Contact centres face challenges with AI in customer care

A new report from Calabrio finds that a large majority of contact centres are using AI, but challenges remain in balancing efficiency and empathy during customer interactions.

The 2025 State of the Contact Centre report, published by Calabrio, highlights the widespread use of AI technologies in today's contact centres. Notably, 98% of contact centres have integrated AI to some extent, primarily through tools such as chatbots, voicebots, chatbot analytics, and scheduling systems. Despite this high level of AI adoption, 61% of contact centre leaders report that customer conversations have become more challenging since the introduction of these technologies.

According to the report, the key challenge lies in AI's limitations when handling complex, emotionally charged customer interactions. While AI can simplify operations by automating repetitive tasks, it lacks the emotional intelligence required for more nuanced conversations, causing difficulties for contact centre agents.

In drawing attention to these challenges, Dave Rhodes, CEO of Calabrio, emphasised the need for strategic AI integration. He stated, "Harnessing the transformative power of AI requires contact centres to do more than simply adopt AI technologies, but to thoughtfully integrate them into their operations in a way that complements and enhances the customer experience. This shift can turn every customer interaction into a strategic asset and turn beleaguered agents into empowered problem solvers. Strategic integrations of AI will elevate contact centres' agent experience, productivity and customer experience."

The report was compiled from a global survey involving 437 contact centre managers across eight industries and 13 countries. It serves as a crucial resource for contact centre decision-makers, identifying emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities within the industry. The findings suggest that the future of AI-driven contact centres will hinge not only on technology adoption but also on a renewed focus on evolving customer expectations alongside agent productivity and engagement.

Additionally, the report reveals a disconnect in the agent experience, particularly in equipping agents with the necessary skills to manage complex interactions. While respondents cited empathy as the most lacking skill among agents, 64% indicated that emotional intelligence and social interaction training were unavailable to their staff. Furthermore, 59% of organisations do not provide continuous coaching and support to help agents adjust to AI-driven workflows, contributing to a significant trust issue, with 32% of contact centre leaders acknowledging agent distrust in AI.

The report underscores the importance of balancing AI and human expertise in future contact centre operations. It suggests that investing in advanced AI analytics to improve accuracy, prioritising emotional intelligence training for agents, providing AI-driven workflow coaching, and addressing trust and ethical concerns are crucial steps to ensure AI becomes an enabler rather than a disruptor.