The customer support landscape is transitioning from basic automation into the era of digital labour. Within modern service ecosystems, agentic AI marks a significant advancement over previous generations of support tools by moving beyond static responses toward autonomous problem-solving. Digital labour encompasses productive activities facilitated by digital infrastructures, where work is coordinated.It can also describe …
In 2026, customer experience is defined by how well a brand supports a customer the moment they lose confidence, hesitate, or feel overloaded. The best brands don’t drown people in touchpoints. They pay attention to their individual behaviour and use a blend of AI and human engagement to step in when it matters. Loyalty follows …
Since ChatGPT rose to prominence at the end 2022, CX technology vendors have been busy integrating the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Gen AI into their software platforms. The aim has been to deliver more human-like, personalised, and efficient interactions at scale. Over the years, chatbots have evolved through several distinct generations, moving …
The journey toward genuine customer obsession requires more than just good intentions—it demands a robust, organisation-wide strategy for customer listening. In 2018 IKEA embarked on a VoC program aimed at building a single source of truth about its customers and the business. IKEA’s need for its Voice of the Customer (VoC) program stemmed from its …
As we head into 2026, the contact centre is about to take a major leap forward. Customer expectations are rising, digital channels continue to multiply, and companies are waking up to something we’ve been saying for years: service isn’t a cost centre but a strategic differentiator and a genuine driver of growth. From our vantage …
Failing to disclose an AI interaction, particularly one that results in a poor service experience, leads to negative sentiments and may push customers toward more transparent competitors. I recently interviewed Nicholas Kontopoulos, Vice President of Marketing, Asia Pacific & Japan for Twilio about the indispensable role of transparency and trust when implementing AI. If organisations …
As contact centres become ever-more-essential business assets, the measures used to evaluate their performance need to evolve apace, write Customer Science CEO Todd Gorsuch and Crayon IQ founder Audrey William. Have recent years seen your organisation become ever more reliant on its contact centre to disseminate information, deal with all manner of customer interactions and …
It seems a week can’t go by without people losing their marbles over some new thing: abstract, techy, quasi-predictive, and always, always hyperbolic. Well, here we go again. The LinkedIn bros are hyperventilating about how our personal bots will be shopping for our new car, speaker-system, gumboots, and tampons. “The old commerce world is dead!”, …
In an era where consumers are spoiled for choice, and AI agents increasingly act on behalf of human customers, every digital interaction has become a make-or-break moment. One glitch in a login flow, a clunky verification step, or an interface that simply doesn’t feel secure can send customers fleeing – often for good. While price …
In a recent interview with CXFocus’s Michael Gwilliam, at Ashton Media’s CX Retreat, Siân Howatson, Head of Customer Insights & Automation at Swyftx, discussed the evolving trends in CX, emphasising proactive and predictive customer experiences enabled by AI. She stressed the need for a balanced approach to AI implementation, ensuring it complements employee experience and …
