CONTACT CENTER VALUE
BY TONY LAMA, AVAYA
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE STOCK
TURNING COST CENTERS INTO GROWTH CENTERS
THE FOCUS IS NOW ON CONTINUITY, NOT CHANNEL.
For decades, organizations have managed contact centers through a narrow operational lens. They have viewed them primarily as necessary cost centers, measured by their ability to resolve issues as efficiently as possible while keeping expenses under control.
Metrics such as average handle time( AHT), abandonment rates, and cost per interaction have long defined success. These measures remain important for maintaining efficiency. Yet they capture only part of the contact center’ s true strategic value.
36 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE
As customer expectations evolve and interaction data becomes central to business performance, forward-thinking organizations now recognize the contact center as something far more consequential. That is, a real-time engine for relationship intelligence, revenue influence, and enterprise-wide decision-making.
This shift – from cost center to growth center – is not simply about improving service. It reflects a broader rethinking of how organizations engage customers and how everyday interactions can create measurable business impact.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE CONTACT CENTER
Customer expectations have changed dramatically. Consumers now insist:
• On seamless and personalized experiences across every channel they use, whether that’ s voice, chat, messaging, email, or social media.
• That companies remember their histories, understand their preferences, and resolve issues quickly without forcing them to repeat information or navigate disconnected systems.