Category: Customer Experience.

As traditional resource-intensive interactive voice response (IVR) systems reach end of life, contact centre operators have an opportunity to transform the complex and often clunky customer experience (CX) associated with legacy systems by embracing a cloud-based IVR modernisation strategy.

Due to the influence that customer experience (CX) wields in winning and retaining the hearts and minds of modern-day consumers, businesses use multiple metrics to track, measure and quantify its impact. From customer satisfaction (CSAT), net promoter score (NPS) and retention statistics to average handling times (AHT), first contact resolution (FCR) rates and customer lifetime value (CLF), these metrics typically emphasise the utilitarian aspects of contact centre effectiveness and ease of use.

In 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) will expand its influence in the contact centre space as this prolific technology trend permeates more facets of daily operations, dominating capital expenditures and strategic decision-making. “While already a dominant trend in recent years, many operators have realised that rushing into AI implementations caused more challenges that it solved, especially when it comes to generative or GenAI,” explains Martin Cross, Chief Technology Officer at Connect.

Over the past three decades, our organisation has witnessed significant advancements in customer experience. The adoption of advanced technologies has enabled organisations to transition from reactive to proactive customer engagement strategies. In South Africa, we’ve seen a steady digital migration that leverages off advanced AI systems to anticipate and fulfill customer needs. This marks a new era of personalised service characterised by proactive engagement.

When a team attempts to collaborate on a project, only to be hindered by a slow, unreliable network, the frustration is bound to mount. This is the reality for many internal users grappling with a poor network user experience (NUX). Fortunately, the emergence of AI-driven networks offers a powerful solution that can significantly enhance both NUX and customer experience (CX).

Businesses are under immense pressure to deliver exceptional customer experiences (CX), with the contact centre the key to delivering omnichannel engagement capabilities that meet and exceed customer expectations. Numerous vendors offer CX that deliver some degree of advanced customer engagement capabilities across technology stacks, whether they are customer relationship management (CRM), customer success management (CSM), or contact centre solutions. Business decision-makers are spoilt for choice.

By Steven Fricker
Connect Chief Revenue Officer Steven Fricker examines why CX technology decision-making is more complex than ever.

The concept of the contact centre is evolving. With customers engaging with you via multiple channels (sometimes simultaneously), the ability to manage the omnichannel experience has become more important than answering and routing calls.

Business challenges are never uniform, so why choose an off-the-shelf solution that fails to adequately address your unique operational and customer experience (CX) needs? Every aspect of the Connect360 Business Enablement Services empowers organisations to prioritise innovation and deliver exceptional customer experiences that foster brand loyalty and drive business growth, both now and in the future.

Crafting exceptional customer experiences (CX) by applying innovative technology has become a strategic differentiator in the digital era.

Businesses that have focused on making incremental improvements to experiences to drive success in every interaction with capabilities like automation, employee empowerment and digital channels have enjoyed quick wins and a competitive advantage.