The annual conference ‘Improving Performance in the Contact Centre’ received a record number of attendees in November, which only goes to prove that this is still a centre-stage event for the call centre industry. For those of you that missed the event here are the highlights:- there was excellent contribution from two of the industry’s leading digital editors Jonty Pearce of Call Centre Helper and Jon Snow of Call Centre Clinic. Top of the list was addressing issues such as employee retention and motivation with both recommending ways to motivate employees. One of the most novel stories was the introduction of ‘duvet days’; these are days where staff can ring in and say that they won’t be coming to work and the day is then deducted from their annual leave allocation. Findings show that employees stay more motivated with the flexibility offered and the company’s absenteeism is reduced because staff are not ‘throwing a sickie’. In the ‘big bucks’ saving department Anna Convery, CMO of ClickFox, explained how a leading telecoms service provider retained over 1,500 customers a month and an estimated $20 million in revenue due to deployment of their CEM (Customer Experience Monitoring) solution – definitely an area for examination for the large B2C contact centre. The new CEO of the Institute of Customer Service, Jo Causon, discussed what keeps CEO’s awake at night in times of recession and why service matters if you want to get 24% higher net profit margin and 71% higher profit per employee. Jo finished by commenting: ‘The only way to lead out of a recession is to lead with customer service’. Written by: Business Systems UK
Blog 29 January, 2026 Microsoft Teams Recording Without the Risk: A Practical Guide for Regulated Organisations Microsoft Teams has become the backbone of collaboration across financial services, insurance, the public sector and other regulated industries. Trading conversations, client discussions, internal decisions and approvals are now happening daily across voice, video, chat and shared files. That shift brings opportunity, but it also introduces risk. For organisations operating under regulations such as FCA,
Blog 5 December, 2025 The clock is ticking: Why end-of-life recording systems are a critical compliance risk Outdated recording technology isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a ticking time bomb for regulated firms. For financial services and other heavily regulated industries, end-of-life (EoL) voice recording systems can create dangerous blind spots. When vendors withdraw support, these unsupported platforms become vulnerable, exposing your firm to major compliance penalties under frameworks like MiFID II, FCA,
Blog 20 November, 2025 Proactive AI vs Reactive AI: Understanding the Difference Artificial intelligence is changing the way organisations across the UK engage with customers, but all AI solutions aren’t created equal. Many still rely on reactive models that respond only once a customer makes contact. Proactive AI takes a more advanced approach, identifying needs and acting before the customer does. Understanding the key differences between proactive
Blog 20 November, 2025 5 Ways Proactive AI Can Reduce Manual Workload in Contact Centres Contact centres today face a familiar challenge: maintaining exceptional service while managing high volumes, rising costs, and limited resources. Agents are spending valuable time on repetitive, manual work instead of focusing on complex, high-value interactions that truly build customer loyalty. This is where Proactive AI makes a measurable difference. By combining automation with intelligence, it
Blog 4 November, 2025 End-of-Life Voice Recording Systems: Why Doing Nothing Is No Longer an Option in Voice Data Compliance Across regulated industries, a silent risk is growing. As legacy voice recording platforms reach end-of-life (EoL), they don’t just age, they expose organisations to compliance blind spots, data integrity issues, operational fragility and accrue mounting maintenance costs. Ignoring unsupported systems is no longer a harmless oversight; it’s a calculated compliance gamble. With regulators tightening oversight
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