TO MEET DIGITAL-FIRST EXPECTATIONS, COMPANIES MUST EMBRACE A HYBRID STRATEGY...
KEEPING THE HUMAN ELEMENT FRONT AND CENTER
As digital channels and AI take on more of the routine workload, human agents are more important than ever. Their role is evolving from transactional responder to trusted advisor.
Consider the case of a customer trying to reschedule surgery via a hospital app. When things get confusing or emotional, that person doesn ' t want to deal with a bot: they want a calm, capable human who can help.
Or picture a traveler who just had their flight canceled while en route to an important event. The airline app provides a few rebooking options, but none suit the customer ' s schedule. In frustration, they reach out to customer support. What they need isn ' t another link: it ' s a human who can listen, empathize, and creatively find a solution that gets them where they need to go.
Great agents deliver more than answers. They provide reassurance, solve problems creatively, and build lasting rapport. Training should emphasize emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and the freedom to personalize service within guidelines. Agents should also be given tools like real-time suggestions and co-browsing support to succeed in a digital-first context.
COACHING CUSTOMERS TOWARD DIGITAL CONFIDENCE
Digital adoption doesn ' t happen automatically. Many customers need help transitioning to self-service or digital tools. That ' s where human service agents play a vital role. Strategies include:
• Guided Onboarding. Help customers set up accounts, download apps, or navigate new portals.
16 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE
• Teach While Serving. If a customer calls to change their address, walk them through the process online so they can do it themselves next time.
• Use Visual Aids. Screenshots, short videos, or co-browsing can help demystify digital tools.
• Reinforce Benefits. Emphasize speed and convenience. For example, " You can check your status instantly online instead of waiting to speak to an agent."
• Close the Feedback Loop. Share recurring pain points with digital teams so tools can be improved.
When customers feel confident using digital options, they ' re more likely to adopt them, thus reducing friction and lowering future contact volume.
TOP 10 CONSIDERATIONS FOR GOING DIGITAL-FIRST
1. Omnichannel Integration. Ensure a seamless experience across channels. Data should flow freely between systems.
2. Intelligent Self-Service. Offer tools that actually work and make it easy to escalate issues to a live person.
3. Complex Issue Routing. Identify and prioritize interactions that need human attention.
4. Agent Enablement. Train staff in new technologies, digital empathy, and multichannel communication.
5. Hyper-Personalization. Use customer data to tailor every interaction.
6. Analytics and Feedback. Constantly analyze journeys and refine processes, procedures, and approaches based on customer input.
7. Proactive Outreach. Don ' t wait for problems. Anticipate and address them with timely updates.
8. Quality Across Channels. Maintain consistent service standards across voice, email, chat, and social.
9. Privacy and Security. Build trust by protecting customer data and being transparent.
10. Evolved Metrics. Track effort scores, digital channel first contact resolution, and agent satisfaction alongside traditional KPIs.
REDEFINING ROLES IN A DIGITAL-FIRST CONTACT CENTER
So, what are the roles of contact center personnel in this new environment?
Agents Become Digital Advisors. Modern agents manage multiple channels and must be fluent in chat etiquette, writing, tech troubleshooting, and empathy. They don ' t just answer questions: they help customers navigate tools, provide reassurance, and even identify sales opportunities. Most importantly, they must be able to manage heightened customer emotions.
Managers Become CX Strategists. Contact center leaders must now be tech-savvy, cross-functional collaborators. They influence product roadmaps, champion the customer internally, and measure success by outcomes, not output.
New Roles Emerge. Digital-first service creates roles like chatbot trainer, knowledge manager, and digital support analyst. These specialists work behind the scenes to ensure smooth experiences.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLES
Frost Bank embraced a digital-first but human-centered model by offering 24 / 7 live chat with no bots or phone trees. Their bet on " always-available " human service, delivered digitally, has resulted in industry-leading customer satisfaction.
Telstra, Australia ' s largest telecom company, dramatically improved digital first contact resolution by redesigning their mobile app and self-service channels to handle over 70 % of support requests.