As we settle into 2025, the new year is poised to be a time when companies shake off any lingering trepidation about AI and new technologies evolve fully from hype to implementation.
In our recent LinkedIn Live, “Unlock 2025: CX opportunities you can’t ignore,” TTEC’s James Bednar and Simon Dillsworth joined Everest Group partner David Rickard to discuss trends shaping the customer experience (CX) landscape in the coming year.
They expect brands to better harness the power of generative AI, use real-time translation to break down geographic barriers, and rethink their approach to labor this year.
“Jump in, the water’s fine”
For all the buzz surrounding AI, many organizations remain reluctant to fully embrace it, said Rickard. Some have a long way to go before they’re even ready, he said, adding some contact centers don’t have the necessary knowledgebases or data capabilities in place yet.
“Not everyone is at the cutting edge of technology,” Rickard said. “It’s going to take a while for everyone to catch up.”
Many companies began dipping their toe in the waters of AI last year, which hopefully will spur more investments this year, said Bednar, TTEC’s vice president of product and innovation.
“2024 was the year of the pilot; we had more than 100 pilots across TTEC,” Bednar said. It’s important for companies to test AI, see where it works in their company (and where it doesn’t), and understand how to operationalize tools in their contact center. His advice: “Jump in, the water’s fine. Start to pilot.”
But it’s important for AI investments to be guided by business needs, Bednar and Rickard said. Don’t invest in an AI solution and then look for where it might help – instead, start with a business problem that needs solving, then seek the right AI tool for the job.
AI-powered, real-time translation tools, agentic AI, and conversation intelligence have great potential to transform how companies deliver CX, but only if they’re implemented in a thoughtful way.
Taking a fresh approach to talent
AI’s growing impact on CX will be undeniable in 2025, but brands must remember that technology is here to support human associates and not replace them, said Dillsworth, senior vice president of TTEC EMEA.
“It’s difficult to ignore the AI hype…but we’re seeing greater appreciation of the importance of human empathy,” Dillsworth said. As simple interactions are increasingly automated, associates are handling more nuanced and complex tasks that require greater empathy.
As a result, workforce requirements are changing and the role of associates is evolving, he noted. Savvy brands are looking ahead and thinking about what their workforce needs will be over the next few years.
“Humans are becoming more important, but because of cost pressures, we have to think differently,” Dillsworth said. “The brands that are going to win in the long term are the ones that are thinking ahead.”
This year is a great time to take a fresh look at nearshoring and offshoring, which can help brands cut costs without sacrificing the quality of their CX. The rise of emerging CX hubs could drive new labor models throughout 2025, Dillsworth said.
As CX’s borders break down, tools like AI-powered voice translation will enable brands to deliver seamless experiences regardless of where in the world associates and customers are based, Bednar said. Voice translation tools have existed for years, he said, but just recently became sophisticated enough to meet brands’ needs.
With so many new tools at their disposal, brands need to invest time and resources into figuring out which ones will best achieve their business goals, the panelists agreed. For many organizations, this will mean letting go of outdated, legacy, siloed technologies and strategies.
“We’re going to have to try all these things in a real-time environment and learn from it,” Dillsworth said. “We’ve got to keep testing different scenarios, testing different technologies.”
To hear more about the trends Bednar, Dillsworth, and Rickard are watching in 2025, check out our on-demand webinar, “Unlock 2025: CX opportunities you can’t ignore.”
