Inspiring speakers, classy venue, record registrations, running in its 7th year, the ‘Improving Performance in the Contact Centre’ 2008 Conference proved as popular as ever. Over 250 delegates attended the event held at London’s premier wine tasting venue, Vinopolis. If you didn’t manage to attend – here’s the highlights: Paul Cooper, Communications Director at the Institute of Customer Service (ICS) emphasised how customer service professionals are the ‘brand guardians’ of today, representing the front line of what truly differentiates your organisation. Interestingly he also noted that 70% of CRM programmes today aren’t working towards customer satisfaction – and to help improve customer service Paul identified 4 characteristics of service excellence whilst recommending a 10 point plan to make it achievable. In summary, customer service rules, but getting it right is as tricky as always! We all know the severity of today’s economic climate but not all of us are sure how it affects customer service in the contact centre. Anne Marie Forsyth, Chief Executive of Customer Contact Association (CCA) gave us the latest feedback from the association’s findings, stating that ‘we need good customer service in boom times but we need great customer service in challenging climates!’ Anne Marie also covered issues of ‘trust’ and the role of the contact centre in establishing that trust, whilst stressing the need to change the way we listen in order to implement change. Cisco Systems presented some interesting statistics stating that 50% of customers and 50% of employees are lost every five years. Dave went on to say that unfortunately, due to stats like these, many contact centres are viewed as ‘cost centres not profit centres’. Where as with the right processes and the correct application of technology the situation can be reversed and 7 such areas were discussed All in all the event was a resounding success – not only did delegates brush up on their industry knowledge; the free wine tasting went down a treat! Written by: Business Systems UK
Blog 28 August, 2025 What is Conversational AI? A Beginner’s Guide to Smarter CX In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, businesses are under increasing pressure to deliver seamless and efficient customer experiences (CX). Customers expect quick responses, personalised interactions, and 24/7 availability. This is where Conversational AI comes in. By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP), Conversational AI enhances customer service, automates interactions, and significantly improves operational
Blog 23 July, 2025 Mike Wardell Appointed Executive Chairman We are pleased to announce that Mike Wardell, former CEO of Business Systems Ltd, has transitioned to the role of Executive Chairman of both Business Systems and Wordwatch. This strategic move marks a significant milestone for both brands as they continue to strengthen their market-leading positions in customer contact solutions and communications governance and archiving.
Blog 16 July, 2025 Unlocking the Power of Conversation: How Interaction Analytics Is Reshaping Contact Centre Workforce Planning Contact centres are no longer just cost centres – they’re goldmines of actionable insight. And in 2025, forward-thinking customer contact leaders are discovering that the most untapped resource in their operations isn’t in headcount or tech—it’s the conversations they’re already having. Welcome to the era of interaction analytics. With the power to transform how you
Blog 8 July, 2025 From Hype to Impact: AI Strategies for Maximum ROI AI is revolutionising customer contact – but for many contact centres, the results aren’t matching the promise. Despite a surge in experimentation, too many organisations find themselves in “pilot paralysis”: high on potential, low on return. Contact centres need to adopt AI, but many are hitting the same wall: inconsistent ROI. Why? Because not all
Blog 3 June, 2025 Why Workforce Engagement is Key to Retaining Contact Centre Agents Call of Duty: Why Engaged Agents Stay in Contact Centres One repeat challenge our consultants see when we partner with new organisations is Agent retention. With increasing customer expectations, hybrid working models, and AI-driven efficiencies reshaping the contact centre industry, there is always an ongoing pressure for organisations to keep agents engaged and motivated in
Blog 15 May, 2025 How OpenAI’s o3 and o4 Mini Models are a major step forward in Conversational AI for Contact Centres The release of OpenAI’s latest large language models – o3 and o4 mini – represents a major step forward in the evolution of enterprise-grade AI for customer service. These new models are purpose-built to handle complexity, improve reasoning, and scale automation without compromising control or compliance. For contact centres looking to enhance customer experiences and
Blog 1 April, 2025 AI Agents in Contact Centres: Are You Ready for the Future? The Future of Customer Service is Here The contact centre industry is undergoing a significant transformation. Rising customer expectations, increasing operational costs, and workforce shortages are putting immense pressure on businesses to deliver seamless customer experiences while maintaining profitability. The companies that embrace AI agents today are the industry leaders of tomorrow – those that
Blog 10 February, 2025 What is Agentic AI and Why Does It Matter to You? Agentic AI is transforming contact centres by enabling systems to act autonomously, adapt to new situations, and proactively achieve goals – much like a human agent. But how does it differ from traditional automation, and why should contact centre leaders take notice? What is Agentic AI? Unlike rule-based automation, Agentic AI makes independent decisions, learns