This article is a guest contribution from Everest Group, a leading research and advisory firm. The insights and perspectives shared in this piece are those of the authors, Chhandak Biswas and Sarvesh Shaw. We’re pleased to feature their expertise on integrated sales solutions on our platform.
Contact center agents are the first human interaction customers encounter when they reach out to a brand. These agents form the frontline of customer support and sales, serving as a pivotal component of any enterprise’s Customer Experience (CX) strategy.
Enterprises striving for a superior CX must prioritize Agent Experience (AX), especially in today’s competitive landscape where quality customer service is a differentiator, with AX significantly influencing outcomes.
However, despite the focus on integrating AI and the latest technologies, AX often takes a backseat, leading to high agent turnover, operational challenges, and diminished service quality, which is contrary to enterprise goals.
While many enterprises deploy solutions such as agent assist tools, gamification, and workforce management systems, they often overlook the human element. Technology is just one piece of the solution. Furthermore, agents also need emotional support, curated training, and consistent operational engagement to manage the daily demands of customer interactions.
Like customer journeys, agent journeys comprise of multiple phases, each requiring a cohesive blend of people, processes, and technology.
This blog delves into how this collaborative framework enhances AX and shapes the modern contact center landscape.
Navigating Agent Experience in Today’s Contact Center Landscape
A successful AX hinges on the balance of people, processes, and technology. From onboarding to daily operations and continuous improvement cycles, AX requires a holistic approach. Let’s explore how elevating AX is important across key areas:
- People – A strong people strategy is essential for fostering meaningful connections throughout the agent lifecycle. Whether through supervisors or team members, emotional and empathetic support reduces agent stress and boosts productivity. Initiatives such as buddy systems, mentorship programs, or extracurricular groups (e.g., sports or hobby clubs) cultivate a sense of community and belonging. A personalized agent strategy acknowledges that every agent is unique, allowing enterprises to guide them through tailored programs, whether for technical development or emotional support. These measures help tackle high agent turnover and absenteeism, two persistent challenges in the contact center industry
- Process – Clear workflows and streamlined operations are crucial for optimizing AX. Establishing well-defined work schedules, key performance indicators (KPIs), evaluation parameters, and agile operations ensures efficiency. Training is one of the first processes which can be overwhelming for new agents, as each agent has their own unique strengths and development areas. A robust training program, tailored to individual capabilities, skill sets, learning pace, and patterns, better equips agents to excel in their roles. These initiatives help mitigate burnout, reduce anxiety, and empower agents, fostering satisfaction and motivation as they shape their career paths
- Technology – Technology enables enterprises to monitor and enhance AX effectively. Tools such as agent assist, support platforms, and gamification platforms boost productivity and engagement, while well-being bots and apps provide emotional support. These solutions track agents’ mental health, offering guidance to manage stress and prevent burnout. By integrating technology thoughtfully, enterprises can implement people and process driven strategies seamlessly
The synergy between people, processes, and technology creates a 360-degree agent centric environment. This holistic approach fosters continuous engagement, personalized training, and seamless alignment between operations and tools. In this next section, we explore how this synergy impacts performance, customer experience, and business outcomes.
The Impact of AX on Business Outcomes
Enhancing AX directly influences agent performance and the quality of CX, while indirectly driving critical business outcomes. Here’s how the collaboration across people, processes, and technology delivers measurable benefits:
- Agent performance – A cohesive AX framework ensures personalized onboarding, targeted training, and effective tools for success. Clear processes and supportive mentorship motivate agents, empowering them to focus on career growth. Regular well-being checks keep agents in the right mindset to handle complex customer issues without succumbing to stress or burnout. All these strategies lead to higher productivity and job satisfaction
- Quality of CX – Today’s customers demand personalized, empathetic interactions and proactive problem resolution. Only motivated and well-equipped agents can meet these expectations. By integrating advanced tools and providing strong supervision, enterprises can improve key CX metrics such as Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) and Net Promoter Score (NPS). Satisfied agents lead to satisfied customers, fostering loyalty and long-term relationships
- Business outcomes – AX influences business outcomes both directly and indirectly. Satisfied agents reduce customer turnover, improving operational efficiency and lowering costs of customer acquisition. Moreover, motivated agents deliver a high-quality service, ensuring better campaign execution and distinct CX offerings. These factors provide a competitive edge and build trust, driving sustainable growth and profitability in the process
In closing…Investing in agent experience is no longer optional but a fundamental component of a robust CX strategy. Enterprises that prioritize AX achieve immediate benefits, such as reduced operational costs and improved agent retention, while laying the foundation for long-term success.
As customer journeys grow increasingly complex, agent journeys must evolve in tandem. A focus on AX builds a resilient, innovative, and customer-centric workforce—a critical advantage in today’s competitive marketplace.
Enterprises that embrace AX will now position themselves as forward-thinking leaders, setting the stage for sustained growth and a superior CX. By integrating people, processes, and technology into a unified framework, enterprises can ensure agents are not just surviving but thriving in the modern contact center landscape.
This is the third piece in our series – read our first blog on Harnessing the Power of Customer Insights: Turning Customer Data into Revenue Growth to learn how customer data analytics can drive revenue growth, and our second blog on Unlocking Sales Potential Through Integrated Sales Solutions to discover how integrated sales solutions can transform sales performance.
