automation will not drive a reduction in contact centre agents

Despite the CX industry fully embracing automation, this will not lead to a huge reduction in contact centre agent numbers until after 2026, according to new research released today by Cavell.

The Q2 2024 CCaaS Market Evolution Report interviewed leading CCaaS and Contact Centre providers at companies of all sizes across the UK, Western Europe, and the US to provide a comprehensive understanding of the future of contact centres.

The latest report reveals that while companies are rushing to experiment with AI-powered systems, the main focus is on empowering agents with Agent Assistance platforms rather than replacing them with fully automated systems. Cavell is seeing no immediate drastic fall in agent numbers as the CX industry struggles to trust automation beyond agent assistance and relies on agent confirmation to verify the information and actions recommended by these systems.

Meanwhile, the research also highlights other trends in the CCaaS marketplace, like the continuing pressure of technology convergence and how it is forcing increased competition between companies that have not traditionally been competitors. It also discusses the burdens of properly deploying a complicated AI-enabled integrated technology solution.

Finbarr Begley, Senior Analyst at Cavell, commented: “AI and Automation are the big talking points in CX for 2024; however, the reality is slower than the hype. Companies are still wary of the technology, and mostly looking to deploy it initially to augment human actions rather than in fully automated systems. This strategy will keep humans actively in the loop to catch mistakes before reaching customers. The next stage for companies in the automation journey will be using advanced data analytics to tailor customer journeys and building trust in the automated solutions with customers and employees alike.”

The report forecasts that the total value of the UK CCaaS market will be worth $564m by 2028 and looks at projections for the number of agent jobs will be lost to automation, and the growth in cloud contact centre solutions. It also underscores a growing focus in the CX industry on the SME market, with more off-the-shelf SME-focused packages becoming readily available.