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From contact center to intelligent service: 10 key insights into its transformation
The contact center is no longer just an operational channel, it has become a strategic business asset. Today, migrating to the cloud, integrating AI, automating processes, and embracing omnichannel strategies are key transformation drivers that are redefining the role of customer service.
In this article we answer ten key questions that explain how traditional contact centers are evolving into truly intelligent service platforms.
■ An intelligent contact center is a cloud-based customer service platform that integrates AI, automation, and omnichannel capabilities to deliver faster, more personalized, and more strategic experiences—combining operational efficiency with a proactive approach to customer engagement.
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1. What are the main advantages of migrating a contact center to the Cloud?
Migrating the contact center to the Cloud delivers flexibility to scale resources dynamically with demand—ideal for handling activity peaks—while reducing spend on physical infrastructure by adopting an operational expenditure (OPEX) model, which improves financial predictability and accelerates return on investment.
It also provides access to advanced technologies such as AI, automation, and analytics, boosting innovation with minimal disruption. It enhances service stability by ensuring operational continuity, distributed operations, and minimal downtime.
Ultimately, the Cloud not only drives internal efficiency but also improves customer experience, turning the contact center into a strategic lever for digital transformation and sustainable competitive advantage.
The Cloud drives internal efficiency and improves customer experience, turning the contact center into a strategic lever for digital transformation and sustainable competitive advantage.
2. What challenges can a company face when migrating to the Cloud and how can these be mitigated?
One major challenge is the perceived loss of control when relying on third parties. To mitigate this risk, it’s crucial to choose providers that guarantee transparency and strong service level agreements (SLAs), as well as certified data governance and security. In regulated industries, security becomes critical and can be addressed with robust encryption, frequent audits, and regulatory compliance.
Another significant challenge is the risk of cost overrun inherent to pay-as-you-go models. This can be resolved through FinOps practices that optimise resource consumption and improve predictability. Likewise, integration with legacy systems can be complex, but is eased by a progressive approach based on APIs and hybrid architectures.
Finally, cultural transformation is essential during migration. Effective change management—with training, clear communication, and early visible results—builds trust and organisational buy-in, accelerating Cloud adoption and maximising its strategic value.
Effective change management and the adoption of best practices help overcome Cloud migration challenges, building trust and maximising its strategic value.
3. What comes after migrating a contact center to the Cloud?
Migration is just the beginning. It’s followed by a maturity phase in which the company can harness the full potential of the Cloud: from incorporating speech and text analytics to understand what the customer says and feels, to deploying generative AI to assist agents or automating tasks through RPA (robotic process automation).
A critical phase of continuous optimisation begins. It’s no longer just about lifting and shifting workloads, but about redesigning architectures, applying AI, automating processes, and improving operational efficiency.
Companies adopt observability tools, practices like FinOps to control spend, and—above all—consolidate a new cultural model based on agility, collaboration, and constant innovation. In short, the truly transformative work starts right after migration.
4. How is AI transforming customer service?
AI is completely redefining the relationship between companies and customers. It’s no longer experimental; it’s the operational core of many key processes.
It automates repetitive tasks—such as identity verification or call routing—and frees agents to focus on more complex cases.
Plus, thanks to natural language processing and machine learning, AI can analyse sentiment, anticipate issues, or suggest real-time responses. Chatbots, predictive systems, and agent assist tools are increasing efficiency, improving quality, and reducing handling times.
AI is completely redefining the relationship between companies and customers, becoming the operational core of many key processes.
5. Can a poorly designed AI strategy harm the customer experience?
Yes. When implemented indiscriminately or when human touchpoints are removed at key moments, AI can create frustration. Poorly trained bots, automated decisions without context, or a lack of empathy degrade the user experience.
AI should complement, not replace. Its value lies in delivering smoother, more personalised and efficient service without sacrificing the human component when it’s needed.
AI complements, it does not replace: its value lies in offering a smoother, more personalised and efficient service, without sacrificing the human component when needed.
6. What is the role of human agents in an increasingly automated contact center?
The human agent’s role is more strategic than ever. While AI handles repetitive tasks, agents become the touchpoint that brings empathy, judgement, and personalisation.
Tools such as agent assist or real-time recommendation systems enhance their ability to resolve better and faster. This hybrid model—where humans and AI collaborate—improves the experience for both the customer and the agent.
The human agent’s role is more strategic than ever: they bring empathy, judgement, and personalisation in an increasingly automated environment.
7. Are we ready to deliver agentless service in some channels?
In many cases, yes. Channels like chat, WhatsApp, or automated calls enable effective self-service for simple tasks—for example, balance enquiries or order updates.
That said, this doesn’t mean applying it across the board. The key is to design empathetic bots that understand customer intent and know when to hand over to a human agent. Automation should improve the experience, not depersonalise it.
Automation should improve the experience, not depersonalise it.
8. Is omnichannel still a competitive advantage? What are common mistakes when implementing it?
It’s a basic requirement. Customers demand seamless, consistent service across channels, without interruptions, and without having to repeat information they’ve already provided in previous interactions.
The most common mistake is keeping channels in silos, without integration. Another is focusing only on internal metrics without measuring the real user experience. In addition, many underestimate channels like email, which—when managed well—can be as agile as chat and is essential for cases requiring traceability or documentation.
The most common mistake is keeping channels in silos, without integration. Customers expect seamless, consistent service across channels.
9. What does it mean today to deliver a “good experience” and how has it changed in the last five years?
It has changed radically. Today, a good experience means personalisation, immediacy, self-service, and continuity across channels. Customers want to feel recognised, understood, and served at the time and place of their choice.
It used to be enough to be friendly and resolve quickly. Now, customers expect a fluid experience where systems remember, channels are integrated, and responses are proactive and empathetic. Even bots should sound like human agents.
A good experience means personalisation, immediacy, self-service, and integration across channels.
10. What will be the next big disruption in the CCaaS market?
The leap will come from combining generative AI, advanced automation, and real-time data. It’s not just about serving better, but about anticipating, personalising at scale, and transforming the contact center into a strategic customer intelligence platform.
We’ll see autonomous assistants managing interactions end-to-end, augmented agents with predictive insights, and environments where AI and humans collaborate to deliver more personalised and satisfying experiences.
The next big disruption will be a contact center that predicts, automates, and resolves.
Photo: Brooke Cagle / Unsplash.
