Anne-Sophie Engert, Head of Customer Care and Conversion at Sonova, stresses why boards should invest in contact centers by showcasing their potential to drive profits through superior customer experience. She explains that metrics such as CSAT, NPS, and repeat purchase rates measure success and demonstrate the financial return on investing in customer care. She also advises aligning agent traits with customer profiles to boost empathy and service quality.

"Customer service is dealing with the most valuable asset of a company—its customers. Investing in this department is essential to gather the most valuable feedback directly from those interacting with your brand." - Anne-Sophie Engert

Anne-Sophie’s strategy covers the importance of well-selected, trained agents and creating sustainable career paths, which enhance customer experience and the bottom line. By adopting this thoughtful approach, businesses can boost sales and build a loyal customer base. These strategies offer a blueprint for turning contact centers into profit centers and achieving long-term growth.

Shareth Ben, Chief Customer Officer at Apptega, shares insights on executing customer success strategies in large organizations. He emphasizes the role of change management, internal collaboration, and data-driven decision-making in driving competitive advantage. He also highlights the importance of aligning internal processes to enhance customer outcomes and productivity.

"Change management is key. My years of customer-facing experience with enterprise clients are now helping me promote collaboration and achieve outcomes for both customers and the company." - Shareth Ben

The success of customer strategies is closely tied to how well internal structures and processes are aligned within a company. By breaking down organizational silos and fostering cross-department collaboration, businesses can streamline operations and create a more cohesive work environment. Leveraging data and promoting empathy further enhances both employee efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Neal Dlin, Founder of Chorus Tree and the VP, Customer Service Experience at Aviso Wealth, critiques the outdated practices of 2024 contact centers, advocating for a shift from a manufacturing-based model to a human-centered approach. He stresses the need to understand employees and customers as individuals, challenges outdated KPIs, and underscores the importance of trust in agent interactions. He also advocates for a redefinition of metrics to place a stronger emphasis on delivering exceptional customer experiences.

"Everything else is just information, not the goal. That’s where the problem starts to arise. People need to experiment more and try new approaches while staying laser-focused on delivering great experiences for both customers and employees as human beings." - Neal Dlin

Neal’s insights highlight the importance of human connection and empathy in contact centers. By focusing on emotional intelligence and personalized experiences, organizations can turn their contact centers into customer-centric hubs, boosting satisfaction and business success. This approach also helps employees perform better, offering valuable guidance for adapting to the evolving customer service landscape.