Brendan Read

4 weeks ago | contactcenterpipeline.com | Brendan Read

Working from home (WFH) came into its own five years ago last spring when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. But contact centers were using WFH on a limited scale before then: which was why they were faster to go remote than other business functions when offices were suddenly closed. Lately, companies and governments have been pressuring remote-working employees to return to the office (RTO).

4 weeks ago | contactcenterpipeline.com | Brendan Read

April marks the first full month of spring. It is also the start of the hurricane and wildfire seasons: as Florida and southern California respectively slowly recover from theirs. And tornadoes can now happen most anywhere and at anytime. Contact centers are at the hub of business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) efforts. This April is also the fifth anniversary of the first full month of the COVID-19 pandemic, with experts looking for signs of the next potentially deadly outbreak.

1 month ago | contactcenterpipeline.com | Brendan Read

To successfully engage with customers - and deliver to them loyalty and delight-and-revenue-driving excellent customer experiences (CXs) – you need to speak their language. Both figurately – as in avoiding jargon, using their terms, and above all listening to what they are saying – but also literally. For customers whose primary or preferred language is not English in the U.S. (and/or French in Canada) that could be a challenge for them and for many organizations. And that’s understandable.

2 months ago | contactcenterpipeline.com | Brendan Read

The November 2024 Feature article, “Ensuring Quality in Anxious Times,” focuses on the quality assurance and quality management (QA/QM) challenges facing - but also opportunities available - to contact centers, such as those provided by artificial intelligence (AI)-driven applications. This Feature article deeper-dives into the people issues and explores solutions, both human and automated, to ensure quality customer experiences (CXs) through the agents.

Dec 31, 2024 | contactcenterpipeline.com | Brendan Read

It is always important to remember, as we enter the New Year, to focus on what truly counts and that is people. For contact centers that means the customers: and the personnel who engage both directly and indirectly with them. Like the agents, supervisors, and managers. But also like the back office, engineering, HR, IT, and supply chain staff who also make this people experience happen.