Contact Centre Magazine
Tag

Contact Centre

Browsing
Blog

Is 2025 the Year Google Makes its Big Move in the Contact Center Industry?

By
Contact centre industry

Over the last seven years, Google has steadily made its way into the contact centre industry. While its presence has been growing, many are still waiting for the tech giant to take a more significant step forward in the contact centre industry. The big question now is: Could 2025 be the year Google finally makes a bold move in the contact centre industry?

A Steady Expansion into the Contact Center Space

Google’s journey into the contact centre space began back in 2018 when it launched its AI suite, offering tools like agent-assist, chatbot-building capabilities, and real-time transcription. These initial offerings allowed companies to enhance customer interactions through the use of artificial intelligence, but they were just the beginning of what would follow.

In 2022, Google significantly expanded its contact centre offerings with the launch of a full Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) platform. The new platform included several features familiar to the sector, such as an agent desktop, IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems, and support for multiple customer engagement channels. This marked a major step in Google’s commitment to the contact centre industry, offering a more comprehensive solution for businesses looking to improve their customer service operations.

Challenges in Making a Big Impact

Following this, there was a quieter period for Google, with less public activity in the contact centre space. However, 2024 saw the company gain some significant wins. Among these was a major 10,000-seat deal in North America, a deal that highlighted Google’s growing influence in the CCaaS market. Additionally, Google launched the Customer Engagement Suite with Google AI, which further strengthened its position. Despite these advancements, there remains a sense in the industry that Google has yet to make its “big statement” in the contact centre space.

According to Liz Miller, VP & Principal Analyst at Constellation Research, many in the sector are questioning whether Google is truly serious about becoming a major player in the contact centre market. While companies like Cisco have clear plans for the future, Google’s path in the sector still seems somewhat uncertain. While Google has gained traction, especially with its AI capabilities and cloud infrastructure, there’s still a question of whether it can transition from simply offering tools to becoming a recognised and competitive CCaaS provider.

The Role of AI and Custom Solutions

One of Google’s biggest advantages is its strong momentum in artificial intelligence, especially with its standout product, Gemini. Google’s AI capabilities, including its ability to create custom models from customer conversations, could provide it with a unique edge in the contact centre market. This could potentially help businesses track customer trends and automate actions based on these insights. However, analysts like Miller believe that Google has yet to fully capitalise on this opportunity. There’s a real chance for the company to use its AI tools in a way that could transform the way enterprises handle customer service.

Despite its strengths, Google has faced challenges in marketing its enterprise efforts. In areas like Unified Communications, where the company has made attempts to compete with big names like Microsoft, Slack, and Zoom, its efforts have often lacked the backing needed to compete effectively. This has led to some scepticism about whether Google can successfully pivot from providing basic contact centre intelligence to offering a fully realised CCaaS solution that competes with established leaders like NICE, Genesys, and Five9.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As 2025 approaches, Google finds itself at a crossroads. The company has the AI, cloud infrastructure, and competitive pricing to make a significant impact, but it still needs to prove it can truly challenge the big players in the contact centre industry. If Google can fully harness the power of its AI, particularly with its Gemini product, it may have the potential to fundamentally change how businesses approach customer service.

For now, it remains to be seen whether Google can take the next step and make its big move in 2025. The industry will be watching closely, as the future of contact centres may depend on how Google navigates this space. With AI advancements and a growing portfolio of tools, Google has the potential to redefine customer service operations, but only time will tell if it can deliver on that promise.

Image Credit: https://www.cxtoday.com/contact-center/the-google-contact-center-ai-platform-is-now-generally-available/

Keep Reading
By
Blog

Commonwealth Bank Australia in AI Shakedown

By

Following the weekend incident that saw the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) inadvertently double-charge customers for purchases, the limitations of automated customer service have come sharply into focus. Amidst rising frustrations, the bank’s contact centre was left unprepared, directing anxious customers to a pre-recorded message that failed to address their immediate concerns. For many individuals living paycheck to paycheck, discovering their accounts overdrawn due to false charges had devastating consequences. Grocery purchases and necessities became out of reach, intensifying the urgency for human interaction in moments of crisis.

CBA has been at the forefront of technological innovation in banking, recently launching trials of an AI platform called Hey CommBank, designed to enhance customer interactions. This initiative, powered by Amazon’s cutting-edge technology, aims to revolutionise how clients engage with the bank, allowing for rapid responses and tailored financial advice. Yet, in this specific crisis, the harsh reality surfaced: when technology fails, customers seek the empathetic ear of a human representative. The inability to communicate directly with someone who can address their worries and offer reassurance left many feeling abandoned at a time when they needed support the most.

While CBA’s exploration of AI holds promises for efficiency and cost savings—potentially replacing thousands of local call centre jobs—the recent incident serves as a powerful reminder of the human element in customer service. Chief Data and Analytics Officer Andrew McMullan envisions a future where customers interact with AI in familiar and convenient ways, yet the bank must proceed carefully. Automating responses may streamline operations, but the risk of incorrect or insensitive AI-generated replies raises questions about the success of such a system, particularly when emotions run high and stakes are personal.

In the eyes of critics, including the Finance Sector Union, CBA’s approach towards increased automation seems to disregard the value of its workforce and the needs of its customers. The union has called for greater transparency and consultation, arguing that the push towards AI should not come at the expense of essential human jobs and the quality of customer service. The fear of diminishing roles, especially as the bank has already shifted some positions offshore, has created a noticeable unease among staff and customers alike.

The situation highlights crucial paradox in the banking sector’s rush to adopt AI: while automation can drive down costs—potentially saving CBA up to $600 million in call centre expenditures—it risks alienating the very clients who contribute to those profits. The need for genuine human connection during stressful financial situations cannot be understated, and replacing the empathetic human touch with an AI response may ultimately prove detrimental to customer trust.

As CBA continues its trials with Hey CommBank, the bank finds itself at a crossroads. The promise of technological advancement is tempered by the urgent need for human compassion and understanding. Customers expect a lifeline in turbulent times, not a faceless algorithm. The challenge for CBA will be finding a balance between the efficiencies of AI and the irreplaceable value of personal interaction, especially when its customers need it most. In a world where banking increasingly intertwines with technology, the fundamental truth remains people still need to talk to people.

Keep Reading
By
Blog

Internal vs External QA: The Value of Objectivity

By

Successful customer-centric businesses understand the critical role played by a robust CX Quality Assurance (QA) program.

Not only can QA guide continuous improvement in product and service knowledge, but it also focuses on the human elements of customer interactions. It helps agents align their behaviour with your organisation’s expectations. QA measures the things that agents can control. It provides a foundation for feedback, coaching, training, and professional development for the broader team.

Keep Reading
By
Blog

A Practical Guide to Building a Genuinely Customer-Centric Contact Centre

By

When it comes to customer service, contact centres serve as the primary interface for businesses to engage with their customers. They can build or break your organisational reputation with customers, co-delivering the experience your customers remember and talk about. Traditionally, the success of these centres has been measured through key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Average Handling Time (AHT), Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) and First Contact Resolution (FCR)

Keep Reading
By
Blog

Where Did We Land with the Work-From-Home Debate

By

We all know the COVID pandemic accelerated the global shift toward remote work, transforming the way businesses operate across industries. For contact centres in Australia, this was a game changing moment, where previously considered impossible proved to be not only possible but effective. Now that the dust has settled, what are we seeing in contact centres, what are the predictions for the next 12 months, and have we been able to reach a middle ground that works for all stakeholders?

Keep Reading
By
Blog

Coaching – is the investment worth the results?

By
Coaching team members

In the fiscal balancing act of tightening budgets and a stronger need for a return on investment, the decision to cut or continue workplace coaching requires careful consideration. Is coaching just a line item, a ‘tick and flick’ activity, or is it the key to unlocking employee potential and driving results that set you apart from others?

When considering the value of an investment, we traditionally look at the expected results against the resources expended. But when it comes to personal or professional development, the metrics become a little nuanced. What is it that makes coaching a worthy investment?

To appreciate the worth of coaching, we must first distinguish between horizontal and vertical development. Horizontal development pertains to the absorption of content—reading books, listening to podcasts, or attending lectures. While informative, this type of development often remains theoretical. Without deliberate application, knowledge can easily be forgotten, leaving us unchanged in thought or behaviour.

Contrastingly, vertical development delves deeper. It’s not just about acquiring knowledge but fully embodying it. Real-world scenarios, challenges, and experiences push individuals out of their comfort zones, compelling them to adapt and evolve. Think about an impending deadline that requires your complete and undivided attention alongside the urgent client issue that needs urgent resolution. Top that off with differing views on how things should be done and depleted energy from a restless night’s sleep and an empty stomach and you have the perfect storm.

It’s in these pressure cooker situations that true transformation has the opportunity to take place, but it’s not a given. Transformation will only happen if we take the opportunity, after the event (when emotions have subsided, we’re rested and have eaten) to reflect and make sense of things with the value of hindsight. Unfortunately, in our frantic modern world, most of us neglect this crucial step and miss potential growth opportunities. We view being still as negative or unproductive, and with a never-ending to-do list the urge to keep doing is often too strong to resist.

Enter coaching.

For many people, it is only when working with a coach, that they give themselves permission to be still and reflect – and this is where their value is uncovered. A coach creates the space for reflection and holds it, through discomfort, resistance and even denial – until realisations are found.

Coaching exceeds the surface-level knowledge transfer, it allows for vertical learning and transformation. According to the International Coaching Federation, coaching involves a “thought-provoking and creative process that inspires individuals to maximise their personal and professional potential.” Coaches don’t merely provide answers. Instead, they prompt individuals with powerful questions to introspect, challenge their beliefs, and view situations from varied perspectives. This process often exposes untapped resources of imagination, blind spots, productivity, and leadership within the coachee.

The power of coaching doesn’t end with the coaching sessions. A skilled coach instils the art of self-questioning. Over time, individuals adopt strategies around these reflective habits, which allows the value to continue to be delivered well after the coaching relationship has concluded. So, when assessing the value of a coach, we shouldn’t simply calculate the hours and money spent, we should consider the lasting impact of their guidance.

Coaching is not a passive undertaking; it’s a dynamic partnership focused on the individual. It swiftly transitions one from a state of stagnation to empowerment. Coaches don’t dictate the path but help individuals discover their own. The real magic lies not in the answers provided but the questions asked.

In our busy, often overwhelming world, a coach serves as an invaluable partner. They offer a space free of judgment or bias, dedicated solely to the coachees success. As the landscape of work and life continues to evolve, coaching emerges as a tool not just for the elite but for anyone seeking clarity amidst the chaos.

Keep Reading
By
Blog

Avoiding the AI Hype Bubble

By

In the merry old land of Oz (the fantasy land, not a nickname for our sunburnt country), little Dorothy is told by Glenda (the Good Witch of the North) that she has always possessed the ability to get what she wants.  All Dorothy must do is tap her ruby slippers together and say the magic words.

Keep Reading
By
Blog

The law has changed – have you?

By

Australia’s workplace health and safety (WHS) legislation is undergoing a metamorphosis, leaving the old rules in the dust and ushering in a new era of occupational caution. It’s not just a makeover; it’s a legislative glow-up that has businesses scrambling to update their safety dance routines. As the legal landscape shifts, employers are trading in their old WHS handbooks for the latest edition, trying to navigate a maze of regulatory changes that aren’t straightforward or easily understood. So, buckle up your steel-toed boots because the only constant is change, and it’s knocking on the office door like a safety inspector with a bone to pick.

Keep Reading
By