Call centres still a smart career choice – despite AI

An often-overlooked career option for South African school leavers is that of becoming a call centre operator. Given recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), some may now even discard this idea out of hand because of mistaken perceptions about machines taking...

Virtual agents help contact centres deal with unreachable customers

Ask the average South African how load-shedding is affecting businesses, they’ll probably mention mining and industry or small businesses (such as hairdressers and restaurants) that rely on a consistent flow of energy. But the impact of the power outages that have...

Contact centre integration key to meeting Millennial expectations

Contact centres have evolved significantly over the years because of changes in technology, business needs and customer expectations. By Navinder Singh, GM of In2IT Technologies While voice remains a critical component, many customers now prefer to interact via email,...

Will ChatGPT kill the customer service agent?

ChatGPT, the latest artificial intelligence (AI) application, has grabbed the world’s attention. You may have seen ChatGPT write new song lyrics in the style of your favourite artist (something they don’t always appreciate) or read that it’s passing...

Is automation making contact centre agents redundant?

If you watch the customer service space closely, you may have noticed that in late November, US-based low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines shut down its customer service phone line. Anyone with a query or dispute has to now rely on a chatbot on the airline’s...