Front pagesponsored · QContact
Contact Center17m · 13:31 GMT · 1 min read
Is Your Contact Center Ready for AI Without the Hype?
Boards want AI to deflect contacts and cut costs fast, but messy data and emotional customers tell a different story. QContact’s Stephen Butler-Emmett explains why CX leaders should augment first, automate second – starting with AI-powered quality assurance to protect customer trust
AI is now a boardroom priority, but the reality inside the contact center is more complex than many leaders expect.
In this CX Today interview, Nicole Willingspeaks with Stephen Butler-Emmett, CX and AI Specialist atQContact, about how organizations can adopt artificial intelligence in customer experience without damaging trust, overwhelming agents, or undermining future transformation plans.
Butler-Emmett explains that many CX teams are facing a familiar challenge: senior leaders want fast cost savings and high levels of contact deflection, while frontline teams are dealing with messy data, emotionally charged customers, and operational processes that are not always ready for automation. When businesses rush AI into customer-facing journeys, the result can be poor containment, frustrated customers, and bots that act more like barriers than helpful support.
The smarter approach is to augment first, then automate, Butler-Emmett explains. One of the clearest opportunities is in quality assurance. Traditional QA processes often rely on small samples of customer interactions, making it difficult for leaders to get a complete view of performance. AI can analyze every interaction, helping teams move from limited scorecards to more meaningful insight, coaching, and motivation.
The interview offers practical insights for CX leaders under pressure to move quickly on AI, but who need to protect customer trust and operational credibility.
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