Enterprises in Europe are seeking provider support and solutions that offer analytics, omnichannel engagement and personalization to enhance both the customer experience (CX) and contact center agent satisfaction and retention, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.
The 2024 ISG Provider Lens™ Contact Center – Customer Experience Services report for Europe says the European market is experiencing rapid growth in advanced CX, with many businesses considering CX to be a metric for overall business success and a foundational component in the contact center platforms they deploy.
“Advanced enterprise contact centers act as the central point for customer interactions, utilizing a combination of technologies and human interactions to effectively address customer needs,” said Wayne Butterfield, partner, ISG Digital Solutions. “Analytics, omnichannel engagement and personalization are all key to delivering advanced CX.”
Despite the advantages of automation and AI, striking a balance between technology and human interaction is crucial. Customers highly value the empathy and understanding provided by human agents, especially when dealing with complex issues.
Making call center technology empathetic to customers requires a high degree of customization. AI automates the processes call center agents use to address customer issues and personalize the interaction. Remote employee engagement, gamification, collaboration assistance and health assessment functions enabled by AI all promote improved work satisfaction among agents, the report finds.
“The use of AI in automation tools eliminates the need for agents to perform repetitive tasks,” said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. “For contact centers, AI infuses CX tools with interactive voice response (IVR) and natural-language processing, giving agents more time to focus on issues that require greater accuracy and efficiency.”
Generative AI still has the potential to transform CX experiences, but concerns about security and boundaries are slowing widespread adoption, the report says.
For more insights into the contact center CX platform challenges enterprises face, including the need to train agents on new technology and comply with a multitude of regulations, plus ISG’s advice for addressing these issues, see the ISG Provider Lens™ Focal Points briefing here.
The 2024 ISG Provider Lens™ Contact Center – Customer Experience Services report for Europe evaluates the capabilities of 28 providers across three quadrants: Digital Operations, Intelligent Agent Experience, and Intelligent CX (AI & Analytics).
The report names Atento, Capita, Concentrix, Conduent, Firstsource, Foundever, Movate, Teleperformance, Transcom and Wipro as Leaders in all three quadrants. Tech Mahindra was named a Leader in one quadrant.
In addition, HGS is named as a Rising Star — a company with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in two categories. IGT Solutions is named a Rising Star in one category.
In the area of customer experience, HCL Tech is named the global ISG CX Star Performer for 2024 among contact center and CX providers. HCL Tech earned the highest customer satisfaction scores in ISG’s Voice of the Customer survey, part of the ISG Star of Excellence™ program, the premier quality recognition for the technology and business services industry.
Customized versions of the report are available from Capita.
The 2024 ISG Provider Lens™ Contact Center – Customer Experience Services report for Europe is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.