Ready for a peek into the AI-driven future of contact centers? Dive in with our special guest, Robbert Dijkstra of Deepdesk. Discover how AI transforms both the agent and customer experience in digital mediums like chat. Robbert shares how automation not only boosts productivity but also reduces repetitive tasks for agents. Grasp the crucial role of data in shaping large language models. When integrated with customer interactions and context, the results are a stellar customer...

Here is a quick min-pod on some initial thoughts on the 350 million dollar purchase of LiveVox by NICE. This is essentially a union of two firms where one's strengths balance out the other's limitations. The Cxone Dialer is mediocre, and certainly not a standout in the industry, whereas CXone continues to be the industry front-runner for inbound CcaaS. On the other hand, LiveVox boasts an outstanding outbound service with a vast portfolio of outbound clients. However, they've struggled to...

Ready to transform crisis into opportunity? In this episode, we promise to arm you with practical strategies and cutting-edge tools to navigate the choppy waters of crisis management in contact centers. We use our insights and experiences to illuminate the potential of modern Customer Experience tools to mitigate such crises. With our guidance, you'll learn about setting up minimalistic self-service websites, deploying AI chatbots to deliver vital information, and strategizing to handle...

Ready to unlock the secrets of automated QA in your contact center? This episode is brimming with insights about using chatGPT to revolutionize your QA, promising to transform how you approach your work. We walk side by side with you, through the labyrinth of user accounts and databases, right up to crafting prompts for a form from a client.  Ever wondered how to ask the most effective questions and generate impactful call evaluation outputs? Your search ends here. We navigate the crucial...

Dive into our mini podcast on our new value add OttoQA!  Discover how we're reshaping the landscape of QA for call centers with fewer than 50 agents. Say goodbye to spreadsheet hassles and embrace AI-driven efficiency.  Plus, find out how you can become an integral part of our journey as an Alpha and Beta partner. Don't miss this quick but informative listen. We're gearing up to launch OttoQA, the game-changing QA automation tailored for smaller contact centers. But here's the twist — we...

In "Revolutionizing Call Centers with ChatGPT Prompts," we unveil the power of AI in redefining call center operations. This episode is a goldmine for managers and supervisors, as we share the best prompts to optimize and streamline your operations. Dive deep with us into the crux of Overall Operations to decipher key performance metrics and understand their implications. Learn how Workforce Management can be demystified with the Erlang C formula and ChatGPT. Uncover the transformative...

Episode 200! Dive into the evolving landscape of AI in the contact center QA space with our next Advice from a Call Center Geek podcast!  Chris Mounce of EvaluAgent® returns to go head-to-head with our host Tom Laird in a riveting debate.  Can AI truly automate scorecards, or are we still testing the waters? How do we ensure quality in AI-powered QA, and how should we interpret and leverage the data it generates? Discover the most practical AI use-cases in QA right now.   We're peeling...

Envision a reality where Artificial Intelligence (AI) commandeers your customer service. Consider AI not merely conducting routine transactions but also enhancing intricate and emotionally nuanced dialogues with your customers. Is this a far-off dream or a prevailing reality? We dive into this and much more in our recent "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast episode with customer experience maestro and influencer, James Dodkins. We embark on a journey through the realm of 'autonomous...

Ever wondered how your contact center could save significant costs while keeping up with the QA process? Brace yourself for an enlightening discussion and AMA where we unravel the potential of AI in transforming Quality Assurance in your contact center.  We'll take you through our early journey of automating QA processes, sharing our experiments with chat GPT and how its possible for any contact center to start to think through the process of using AI for QA. We're gearing up to launch...

You are just a click away from transforming your contact center from a drab workspace to a vibrant one; come join me, Tom Laird, as we revolutionize your call center experience. I promise to share the secrets to creating a positive and effort-driven culture, where attitude and effort outweigh resumes. I'm excited to share insights from my own journey of managing a contact center, making it a more desirable place to work, and how we can adopt these practices to revamp any workplace...

Imagine having the power to reshape customer experience in your call center with artificial intelligence. What if you could emulate the behaviour of your most effective agents, optimize IVR, manage workforces, and even facilitate self-service with AI? Get ready to explore how AI is transforming the world of customer service, as we delve into these possibilities and much more. From digital twins to generative chatbots, we bring you the inside scoop on how AI models are revolutionizing customer...

Ever wondered how the hustle and bustle of your favorite restaurant correlates with the operations of a call center? Picture yourself at a bustling eatery as we break down the ins and outs of call center metrics in relatable terms. We’ll be interpreting essential terms like incoming calls, cue calls, and abandoned calls in an easy-to-digest format, perfect for those just venturing into the industry. Now, imagine the chefs at a restaurant, working tirelessly to keep up with the flurry of...

Are you struggling with coaching your call center agents effectively? Join us as we explore five popular coaching methods and share personal experiences on how to structure agent coaching sessions for maximum results. With insights on the GROW method, the Oscar method, and more, you'll learn how to help your agents take control of their calls and elevate their performance. This episode is packed with valuable discussions on various coaching models, including the GROW, OSKAR, COACH, CLEAR,...

This episode of ACG was taken from the Linkedin Live Audio Even that we did with followers on June 13, 2023. Some of the topics brought up were: What is the internal lift to implement tools like speech analytics? Plusses and minuses of moving to the cloud? What ratios should contact center management be? What are some of the best practices for routing in the IVR? What are some of the overall best practices for CX in the IVR? A lot of value here as these are all done in a conversational AMA...

Ready for a game-changing episode that will skyrocket your contact center's customer experience? Join us as we unveil 10 tips on maximizing your platform, from leveraging  analytics to engaging your employees in creative ways. Discover the power of using an effort multiplier to incentivize attendance and workforce intelligence to keep your service levels top-notch. We'll share practical examples from our own BPO, Expedia Interaction Marketing Group, and offer insights on enhancing both...

Hubie Brown is a renowned basketball coach known for his impactful strategies and insight. When I attended one of his clinics, the title was "Cool Things I Want to Talk About to Help You With Your Teams." It featured 10 random, yet valuable, pieces of advice to improve a team's performance. As I prepare my live talks for this spring and summer, I've decided to create a podcast inspired by Hubie Brown's approach. In this episode, I'll share 10 useful tips to enhance your contact center...

Join us in this episode as we reflect on our learnings from the Call and Contact Center Expo.  We delve into the realities of AI in the contact center industry, discussing key trends, innovations, and insights from my conversations with industry leaders and companies.  We explore what's genuinely feasible with AI, the challenges in adoption, and why we may still have a ways to go before realizing its full potential.  Tune in for a balanced perspective on the state of AI in contact centers...

In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we dive deep into the world of contact center quality assurance with QA expert, Chris Mounce from EvaluAgent. Together, we explore the crucial do's and don'ts of designing effective contact center scorecards, offering valuable insights on the development of comprehensive and meaningful metrics that accurately gauge agent performance.  We delve into the importance of understanding the intricacies of your specific contact center and the...

In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, I share my insights and experiences on harnessing the power of TikTok and other social media platforms to boost B2B sales and personal branding within the call center and contact center industry.  Drawing from my personal journey and learnings, I discuss proven strategies, valuable tips, and real-life examples to help you create engaging content, connect with your target audience, and stand out in the competitive landscape.  Tune in to...

Unravel the mystery behind the "wow" factor in contact center customer service in our Advice from a Call Center Geek Episode, " Deconstructing the "Wow" Experience: Defining Excellence in Contact Centers."  We'll discuss the pitfalls of "false hustle" and the significance of authentic communication, empathy, and active listening in building strong connections with customers.  Explore strategies to understand customer expectations and tailor your approach for various industries.  Join us on...

 In this thought-provoking podcast episode, we venture beyond the traditional perception of AI and ChatGPT as mere chatbot tools, revealing their true potential to revolutionize the contact center industry in numerous ways.  Discover 10 unique applications of ChatGPT that go far beyond customer interactions, touching on advanced training and onboarding for agents, creative problem-solving, workforce management, augmented reality integration, and more.  Uncover how ChatGPT is enhancing...

Post covid, with many of our staff WFH, we have rethought how we train and prepare our contact center middle management and agent supervisors to excel in their roles.   In this episode, we talk about the new management trainee program that will be will be implementing to our staff later in 2023.  We hope this gives you some ideas to help your management staff as well. 1. Building out your contact center hierarchy 2. Weekly meetings 3. Teach Leadership theory 4. Practical Skills 5. Legal...

In this episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek" Podcast, we look at 9-10 ways that you can improve the coaching culture of your contact center to create better agents and improve the customer experience. We also answer some questions that came in on Linkedin and TikTok Live! Observe.AI is the fastest way to boost contact center performance with live conversation intelligence.  Learn more about the leading conversation intelligence for contact centers at Observe.AI. Follow Tom:...

We all want a better CX, and doing that means we need to improve the tone of how we are interacting with customers.   I have seen it many times when a customer calls a contact center and gets the desired outcome they needed, but because the tone was off on the call (indifference, bad word choice, talking over the customer...) the customer left the call with a negative feeling about the call and the company. On the flip side, great customer service agents can make a customer feel good even...

This episode is for you if you are a BPO owner/operator.  In this episode of ACG, we talk about benchmarking the financial aspects of your BPO, setting up your books for maximum valuation, multiples in the market, maximizing your BPO for an exit, and so much more. Every day, contact center BPOs are focused on many operational metrics or KPIs that describe how the center is performing. But that’s not the entire picture. Eric Crouse, Partner at Kommit & Company, an M&A firm that...