5 Practical,

Powerful Ways
to Leverage AI
in the Contact
Center
5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

Introduction
In the modern world of customer service and experience, contact centers have
a unique seat at the head of the table. Once viewed as a cost center, today's
contact centers drive tremendous value for the organization by contributing to
customer satisfaction, loyalty, and revenue.

But the road ahead has challenges. According to ICMI's 2023 benchmark
research, 30% of contact centers struggle with higher turnover rates, yet only
49% plan to staff up this year. So, it should be no surprise that AI investments
are a top priority for contact center leaders in 2024.

According to a survey from Omidia, AI will allow contact centers to drive

personalization, automation, and a better customer experience at scale. Nearly
50% of contact centers have already deployed AI-powered chatbots, and 46%
use AI-empowered speech analytics. For the contact centers who've already
implemented some form of AI, the vast majority claim it adds value. For
example, 71% of contact centers using AI-powered digital interaction analytics
say their organization has benefited significantly.
Given the ever-shifting economy, tighter budgets, and complex hiring
landscape for contact centers, this heightened interest in AI couldn't come at a
more perfect time.

After years of speculation about AI, though, how will this technology actually
impact contact centers in the immediate future? This trend report will highlight
five key ways contact centers can leverage AI to improve the customer
experience, boost employee engagement, and more.

We'll cover:
1. Sentiment Analysis
2. AI-Enhanced Quality Assurance
3. AI for Personalized Customer Experiences at Scale
4. Natural Language Processing
5. Automated Call Routing

Are you ready to harness the full potential of AI? Let's begin by exploring the
possibilities of sentiment analysis and emotional AI.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

Tuning In: How AI Sentiment Analysis Transforms

the Contact Center
Imagine a contact center where machines whisper insights, nudging agents
towards empathetic interactions and proactively rescuing frustrated customers.
This isn't science fiction; it's the power of AI-powered sentiment analysis.

By analyzing the voice and text of customer interactions, this technology

unlocks a deeper understanding of customer emotions, transforming how
contact centers operate. Let's explore how.

1. Understanding the Unsaid: Decoding Customer Emotions

Customer experience isn't just about resolving issues; it's about connecting
emotionally. Sentiment analysis goes beyond the spoken word, deciphering
tone, inflection, and word choice to understand the sentiment behind each
interaction. Imagine an agent facing a frustrated customer. While the customer
might not explicitly say "I'm angry," subtle cues like a faster speaking rate or the
use of negative phrases can alert the agent (and the AI) to the underlying
emotion. This allows for a more empathetic and personalized approach, leading
to quicker resolutions and happier customers.

2. Early Intervention: Identifying At-Risk Interactions

Not all interactions escalate dramatically. Sometimes, frustration simmers
beneath the surface. AI can identify these "at-risk" conversations by analyzing
sentiment trends throughout the interaction. Imagine a customer repeatedly
using phrases like "confused" or "unhelpful." The AI flags this for intervention,
allowing a supervisor to step in, clarify issues, and prevent a potential negative
review or churn. This proactive approach nips problems in the bud, fostering
customer loyalty.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

3. Real-Time Guidance: Coaching Agents in the Moment

Imagine an agent struggling to de-escalate a heated conversation. Sentiment
analysis can act as a real-time coach, whispering suggestions based on the
emotional tenor of the interaction. The customer may use accusatory language;
the AI might suggest phrases acknowledging their frustration and offering
solutions. This in-the-moment guidance empowers agents to navigate
challenging situations more effectively, leading to better customer and
company outcomes.

4. Proactive Outreach: Reaching Out Before They Reach Out

Dissatisfied customers often churn silently. But what if you could identify them
before they disappear? Sentiment analysis can scan interactions for negative
emotions, even if they're not explicitly directed at the agent. Imagine a
customer expressing disappointment with a product feature on social media.
The AI flags this sentiment, prompting a proactive outreach from the company
to address the concern and potentially turn a negative experience into a
positive one. This proactive approach demonstrates genuine care and can
salvage relationships before they sour.

5. Beyond Individual Interactions: Uncovering Trends for Improvement

The power of AI doesn't stop at individual interactions. AI can identify trends
across the customer base by analyzing vast sentiment data. Imagine
discovering that a specific product consistently triggers frustration or that a
particular agent's communication style resonates poorly with customers. These
insights empower businesses to make data-driven decisions, improving
products, services, and agent training to address root causes of dissatisfaction.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

The Human-AI Partnership: A Winning Combination

It's important to remember that AI sentiment analysis does not replace human
agents. Instead, it's a powerful tool that enhances their capabilities. By
providing insights and guidance, AI empowers agents to deliver exceptional
customer experiences. Imagine an agent with the knowledge that a customer
is frustrated but doesn't know how to express it. This awareness allows the
agent to tailor their approach, building trust and rapport more effectively.

AI-powered sentiment analysis isn't just about understanding customer

emotions; it's about reimagining the contact center experience. Fostering
empathy, preventing escalations, guiding agents, and uncovering trends will
empower businesses to deliver personalized, proactive customer service that
builds loyalty and drives success.

A Sentiment Analysis Expert perspective from Steve Morrel, ICMI

Contributor, Managing Director of ContactBabel.

Sentiment analysis can quantify customer and agent emotions within

interactions, whether on the phone or through an alternate channel, to uncover
processes, behaviors, and situations that cause strong positive or negative
sentiments that could affect business outcomes and customer experience.
Sentiment analysis is generally used at an aggregated level rather than in
judging particular individuals; it can identify those processes, interactions, and
subject areas causing customers the most significant stress and negativity and
help agents view any changes over time.

Some businesses decide to look at sentiment at a team and individual level.

Still, you should take great care not to attribute negativity to a specific agent
rather than the topic or product under discussion.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

Beyond Listening: How AI Enhances Quality

Assurance in the Contact Center
The quality of your contact center directly impacts your customer experience
and brand reputation. However, manually assessing agent performance can be
time-consuming and subjective. Thankfully, AI-powered quality assurance (QA)
solutions are revolutionizing the field, unlocking insights and efficiencies that
were once unimaginable. Let's explore five ways AI can enhance your quality
assurance program.

1. Automate Compliance and Quality: Analyze Transcripts in a Flash

Wading through hundreds of call and chat transcripts and manually checking
for adherence to regulations and brand guidelines is time-consuming. AI can:
Analyze transcripts for keywords, phrases, and sentiment
Ensure compliance
Identify opportunities for improvement

Pro tip: With the right technology, AI can flag instances where an agent fails to
mention required disclaimers or uses inappropriate language. This automation
frees up valuable resources for higher-level coaching and development
activities.

2. Unearth Hidden Gems: Identify Missed Opportunities and Best Practices

Beyond compliance, AI can uncover valuable insights. Here are three examples:
Identify instances where agents miss upselling opportunities or fail to offer
relevant solutions.
Automatically highlight top performers' best practices, like effective de-
escalation techniques or clear explanations.
Empower supervisors and managers to share these practices with the team,
raising the bar for everyone.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

Pro Tip: Turn AI's best practice identification into a fun and engaging learning
experience for your agents. Develop internal "leaderboards" based on AI-
detected instances of successful de-escalation techniques or clear
communication. Offer rewards, recognition, or friendly team competitions to
incentivize agents to learn from each other and continuously improve their
performance.

3. Personalize Coaching: Tailoring Development to Individual Needs

One-size-fits-all coaching belongs in the past. AI analyzes individual agent

performance data, pinpointing strengths and weaknesses. This means:
Agents receive personalized development plans that address their specific
needs, whether mastering product knowledge or refining communication
skills.
A more targeted approach maximizes the impact of training and coaching
resources.

Pro Tip: Go beyond data to personalize coaching conversations with AI insights.

While AI provides valuable data on strengths and weaknesses, coaching is
about humans, not numbers. Use AI insights to fuel genuine conversations, not
automated scripts.

4. Automate Reports, Not Your Time: Effortless Performance Monitoring

AI automates the tedious task of calculating agent scores and generating

performance reports. You can use the technology to:
Create detailed scorecards that track key metrics like call resolution time,
customer satisfaction, and adherence to guidelines.
Arm supervisors with real-time dashboards to identify trends and proactively
address performance issues.
Free up supervisors’ time for more strategic activities.

Pro Tip: Real-time performance dashboards powered by AI are invaluable tools,

but keep them from becoming passive information hubs. Utilize them for
proactive coaching interventions that make a real difference.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

5. Right Agent, Right Time: Optimize Workforce Scheduling

AI analyzes agent performance data and identifies their strengths and

weaknesses so you can perfectly match agent skills and preferences to
customer needs. Here are the possibilities:
Combine this with customer interaction data to predict peak times and
required expertise.
Automatically schedule agents with the right skills for the anticipated call
volume, ensuring customer inquiries are handled efficiently and effectively.
Boost customer satisfaction and reduce operational costs.

Pro Tip: While matching skills to call needs is crucial, remember happy and
engaged agents deliver the best service. Optimize scheduling with AI, but add a
human touch by incorporating:

Agent Availability and Preferences: Integrate agent-preferred work hours,

time zones, and communication styles into the scheduling algorithm.
Skill Variety and Growth: Balance agent skill requirements with
opportunities to diversify their expertise and prevent burnout.
Predictive Stress Management: Use AI to anticipate peak stress periods
and schedule agents with higher resilience or provide proactive well-being
resources.
Open Communication: Encourage continuous feedback on schedules and
preferences to keep the system dynamic and responsive to individual needs.

The Human-AI Synergy: Powering a Thriving Contact Center

Remember, AI is not a replacement for human expertise. Instead, it's a powerful

tool that elevates your QA capabilities. By automating tedious tasks, providing
data-driven insights, and personalizing coaching, AI empowers supervisors to
focus on what matters most - building a high-performing, customer-centric
team. Imagine supervisors with real-time performance data, personalized
coaching suggestions, and optimized scheduling tools. This empowers them to
create a thriving contact center environment where agents excel, and
customers are consistently delighted.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

Are you ready to harness the power of AI and transform your contact center QA
into a strategic driver of success? Embrace the future of quality assurance and
watch your customer experience soar.

Embracing the Individual: Crafting Personalized

Customer Experiences with AI
Imagine walking into a store where the
staff already knows your favorite
products and remembers your past
“In a world where products and purchases. That's the power of
services are becoming more and personalization, and AI is
more commoditized, customer revolutionizing how businesses deliver
experience is the only true it in the contact center. Companies can
differentiator.” - Annette Franz craft unique experiences that build
loyalty and drive satisfaction by
harnessing customer data and AI's
analytical prowess. Let's explore how.

Predictive Power: Anticipating Needs Before They Arise

What if you could avoid problems before they land in your agent’s queues? AI
analyzes vast amounts of data, purchase history, usage patterns, and more to
anticipate needs. Here are three examples of what that can mean in the contact
center.

1. The ability to reach out to a customer and walk them through a solution to
their product issue before it occurs.
2. Proactively contacting a customer whose warranty is about to expire.
3. Leverage purchase history to notify customers before they run out of
product, need a tune-up, or an upgrade.

This proactive approach builds trust and demonstrates genuine care for
customer well-being.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

Tailored Recommendations: Beyond One-Size-Fits-All

Being bombarded with generic, irrelevant offers is no longer a sustainable plan

for marketing or customer experience. AI analyzes customer data, past
interactions, and preferences to recommend personalized offers and support
resources.

Here’s one example: Picture receiving suggestions for complementary products

based on your purchase history or targeted troubleshooting guides tailored to
your specific issue.

This level of relevancy builds trust and increases the likelihood of customer
engagement.

Speaking Your Language: Adapting Communication to Individual

Preferences

Perhaps more than ever, humans crave authentic connections. So, imagine
interacting with a customer service representative who mirrors your
communication style. AI analyzes customer data, including communication
history and social media interactions, to identify preferred communication
styles.

This means agents can adapt their language to be more:

Formal
Informal
Playful
Direct
Empathetic

This personalized that considers customer preferences fosters rapport and

enhances communication effectiveness.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

Seamless Integration: CRM, AI, and You

Siloed data hinders your ability to create a cohesive customer experience. AI

integrates seamlessly with CRM systems, creating a unified view of each
customer. This means agents get:

Access to a complete customer profile at their fingertips

An instant record of past interactions
Customer preferences
And purchase history

This empowers them to deliver personalized service that addresses the

customer's specific needs and context.

Self-Service with a Personal Touch: Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

Attention spans are shorter than ever, and patience is scarce, so your customers
would much rather get instant support than wait in a queue. For many
inquiries, AI makes that possible.

Chatbots and virtual assistants powered by AI offer personalized self-service

options. Imagine resolving basic inquiries, scheduling appointments, or
accessing relevant information through an AI assistant trained on your specific
products and services. This empowers customers to find solutions quickly and
conveniently while freeing up agents for more complex issues.

The Human-AI Partnership: A Symphony of Personalized Service

Remember, AI isn't here to replace human interaction but to enhance it. By

providing data-driven insights, automating repetitive tasks, and adapting
communication styles, AI empowers agents to deliver truly personalized service.
Imagine agents equipped with customer profiles, relevant recommendations,
and language suggestions. This allows them to build deeper connections,
resolve issues more effectively, and leave customers feeling valued and
understood.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

Are you ready to harness the power of AI and create personalized customer
experiences that foster loyalty and drive growth? Embrace the future of
customer service and watch your brand become a trusted companion on each
customer's unique journey.

Mastering the Language of Your Customers:

How Natural Language Processing Transforms
Interactions

“As the technology catches up to the applications, voice biometrics, a

natural-language search engine, and voice transcription software will work
alongside CSRs will create a swift and powerful response to whatever query
a customer might have. Biometrics will verify a customer’s identity so that
agents can move to the service part of the call. Once CSRs understand the
problem, a natural language search engine, made more intelligent by input
from voice transcription, will speed up time to resolution. Both caller and
organization will be happy with the outcome.” -Sudhir Pucha, Vice President
of Information Technology at HighPoint Global.

The contact center of the future will leverage technology to understand

customer questions before they’re even finished being asked. That's the power
of Natural Language Processing (NLP), a branch of AI that unlocks the magic of
honest, natural conversations between customers and machines. Let's explore
how NLP is revolutionizing customer interactions:

Decoding the Hidden Meaning: Understanding Intent with NLP

When a customer uses slang or incomplete sentences, it can leave agents

unsure of their true meaning. NLP analyzes every word, phrase, and tone of
voice to understand the intent behind a customer's inquiry. Imagine a chatbot
interpreting "Where's my order?" as a request for tracking information, not
frustration with delivery speed. This accurate understanding leads to faster
resolutions and happier customers.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

AI Companions: Natural Language Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

Your customers want self-service that feels more like a friendly conversation
than a frustrating menu. NLP powers chatbots and virtual assistants that
understand natural language. Imagine customers resolving basic issues,
scheduling appointments, or finding answers to FAQs through intuitive
conversation-based interactions. This empowers customers to be self-sufficient
while reducing agent workload.

Saying Goodbye to Manual Tasks: Automating Repetitive Processes

Spending hours manually entering data and creating tickets? It’s time to leave
that rote task in the past. NLP automates these repetitive tasks, freeing agents
to focus on complex issues. Imagine automatically extracting critical
information from customer inquiries, filling out forms with relevant data, and
creating support tickets with accurate details. This saves time and ensures
accuracy, allowing agents to deliver quicker and more efficient service.

Turning Conversations into Knowledge: Summarizing and Extracting Key

Points

Agents lose productive time wading

through long conversations to find
the necessary information. NLP
summarizes conversations,
highlighting key points and
extracting relevant details. Imagine
agents receiving concise summaries
of past interactions, allowing them to
address the customer's current
concern immediately. This saves time,
improves context understanding, and
leads to smoother resolutions.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

Breaking Down Language Barriers: Real-Time Translation for Multilingual

Support

In our global economy, providing seamless support to customers who speak

different languages has never been more critical. NLP enables real-time
translation of conversations, allowing agents to communicate effectively with
multilingual customers. Imagine agents having conversations translated in real-
time, ensuring clear communication and fostering trust regardless of language
barriers. This expands your reach and ensures all customers receive exceptional
service.

The Human-AI Partnership: Amplifying Your Team's Capabilities

Remember, NLP isn't about replacing human agents but empowering them.
NLP transforms agents into service superheroes by understanding intent,
automating tasks, and providing essential information. Imagine agents
equipped to navigate complex inquiries, resolve issues faster, and build deeper
connections with customers. This elevates the customer experience and
positions your contact center as a genuine customer champion.

Are you ready to unlock the power of NLP and transform your customer
interactions into natural, efficient, and delightful experiences? Embrace the
future of communication and watch your contact center become a hub of
understanding and personalized service.

Finding the Right Agent, Every Time: How AI

Transforms Call Routing

What if every time a customer called with a complex issue, you could instantly
connect them to the perfect agent equipped to handle it? That's the magic of
automated call routing powered by AI, a technology that eliminates routing
woes and ensures each customer receives the best possible service. Let's
explore how AI elevates call routing to new heights.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

Matching Skills with Needs: Finding the Perfect Agent Fit

Outdated systems route calls based on basic criteria, leaving customers waiting
for an agent equipped to address their specific needs. AI analyzes agent skills,
expertise, and even past performance data to match each call with the most
qualified agent. Picture a customer with a technical question being directed to
an agent with a proven track record in troubleshooting similar issues. This skill-
based matching leads to faster resolutions and happier customers.

Adapting in Real-Time: Dynamic Routing based on Data and Needs

Static routing rules fail to adapt to fluctuating call volume or changing

customer requirements. AI leverages real-time data, including agent availability,
customer sentiment, and historical interaction patterns, to dynamically adjust
routing decisions. Picture peak times automatically triggering the dispatch of
additional agents with relevant expertise or high-value customers being routed
to dedicated teams. This dynamic approach ensures efficient call handling and
prioritizes critical interactions.

Shorter Wait Times, Happier Customers

Long wait times and endless transfers frustrate customers quickly. AI optimizes
call routing to minimize hold times and quickly connect customers with the
right agent. Picture calls being automatically routed to available agents with
the necessary skills, avoiding unnecessary transfers and delays. This efficient
routing reduces frustration and leads to higher customer satisfaction.

Proactive Outreach: Identifying High-Value and At-Risk Customers

Businesses today can’t afford not to engage with high-value customers or fail to
intervene with potentially dissatisfied ones. AI identifies high-value accounts
and proactively routes their calls to dedicated teams, ensuring exceptional
service. Additionally, AI flags at-risk interactions based on sentiment analysis,
routing them to agents adept at de-escalation and issue resolution. This
proactive approach fosters loyalty and minimizes churn.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

Omnichannel Harmony: Seamless Routing Across Platforms

Your customers expect more consistent service across different communication

channels. AI integrates with omnichannel platforms, ensuring seamless routing
regardless of the channel used (phone, chat, email). Picture a customer starting
a conversation on chat and seamlessly transitioning to a phone call with the
same agent, maintaining context and avoiding repetition. This unified
experience builds trust and enhances customer satisfaction.

The Human-AI Partnership: Empowering Agents for Success

Remember, AI doesn't replace the human touch; it empowers agents to shine.

AI transforms agents into customer service superheroes by finding the right
skill fit, adapting to real-time situations, and prioritizing critical interactions.
Imagine agents equipped with the right information, connected to the right
customers, and empowered to deliver exceptional service at every touchpoint.
This human-AI partnership elevates both agent performance and the overall
customer experience.

Are you ready to unlock the power of AI and transform your call routing into a
strategic driver of customer satisfaction and business success? Embrace the
future of call center operations and watch your team deliver exceptional service
consistently and efficiently.

The Future is Now: Unlocking the Power of AI in

Your Contact Center

“The hype, confusion, and new developments in AI will continue, but the
time to act is now. Nobody has all the answers yet, but the gold rush has
started, so it’s time to grab your metaphorical pickaxe and start
prospecting!” - Jarrod Davis, Cognigy

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

From deciphering customer emotions to crafting personalized experiences, AI

empowers businesses to deliver exceptional service that builds loyalty and
drives success.

Here's a quick recap of the key benefits:

Enhanced Customer Experience: Understand emotions, identify at-risk

interactions, personalize service, and proactively address concerns.
Empowered Agents: Real-time coaching, personalized development plans,
and optimized scheduling fuel agent success and satisfaction.
Efficient Operations: Automate repetitive tasks, optimize workforce
scheduling, and streamline quality assurance processes.
Data-Driven Insights: Uncover trends, identify best practices, and make
informed decisions to improve products, services, and overall strategy.

However, embracing AI comes with its considerations.

Potential challenges include:

Data Privacy and Security: Ensure ethical data collection, usage, and
storage practices to maintain customer trust.
Human-AI Collaboration: Foster a positive integration of AI, empowering
agents and avoiding job displacement concerns.
Change Management: Prepare your team for the transition, providing
training and addressing potential anxieties about AI adoption.

Remember, AI is a powerful tool but not a magic solution. Its success hinges on
careful planning, ethical implementation, and a continued focus on the human
element.

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5 Practical, Powerful Ways to Leverage AI in the Contact Center

Are you ready to join the AI revolution in your contact center?

Here's your call to action:

Start small: Don't try to boil the ocean. Identify a specific pain point or area
for improvement and pilot an AI solution there.
Do your research: Explore different AI vendors and solutions to find the
right fit for your needs and budget.
Focus on people: Get your team onboard by communicating the benefits of
AI and providing comprehensive training.
Measure and iterate: Track your results, analyze data, and continuously
improve your AI implementation.

By taking these steps, you can harness the power of AI to transform your
contact center into a customer experience powerhouse where empathy,
efficiency, and personalized service reign supreme. Let's embrace the future
together!

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About ICMI
We are all striving to be better. Whether being better people, better
leaders, or better organizations, improvement and advancement are at
the heart of our daily intentions.

For the contact center, this mission of constant improvement is

fundamental to every interaction. We need to meet our customers'
expectations in ways that improve their satisfaction and brand loyalty.
We need to improve employee engagement as we build their skills,
knowledge, and experience in ways that grow their loyalty and
improve retention. We need to improve our organization’s operational
efficiencies in ways that drive revenue and improve the bottom line.

No one understands the contact center’s focus on improvement like

ICMI does. We champion contact centers and their people, and our
mission is to make both better every day. Through training, consulting,
content, and events, we unite the community and empower contact
centers to serve their customers better, engage their employees more,
and improve the customer experience.

ICMI is part of Informa PLC, a leading B2B services group and the
largest B2B events organizer in the world. To learn more and for the
latest news and information, visit ICMI.com and tech.informa.com.