peak capacity or
- end to end customer service which allows you to focus on your core activity and growing your business.
You may have an existing operation that requires review, but whatever your customer contact challenge feel free to contact us so we can talk it through.
At Customer Contact Panel we have extensive experience in supporting our clients in identifying the right fit solution for their business.
Connectors
I came across one of those at the weekend on Nick Clark of Boston Consulting Group’s Service Matters newsletter on Substack (which is always a good read and I’d recommend you subscribe to).
In this brief article, Nick highlights an often-forgotten factor in the (never ending?) quest to deliver seamless, omnichannel service. Whilst acknowledging that data and platforms are vital, he says we should focus on the ‘connectors’, that is the technologies or techniques that customers use to transition from one contact channel to another. We know they are vitally important. And unless they work well and with minimal friction for consumers they will be neglected, often undermining an organisation’s channel shift ambitions.
However, mapping their function and availability in customers’ service and support journeys is something that’s often only done late on in an extended programme of work. Or maybe not at all.

Nick describes the graphic we’ve re-used above as non-exhaustive, but it’s a great starting point and framework to use when seeking to understand how you currently support omnichannel service and how it could work better in the future.
The matrix is a simple concept, but it allows you to rapidly summarise what needs to be in place to allow your customers to pivot between channels – in a way that works for them (easy and intuitive) and you (transitioning data and context across channels, along with the customer).
Building that dynamic, customer-led view of how you can help customers shift channels will also help you better serve them within a single channel. As you develop scenarios and journeys, overlaid with an awareness of consumers’ real-world behaviours, you can better design quicker resolution and outcomes.
So, that’s connectors. A new term and concept to me, that I think I’ll be re-using a lot in the future, thanks to Nick Clark.
Connections
And connections? Creating valuable, effective connections is what Customer Contact Panel’s all about:
- Connections between you and your customers and prospective customers
- Connections between you and service and technology providers who can elevate your customers’ experience
- Connections between any of us who are interested in the world of the customer
Nick Clark has generously shared his insights and when we at CCP have what we think are useful connections, ideas and examples of CX success we’ll do the same. A lot of our challenges are shared and we’re at our best working together to meet them.
Want to explore how best to help your customers get the most effective service, through the channel and at the time of their choice?
Then get in touch, we’d love to chat.
When you assemble a room of people with extensive levels of contact centre experience, as we did for our event hosted at Sutherland Labs, you know from the noise levels over coffee there are going to be some great conversations! Add some fantastic speakers from our outsource and technology networks to share their views of the market and a lively, open dialogue around challenges and opportunities (new and old) will follow.
We are looking forward to continuing these conversations and scheduling another event. But in the meantime, how do we bring so much collective experience together in a short article that does justice to the quality of the conversations?
Navigating Business Decisions in a Rapidly Evolving Landscape
In the current environment, companies face a range of critical decisions, from implementing new technologies to fostering employee engagement. Despite knowing what needs to be done, many organisations struggle to translate that knowledge into actionable outcomes. This disconnect is often a result of inadequate systems, outdated training and coaching models, and an inability to adapt to change.
In our recent L&D survey it was apparent that there is a clear gap between knowing and doing. Results show that while employees understand their roles, there’s a significant disconnect between knowledge and execution. This is particularly evident in how businesses approach training, often relying on outdated, “once-and-done” programmes that fail to evolve alongside the changing work environment. As companies shift to remote work, many are noticing a reduction in employee loyalty and engagement, partially because of the lack of in-person interaction and relationship-building.

Addressing the Changing Needs: Evolving Training and Technology
To bridge this gap, organisations must rethink how they train their employees, particularly if they are to continue with a work from home or hybrid working model. Has enough been done to redesign training and refresher modules that better fit a virtual environment? Equally, more needs to be done to focus on continuous education rather than static, one-time courses which tick a box for compliance. Furthermore, conversational AI can be a powerful tool in reshaping learning; allowing employees to ask dynamic, evolving questions rather than relying on predefined solutions.
“Businesses recognise the correlation between staff development and brand reputation, but may not always apply the budget to ensure delivery”
AI offers the potential to unlock the true capabilities of people and data, but as we have said before is not a silver bullet. It can revolutionise business processes by supporting employees in their roles, reducing friction, and enhancing decision-making. AI can also help agents manage customer queries more efficiently, giving them access to foundational knowledge in real-time. However, the challenge lies in positioning AI correctly: not as a threat to jobs, but as a tool for augmenting human capabilities.
For example, AI’s ability to analyse customer intent and apply insights to guide agents through complex interactions can dramatically improve customer experience (CX). By properly integrating AI into business workflows, companies could potentially resolve the eternal challenge of moving from being seen as a cost centre to profit centre, unlocking new value opportunities across the customer journey.
Location strategy is still a consideration as the global market evolves. The outsourcing industry, particularly in sectors like fintech, IT support, and healthcare, appears poised for significant growth. We know countries such as South Africa have already emerged as strategic hubs for business services, offering talent and capabilities that align with the growing demand for multilingual and technologically adept service providers. Whilst there are valid concerns as to the capacity that remains available, with 33% unemployment in South Africa (60% for young people) as well as the wider continent opening for business, then combined with the capabilities of technology great opportunities remain available.
Overcoming Challenges in AI Adoption
While AI presents numerous opportunities, it also comes with significant challenges. Many process owners may be hesitant to adopt AI due to concerns about how it will impact their workforce and customer relationships. Meanwhile, senior leadership may be focused more heavily on the potential cost saving benefits. There’s a widespread misconception that AI will replace jobs, particularly in customer service. However, AI’s true value lies in assisting and enhancing human roles, not replacing them.
For businesses to adopt AI successfully, they need to:
- Align AI with company goals and culture: AI should be seen not as a technology investment, but as a strategic asset that drives both customer and employee experience.
- Shift from a cost-saving mindset to a value-driven approach: Technology shouldn’t be about cutting costs; it should unlock value, address problems at their root cause and improve service quality.
- Build the right business case: Secure buy-in from different budget owners by emphasising how AI can enhance outcomes across the organisation.
Aligning Metrics and Culture for the AI-Driven World
To fully leverage AI’s potential, cultural and operational changes are required. Business leaders need to:
- Align metrics with an automated world: Ensure that technology handles routine tasks, allowing people to focus on complex, human-centric work.
- Redefine the agent role: The agents of the future will need to deliver more value and possess different skills compared to traditional customer service roles.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement: Embrace ongoing evolution, where AI serves to complement human skills and free up time for higher-value tasks.
- Focus on proactive engagement: Let technology handle the repetitive, allowing people to engage with customers in a more meaningful way.
- Encourage bravery in decision-making: Leaders must support bold decisions around AI investment to drive long-term success.
Rob Wiles, Zoom“AI is not the solution, it is a key to unlocking it”
Irrespective of delivery location, the future of CX delivery will increasingly rely on AI and automation to enhance customer journeys, optimise operations, and drive sustainable growth.
Transformation is never-ending. Businesses must approach AI and automation not as one-time projects but as ongoing evolutions. This requires understanding the unique challenges they face, aligning technology with business goals, and ensuring that AI enhances rather than replaces the human element.
With the right strategy, AI can unlock unprecedented opportunities for growth, helping companies stay competitive in a rapidly changing world. However, without the appropriate attention to employee experience, success will be illusory or limited.
Delivering the right experiences
At Customer Contact Panel we support organisations in delivering contact centres that match their ambitions. In a Deloitte Digital research articles from May 2024 it was cited that 55% of contact centre leaders reported that they didn’t meet their strategic goals in 2023 and 76% reported that their agents were overwhelmed by systems and information*.
If you are facing challenges meeting your strategic goals or fulfilling the ambitions you have for your people, customers or technology, we have the experience to support you. Just ask.
Say it quietly if you like, but businesses are grown and maintained through increases in customer numbers and/or customer value. Undoubtedly cost management is also a critical factor, but ultimately sales and retention activity that provides topline growth is critical to ongoing success and business value.
We all know that the chances of winning or retaining a customer are increased when you provide a great product or service. And that those who deliver, not just on price but perceived value, are in prime position to pick up customers from competitors when they do not.
Yet many businesses are focused on the potential cost savings that could be achieved through AI and automation. Have they have lost sight of the potential benefits of delivering a personalised service and those golden opportunities to encourage a customer to buy more or stay for longer?
Are you getting the best sales through service opportunities from AI and automation?
There are two key scenarios that could be playing out for many organisations, both B2B and B2C. Either of which could be limiting sales success:
1. The technology is doing great stuff
Customers are getting the service that they need in the moment they need it. Which means the brand is working on the assumption that because they’re well-served, they will come back to buy more. However, they are not engaged with these customers, they are simply dealing with their admin when they need to and as a result are being passive in their habits. This may work for on a number of levels, and it is reducing the cost to serve. However, is this a step away from brand bypass, as ultimately a gap in the connection with customers will result in them moving on when they see a better offer?
2. The technology isn’t hitting the mark
Customers are trying to resolve their issues, but are struggling. The automation or self-serve models don’t provide the right options and/or have no ‘way out’ for customers and as a result they become frustrated. So at the first opportunity, they are going to look to an alternative brand.
The examples are out there in key sectors.
Ofgem March 2024 data



Harder to contact and less satisfying to deal with?
Despite and improving picture, the latest Ofgem data shows that 16% of customers find it difficult to contact their supplier, up from the low of 10% in Q1 2019. Meanwhile, the same Ofgem data suggests that overall satisfaction with customer service across the energy industry currently sits at 66%, down from the peak of 74% seen in Q2 of 2020.
What’s more, the latest UKCSI data shows utilities performing the poorest with a score of 69.8. Telecommunications and Media brands are doing a little better at 73.3 (though down from January’s 74.7), but are still some distance short of the podium positions achieved by Retail (non-food) at 80.4, Tourism at 79.3 and Banks & Building Societies at 79.3. However, we can see drops in satisfaction across the board.
Could automation be contributing to those less satisfying experiences?
UKCSI data from earlier in the year tells us that for 53.7% of automated contacts, the customer still needed to speak with a human being.
Equally concerning, though, was that neither AI/chatbot or customer service employees are managing to resolve customer queries more than 54.2% of the time, as seen in the January results. Quite the damning indictment.
Consider also that 45.4% of customers would avoid using an organisation again due to poor use of technology.
Clearly there is work to be done.

Companies with higher customer satisfaction show stronger growth
But what is the impact of this on a brand’s fortunes? Is the 2-point drop in score for Telcos material?
Research in the UKCSI report from January 2024 shows that between 2017 and 2023 “companies with customer satisfaction at least one point higher than their sector average achieved stronger revenue growth”.

With c.80% higher compound revenue growth, 6.6% higher EBITDA, more than double the operating profit margin and a whopping £283.9k – more than half as much again – revenue per employee on the table for that increase of just one point, the importance of customer satisfaction to both the topline and the bottom line is stark. On the other side, the virtual lack of revenue growth and much reduced operating profit margin for 1-point lower puts into context the plight of Tourism, Leisure, Insurance, Public Services and the rather more beleaguered Telcos.
The same report highlights that 27.6% of customers who score an organisation 9 or 10 out of 10 for overall satisfaction will look to buy other products or services from them, whilst 20.8% of customers scoring 1 to 4 will spend less with the organisation and 41% scoring them at 1 to 4 will avoid dealing with the organisation again in the future if possible.
And so, it is easy to see why investment in customer service is critical to the success of an organisation. Why an organisation should be – and hopefully is – highly focused on it. And why a pure cost-reduction focus for automation or AI is short-sighted.
While these numbers tell quite the story, let’s assume things are the right side of the line service-wise, whether through AI or not. The next question then is, are you following up with the appropriate sales activity to effect further topline growth?
Are you ready to pick up the sales baton?
Effective sales operations depend on 7 key factors for growth, the same apply to both sales team and those required to deliver sales through service:
- Access to the best people with the necessary sales and communication skills,
- Clear reward and recognition structures with incentives, creating a culture and environment which encourages growth,
- Appropriate product knowledge and ongoing team development, ability to handle objections effectively and to share learning to advance the performance of the team,
- Effective technology which the team can leverage to access customer insights, understand which are the best customers to be contacted, when to contact them and what solutions to offer,
- Practical approaches to sales compliance, which provide clear guidelines but can be managed without excessive burden to managers, allowing sales to be signed off effectively and if necessary, learning applied in a timely manner,
- Ability to manage data and reporting to maximise sales opportunities which benefits the organisation, the sales agents and also the customers through ensuring access to right information at the right time,
- Understand market conditions, customer behaviours and how your team needs to react to these.
If just one of these seven isn’t working too well, sales will suffer. But so may customer service or perceived value. For example, an intrusive offer in the middle of a customer complaint is likely to occur as unempathetic and may see the customer running for the hills. A well-handled complaint can increase value – or at least maintain it.
A colleague described a recent interaction about a problematic return with a well-known retailer, where mid-conversation they were invited to look at product that may interest them. Unsurprisingly, their reaction was not to immediately head to the link to browse, but instead to give a sharp retort – and then tell anyone who cared to listen how annoyed they were.
Not only did the retailer not make the sale, they likely turned the customer off. An excellent example of numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 (at least) not working. Not only was it bad scripting and a lesson in not what not to do, it may speak to overly aggressive reward structures and an environment that favours sales over growth. The nuance of which is important and why point four is critical – this was not the best customer to be contacted in this way at that time.
The same colleague similarly experienced rather odd service (from a Telco…) in store recently, where a service conversation without a satisfactory outcome turned to an attempt to upsell on a different product, followed by a recommendation to leave the brand for the product where the service outcome was unsatisfactory. Quite the rollercoaster! And no doubt an experience driven by a particular sales focus that the brand’s managers would be horrified to learn they have – let’s hope – inadvertently incentivised.
Picking your moment to turn service into sales is critically important and relies heavily on the skill of the individual, their training and incentivisation, supported by culture, technology and management.
With so much focus on customer service, do you have the need, will and capacity to optimise sales?
Great agents who can both serve and sell can be hard to find, and can be even harder to retain..
The use of technology and automation is increasingly expected for customer service – and rightly so, simple service issues don’t need complex solutions. But they do need human intervention when the service question isn’t simple, or the automated response fails. Or perhaps when a sales opportunity requires a more personal service.
The ability to deal with customers, their nuanced needs and when selling, their objections, still has a high level of dependency on human interaction.
Yet the data from Ofgem and UKCSI both illustrate that customers are frequently frustrated by both automated and agent interactions. Service delivery in many sectors is still some way short of previous highs, meaning there are still gaps to fix in customer service before you can even think of perhaps selling.
And to some extent, when improving customer experience can deliver increased revenue, getting the basics of service right first is a significant route to growth and building value – whether you agree or not about whether they ought to be, measures such as revenue growth, EBITDA and revenue per employee are important to investors and share price.
How you achieve optimised service, then layer on sales through service or even pure sales activity is a significant question. Each have their own challenges, but successful outcomes add up to an organisation that both sells to and retains customers optimally.
Guest Author – Elaine Seculer (Head of Marketing at Taskaler)
As we dive deeper into the knockout stages of the Euros (dare we mention it), did you know that Pakistan is the largest producer of hand-sewn footballs? In fact, the official footballs used in the last two FIFA World Cups were crafted in Pakistan.
But there’s more to Pakistan than footballs; it’s also emerging as a leading location for outsourcing, offering unique benefits over many offshore countries that might first come to mind, which places Pakistan as an attractive alternative well-worth considering.
We speak with Jawad Farooq and Elaine Seculer of Taskaler to get the inside track on Pakistan as the latest outsourcing destination of choice!
1. The Rise of Pakistan in the Outsourcing World
When you think of outsourcing, countries like India, South Africa, and the Philippines are the destinations you probably first think off. They’ve been popular choices for years. However, these markets are becoming saturated, with increased costs being felt of late – that’s where Pakistan steps in!
A hidden gem if you may, not yet overrun with competition, meaning you can find high-quality talent at very competitive rates. Early birds in the market are already reaping the benefits!
2. Why Pakistan is Cost-Efficient?
Pakistan’s stock market has seen unprecedented levels of growth of late. The KSE-100 Index, tracking the largest companies listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange is at a 6 year high, making it the top performer among Asian frontier markets, thanks to improving economic conditions and a favourable IMF deal which boosted investor confidence.
Whilst the country’s currency (rupee) is relatively weak, this has been highly favourable for international businesses who receive a healthy exchange rate against the dollar.
Did you know? Pakistan’s outsourcing rates are even more competitive than India’s, which has long been the go-to for outsourcing!
3. English Proficiency and Education
Pakistan’s Constitution and Laws are written in English. English is recognised as the official language and is widely used in business and higher education. This means that communication is smooth and easy, with about half of the educated population speaking English.
4. Big Brands and Business Environment
Pakistan is already attracting big brands, with businesses like Audi, BMW, Samsung, Unilever, Nestle, Carrefour, and Standard Chartered all successfully running their operations in Pakistan for years now. This shows that Pakistan has the infrastructure and capability to support large-scale business operations. Plus, with Pakistan being four hours ahead of British Summer Time (BST), you can easily set up shift patterns that cover your core business hours, making it convenient for meetings and collaboration.
5. A Thriving Start-Up Scene
Pakistan isn’t just about established companies; it’s also buzzing with start-up activity. There are numerous start-up incubators, funded by both private investors and global giants like Google, fostering a vibrant and innovative ecosystem.
Piqued your interest?
If you’re curious and want to explore more, drop us a line – we’d be more than happy to help you discover all that Pakistan has to offer for your business!
As the move towards the electrification of road transport accelerates, so too does the rapid development of the nationwide EV charging infrastructure. However, unlike most newly developing business sectors, the world of electric vehicle charging is taking shape under a significant amount of regulatory guidance and expectation. This doesn’t just extend to planning concerns about the physical appearance and location of chargers, but also how they work and the experience of their customers.
The regulations in place are designed to ensure a whole series of goals including: 99% charge point reliability; physical accessibility and inclusiveness for users; ease of contactless payments; pricing transparency; and the growth of payment roaming providers, which offer the ability to access multiple competing networks from a single app.
“Ultimately, charging your EV should be easier, cheaper and more convenient than refueling a petrol or diesel car, wherever you live” Secretary of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
What about customer service?
The Public Charge Point regulations also provide very specific and demanding expectations about how the network operators provide contact centre customer service support. Charge Point Operators (CPOs) are legally required to provide a Helpline service accessible from a freephone number. The helpline must be staffed (presumably by real people, not hallucinatory bots) 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Starting this summer, CPOs will need to provide monthly reports of their customer service helpline performance, both to their regulating department in government, the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), and the Secretary of State at the Business department.
The reports are detailed, too. They will cover:
- total number of calls the helpline received
- reasons for the helpline calls*
- time taken to resolve the helpline call
- if the issue was not resolved by the reporting date, the reason why
*regulators often seem to think all customer contact is by the phone, still …
Naturally, there are enforcement powers which include a series of fines, including up to £10,000 for Helpline failings. But more significantly, if CPOs fail in their various obligations, they can be hit by a block on any further expansions of their networks.
A massive growth opportunity
The Government is targeting a minimum of 300,000 public electric chargers by 2030 – an almost six-fold increase on the 54,000 there are now. By comparison, there are currently c.8,000 petrol stations in the UK with c.66,000 pumps serving around 37 million internal combustion vehicles.
For CPOs, they need to scale their operations at a pace unlike, say, their predecessors of a generation ago – the mobile phone or internet service providers. They are faced with the same customer experience challenges of supporting consumers as they navigate a new marketplace, taking people from the shock of the new to their escalating expectations of a vitally needed utility service. But now they need to do so with an added layer of regulatory demands and targets – on top of the operational pressures of exponential growth in locations, customers and contacts.
Some CPOs may be attempting to build their own capabilities. They will need world-class technology and experienced customer servicing hands to design a service that not only meets customer expectations, but regulatory obligations too. For those who wish to outsource, they’ll need the right contact centre providers, and should pay particular attention to those with experience in regulated industries.
Either way, there is a huge opportunity to bring existing customer servicing expertise to this market, particularly for those who can demonstrate their ability to design and execute for scale, quickly and reliably.
The road to success
To do so successfully will mean designing a customer service infrastructure that combines:
- The smart use of data from their connected networks;
- Seamless advisor insight into the customers’ status and history – and third-party applications, like those for payments and roaming access (giving consumers access to multiple charge point networks);
- The resources and planning know-how to deliver a reliable but efficient 24/7 service;
- Skilled front-line advisors trained and willing not just to guide new customers through new processes, but support people at potential times of vulnerability and stress; AND
- The ability to expand service provision to match the scale of growing networks, while enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of customer service operations, applying insights gained on the ‘front line’.
This is a major undertaking, whether CPOs meet the customer service challenge internally or draw upon varying degrees of expert partner and/or outsourced service provision.
Here at Contact Centre Panel, we know that delivering high quality customer service in a fast growing, regulated market is hard both to plan and execute. It will be essential that CPOs capitalise on the expertise of those who have done it before and recognise some of the pitfalls and the tools and techniques on which to base success.
If you’d like to supercharge the design of your customer servicing environment, or find the right outsourced our technology match, get in touch. We’d love to help.