Contact centre managers believe AI will mean more agents in next decade
Contrary to fears that artificial intelligence would eventually replace humans in the workplace, contact centres in New Zealand believe that AI will likely boost the demand for human agents.
IT Brief New Zealand reported this week a survey from Calabrio, which included respondents from Australia and New Zealand, on the impact of AI to contact centres.
It found that a quarter of contact centres in New Zealand and Australia believe that the demand for human agents would rise over the next one to five years. Another 34% believe that demand would increase in the next five to 10 years, according to the report.
Globally, nearly a quarter (24%) of Calabrio's respondents forecast the need for more agents in the next one to five years, thanks to AI. Nearly half (46%) said more agents would be needed in the next five to 10 years.
"70% of contact centre managers believe AI will mean there will be more agents in the next 10 years — not fewer — BUT their roles are likely to evolve," the report said.
The findings come amid growing fears across the world that AI would eventually replace humans in the workplace.
Kevin Jones, president and chief executive officer at Calabrio, previously said the role of technology, including AI, is expected to gain even more momentum in the future.
"But when technology removes a large portion of the administrative tasks from humans, agents will need to adapt to embrace complex customer inquiries and become true brand guardians," Jones said in a statement.
Importance of training on AI
According to the report, training and development of employees will be a key strategy for many organisations, reflecting other research that called for the upskilling of employees amid AI use.
"Ongoing, effective training will improve hiring and retention, job engagement and satisfaction, and the future of customer interactions," the report said.
However, only 17% of managers in New Zealand believe their employees possess the necessary skills, according to IT Brief's report. Globally, only 47% of employers said the same thing.
The gap underscores the urgency of investing in comprehensive training initiatives, according to Calabrio.
"You need to give your agents the tools and resources to succeed in a changing environment," the report said. "Identify where your need is greatest and start your training initiatives there—small, incremental steps can lead to big change."
