Category: Contact Centre.

As traditional resource-intensive interactive voice response (IVR) systems reach end of life, contact centre operators have an opportunity to transform the complex and often clunky customer experience (CX) associated with legacy systems by embracing a cloud-based IVR modernisation strategy.

As traditional resource-intensive interactive voice response (IVR) systems reach end of life, contact centre operators have an opportunity to transform the complex and often clunky customer experience (CX) associated with legacy systems by embracing a cloud-based IVR modernisation strategy.

Due to the influence that customer experience (CX) wields in winning and retaining the hearts and minds of modern-day consumers, businesses use multiple metrics to track, measure and quantify its impact. From customer satisfaction (CSAT), net promoter score (NPS) and retention statistics to average handling times (AHT), first contact resolution (FCR) rates and customer lifetime value (CLF), these metrics typically emphasise the utilitarian aspects of contact centre effectiveness and ease of use.

In 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) will expand its influence in the contact centre space as this prolific technology trend permeates more facets of daily operations, dominating capital expenditures and strategic decision-making. “While already a dominant trend in recent years, many operators have realised that rushing into AI implementations caused more challenges that it solved, especially when it comes to generative or GenAI,” explains Martin Cross, Chief Technology Officer at Connect.

Recent years have witnessed significant transformations in business operations, driven by digital migration, technological advancements, and post-pandemic factors. These shifts have brought innovative solutions such as AI for contact centres to the forefront, reshaping customer service and operational workflows. Increasing investment opportunities made possible by advancements in technology continue to contribute to uplifting the economy of South Africa.

In today’s hyper-connected world, where the need to deliver personalised engagement and intuitive customer service has become the minimum industry standard, contact centres have become a hub of personal customer data.

While access to this information is vital to business success, it also represents a growing target for malicious actors, with the threat from within becoming a more prolific risk.

The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) across the contact centre is rapidly accelerating, with a survey from unified communications & collaboration research firm Metrigy highlighting that over 70% of contact centre operators increased spending on AI in 2023 and 2024.

According to Gartner Inc., the global conversational AI and virtual assistant market represents the fastest-growing segment in the contact centre space.

As cyberattacks continue to evolve, the risks from malicious insiders pose a significant danger to data confidentiality and operational stability due to potential breaches and data leaks.

“While insider threats are an often overlooked aspect of the constantly evolving cybersecurity risk landscape, they pose significant risks to contact centre operators,” says Andy Green, BLOCKPHISH CEO and co-founder.

By Craig Smith, CX Automation Manager and Damian Copeland, COO.While artificial intelligence (AI) has been around for nearly 50 years, adoption rates are accelerating across every business sector as the hype around generative AI (GenAI) spurs investment.In the contact centre space, many operators have already implemented AI technology in some guise to support better engagement and enhance customer experience (CX).