Afshan Kinder explores how Chief Customer Officers can overcome internal hurdles to drive growth. She discusses the role of AI, strategic clarity, and frontline insights in enhancing customer engagement. Afshan also provides actionable advice on treating BPO partners as strategic assets and fostering alignment to accelerate organizational success.

“To be forward-thinking, you’ve really got to be transparent. You don’t necessarily have to share all your mistakes, but you need to be clear about what’s working and what’s not, without pointing fingers. We focus on what’s been done well and show how doing things differently can enable you to be prosperous in the future.” - Afshan Kinder

Afshan Kinder’s insights emphasize understanding and engaging employee and customer voices is vital for effective change management. She also mentioned C-suite clarity and a culture of trust is what drives successful transformations. Moreover, treating BPO partners as strategic assets boosts customer experience and success.

Justin Robbins, Founder & Principal Analyst at Metric Sherpa, challenges preconceived notions in the contact center industry. He explores the concept of understanding the "business of the business" to transform contact centers from cost centers to value centers. Justin shares how impactful insights from customer interactions can drive strategic change across organizations. Using real-world examples, he emphasizes curiosity and collaboration to maximize organizational impact.

"False conclusions are a type of misalignment with how we measure success and how we talk about performance improvement that’s causing us to feel like things are really good when, in a lot of cases, they’re not — and even if they’re good right now, that is no insurance policy of it being good today, tomorrow, or anytime in the future." - Justin Robbins

Justin Robbins’s insights emphasize the transformation of contact centers from cost centers to strategic value creators. It focuses on continuous improvement, leveraging cross-departmental insights, and redefining contact centers as hubs of strategic intelligence. By addressing key challenges like executive sponsorship and prioritizing high-impact efforts, the discussion inspires leaders to drive meaningful change and elevate the role of contact centers in business success.

Mike Aoki, President of Reflective Keynotes Inc., discusses rebalancing contact centers for optimal performance. He highlights the generational communication gap and the importance of AI in managing routine tasks. He also emphasizes viewing contact centers as drivers of customer loyalty and brand value rather than as cost centers.

“Customer service is really a balance between efficiency metrics. It’s about finding the right balance between technology and people, using technology to assist people, and ensuring those interactions or conversations are effective.” - Mike Aoki

Mike Aoki’s insights highlight the importance of adapting to generational communication preferences in customer service. He stresses finding the right balance between technology and human interaction to boost efficiency and satisfaction. Additionally, he advocates for prioritizing value to elevate contact centers into key strategic assets.