The financial landscape is evolving, and with it, the expectations on financial services to deliver not just products, but value, understanding, and care to their clients. At the heart of this transformation is the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) introduction of the Consumer Duty, an initiative designed to ensure that firms put consumers’ needs and outcomes at the forefront of their business practices. The Consumer Duty rules have applied to open products and services since 31st July 2023, and these are due to be applied to closed products and services from 31st July 2024. For contact cent ..read more

The future of the contact centre customer experience lies within the “Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)”. In fact, 75% of CEOs have acknowledged that generative AI is essential to gaining a competitive edge. However, despite technology driving innovation, productivity and profitability, the process of integrating AI into the workplace is still in its infancy. There needs to be more support for contact centre managers embarking on this journey. When it comes to AI applications, the possibilities are seemingly endless. From the use of chatbots and providing data analysis, to delivering predict ..read more

Historically, contact centres were often labelled as a cost centre, that focuses simply on resolving customer issues. However, when harnessed effectively, call centres can transform into valuable revenue drivers. By providing excellent customer service, omnichannel contact centres can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, reduce churn, and increase upsell and cross-sell opportunities. In fact, according to McKinsey, improving customer experience increases sales revenues by 2-7%. Here’s the deal: when customers have a positive experience with a contact centre, they’re more likely to do bu ..read more

The role of the contact centre agent is continually adapting to changing customer behaviours and new technologies. Contact centre agents are more than problem solvers – they need to be experts in products, software, and communication. And, with high turnover rates in contact centres, investing in product training and the development of contact centre agents is not just beneficial but critical for achieving sustainable success.  Let’s explore why product training is important for contact centres and how it can benefit both the agents, customers and contact centre.  How product knowled ..read more

Are you ready to take your contact centre operations to new heights? Join Elevate ’24 – the leading contact centre conference that will empower you to transform your operations in the age of AI.  In a world where AI is not just a buzzword but a business advantage, the contact centre industry is undergoing a radical transformation. As we navigate this era, the need to stay ahead of the curve has never been more critical. That’s where Elevate ‘24 comes in — your opportunity to lead the way and stay competitive in the age of AI.  What is Elevate ‘24?  Elevate is your golden ticket ..read more

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work and live, accelerating the adoption of remote and flexible working across the world. Many companies have realised the benefits of allowing their employees to work from anywhere, anytime, and with any device. Notably, flexible working not only enhances productivity, efficiency and creativity, but also drives cost savings, reduces stress levels, and contributes positively to environmental impact.  That’s why we are thrilled to share that we’ve been recognised at the Flexa 100 Awards Ceremony, securing the 25th spot overall among all the ..read more

The financial services industry has changed radically in the past decade. From relying on traditional in-person meetings as the main point of contact, the industry has now fully embraced a digital-first approach. At the same time, clients demand convenience, security and personalised interactions. In fact, 80% of clients say the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services.   To keep up with these changing needs, financial services providers must innovate and use technology to create superior client experience. They must find the right balance between of ..read more

With more than 40,000 calls per month, long hold times, overwhelmed contact centre agents, and frustrated customers, the reality for Ombudsman Services – the UK’s leading independent dispute resolution company – was challenging. With a growing number of businesses and consumers relying on its specialist services, it needed to find a new way of working to create a more agile and scalable contact centre.  Replacing its outdated, on-premise telephony system to a cloud-based solution has been a game-changer. Not only have agents been able to better manage the high volumes of calls, but also improv ..read more

It’s common knowledge that happy employees make happy customers. However, with heightened demand and changing customer expectations, contact centres and their agents find themselves in a pressured situation, ultimately affecting the customer experience. Recognising this reality, forward-thinking companies are embracing the critical importance of comprehensive training programmes for their contact centre employees (who, after all, are the most important resource of a contact centre). Now, let’s have a look at the importance of training in the contact centre and how this can ensure happy employe ..read more

In our recent blog post, “Mastering Conversation Orchestration for Enhanced Customer Experience,” we explored the fundamentals of orchestrating conversations to create seamless customer experiences. Now, let’s dive deeper into the essential counterpart of this strategy: journey orchestration. To ensure conversations are orchestrated effectively, contact centres must first ensure their customer journeys are orchestrated seamlessly. And that’s where customer journey orchestration comes into play. What is journey orchestration? As customers increasingly use diverse channels to interact with organ ..read more