INSIDE VIEW
AI ISSUES
THERE ARE REPORTS THAT TOO MANY SO-CALLED AI PRODUCTS ARE FLUFF, GIMMICKS, REBRANDS, TO CAPITALIZE ON THE HYPE. ARE YOU SEEING THIS WITH THE AI PRODUCTS BEING PITCHED TO CONTACT CENTERS AND IF SO, WHICH TYPES? HOW SHOULD CONTACT CENTERS SEPARATE THE REAL FROM THE FAKE?
A: Yes, there is definitely hype around AI, and some products in the market feel more like fluff or rebrands trying to capitalize on that hype.
However, within the contact center space specifically, I haven’ t seen too many of these gimmicky solutions gaining real traction. Most vendors are focused on delivering genuine AI capabilities that add value, such as improving customer interactions or agent productivity.
To separate real AI from hype, contact centers should look for solutions with proven results, clear use cases, and measurable impact, rather than just marketing claims.
AI, COACHING, AND SUPERVISION
The AI conversation in contact centers has mostly, it appears, been around agents. But what are and will be its impacts on coaching and supervision, including qualifications, skills, and how to coach, train, and supervise in an AI environment?
And finally, on how many coaches and supervisors are needed( e. g., agent-to-supervisor ratios)?
We raised these points and questions with Vigneshwaran Jagadeesan Pugazhenthi. Here are his answers:
“ AI’ s impact extends well beyond agents: it’ s transforming coaching and supervision in contact centers too,” says Vigneshwaran.
“ With AI-driven analytics, supervisors gain deeper insights into agent performance in real time, such as sentiment analysis, conversation effectiveness, and compliance adherence. This allows for more personalized, timely, and data-backed coaching rather than relying on periodic reviews.
“ Training also evolves as AI can identify skill gaps more precisely and recommend tailored learning paths for agents, making upskilling more efficient and targeted.
“ Regarding workforce ratios, AI can improve agent efficiency and reduce the need for high supervisor-to-agent ratios. But the exact numbers will depend on the complexity of interactions and organizational goals.”
BOX 2
THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF FAILING AI PROJ- ECTS, WITH ACCURACY, BIAS, HALLUCINATIONS, PRIVACY, AND SECURITY AMONG THE ISSUES.
IS AI TRULY READY FOR PRIME TIME IN THE CON- TACT CENTER? GIVEN THE RISKS OF AND BRAND, LOYALTY, AND POTENTIAL REVENUE IMPACTS OF POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM AI MISHAPS, PLUS THE ADDED COSTS TO CORRECT THEM? SHOULDN’ T CONTACT CENTERS HOLD OFF LIKE A YEAR OR TWO, UNTIL THE TECHNOLOGY MATURES?
A: Yes, challenges like bias, hallucinations, and privacy concerns are real, and companies are actively working to address them. But AI is evolving fast: and many contact center vendors are already building guardrails to improve reliability and accountability.
Waiting a year or two might feel safer. But by then, it could be too late. The organizations adopting AI now are learning, iterating, and pulling ahead. The better approach is to start small, implement AI where it adds clear value, and build maturity gradually: rather than sitting out and risking falling behind.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONTACT CENTERS
WHAT ARE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONTACT CENTERS THAT ARE SEEKING TO BUY AND USE AI-BASED SOLUTIONS?
A: My key recommendation is don’ t adopt AI just because it’ s trending. Contact centers should first identify the specific business problem they’ re trying to solve, whether it’ s improving call containment, reducing agent workload, enhancing CX, or boosting operational efficiency.
Once that’ s clear, they should focus on implementing AI in that targeted area first. Start small, measure the outcomes, and expand based on results. This approach ensures that AI is aligned with real business impact and avoids unnecessary complexity or wasted investment.
AI isn’ t a magic solution. It’ s a powerful tool when applied with purpose and clarity.
Brendan Read is Editor of Contact Center Pipeline. He has been covering and working in customer service and sales and for contact center companies for most of his career. Brendan has edited and written for leading industry publications and has been an industry analyst. He also has authored and co-authored books on contact center design, customer support, and working from home. Brendan can be reached at brendan @ contactcenterpipeline. com.
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