London, United Kingdom – July 11, 2023: There is no sign of the pace of change slowing down for contact centre leaders according to the latest Evolution of the Contact Centre research. Customer contact is being radically reshaped before our eyes: customer needs have become significantly more complex and more urgent, thanks to the stresses brought about by high inflation and other socio-economic factors happening in the UK and across the world.

Supported by Puzzel, a leading European CCaaS (Contact Centre as a Service) provider, the Summer 2023 edition of The Evolution of the Contact Centre is the latest in the CCMA’s long-running series which explores how the contact centre industry is changing.

“As we approach the Summer of 2023, contact centres are under huge pressure to achieve efficiencies and in some instances are being asked to cut headcount,” said CCMA CEO, Leigh Hopwood. “In difficult economic circumstances it is understandable that some organisations may seek to cut costs, and to look at customer contact as an area where potential savings might be achieved. At the same time decision-makers should be reminded of the crucial role customer contact has for business sustainability and how instrumental it is to the health of our society.”

“Challenge breeds opportunity of course, and in difficult circumstances, we are seeing an elevation of roles and responsibilities as the level of expertise needed in the contact centre surges,” explains Leigh. “A substantial chunk of this report is devoted to how the demand for know-how is changing the way contact centres recruit, train and retain, and indeed how the well-rounded capabilities of leaders in the contact centre make them potentially well suited for other senior roles.”

“Whilst the contact centre industry has not fully kept pace with the demand for change, the future looks promising, and the challenges posed by the current economic scenario could serve as a turning point for the industry,” says Gabriela Warren, CMO at Puzzel. “As we venture into the second half of 2023, contact centres must think strategically about how they can leverage automation to drive efficiency and reduce demand on their operations. We hope that this report will serve as a guiding light for contact centres as they brave the storms and embrace the potential for growth and innovation.”

The Evolution of the Contact Centre research identifies five key takeaways for contact centre leaders:

• A perfect storm of organisational cost-cutting at the same time as surging contact demand is pushing contact centres to find efficiencies.
• Many operations are still honing their hybrid models, trying to balance colleagues’ desire for flexibility with the benefits of time in office (training and team cohesion).
• As customer needs become more urgent and more complex, this is elevating skills and expertise on the front line.
• ESG credentials and a well-known brand can be advantageous for employers in what is still a difficult recruitment environment.
• Contact centres breed great leaders with the potential to take on executive roles, as long as they can effectively build their personal brands and networks.

For more details on the research, please visit https://www.puzzel.com/neighbourhood/media-insights/white-papers/part-7-the-evolution-of-the-contact-centre/.

About Puzzel

Puzzel is the leading European provider of Customer Engagement Solutions. Every day, more than 1,200 organisations across 40 countries use our software to deliver smart customer experiences, blending the powers of people and technology to serve customers efficiently, effectively and with empathy. The Puzzel Customer Engagement Platform enables organisations to create rich journeys for their customers, with a mix of live and self-service experiences that give people the freedom to choose when, where and how they get help. Artificial intelligence is harnessed at every touchpoint to automate tasks, provide insight, and personalise service and support. Puzzel also includes a suite productivity and planning tools to empower managers and agents to reach their goals and continuously improve performance. With 20+ years of experience in the industry, Puzzel is the CCaaS provider organisations trust when every moment matters. For more information, visit www.puzzel.com.

About the CCMA

For nearly 30 years, the CCMA (Call Centre Management Association), as the longest established contact centre industry body, has been dedicated to supporting contact centre leaders across the UK. Founded on the principles of sharing best practice and networking to improve skills and knowledge, the CCMA is a thriving community that represents leaders from a huge cross-section of the industry.

Membership of the largest community in the industry offers unique opportunities, such as free annual benchmarking of 25+ KPIs, free entry into the UK National Contact Centre Awards and free tickets to the UK National Contact Centre Conference, invites to Executive Networking Dinners and exclusive events for members-only. Members also benefit from discounted training through the UK National Contact Centre Academy, the industry’s training partner.

To support the industry further, the CCMA conducts regular original research for download, including the annual Voice of the Contact Centre Consumer research, the Evolution of the Contact Centre tracking the industry’s progress and Good Practice Guides on a variety of topics.