
The contact center has long lived in the shadow of cost. For decades, it’s been viewed as a necessary overhead—vital for resolving issues but rarely celebrated as a driver of enterprise growth. That mindset is changing. And it needs to. The contact center is no longer just a cost center—it’s a brand-building, loyalty-driving, revenue-preserving asset when designed right.
Today’s customer service function sits at the intersection of brand trust, revenue retention, and digital transformation. When empowered with an agentic layer, orchestrated workflows, and strategic intent, the contact center becomes one of the most potent levers a business can pull—not just to cut costs, but to grow intelligently with exceptional customer service.
As organizations reimagine the role of the contact center, it’s not just about operational efficiency or tech-led innovation—it’s also about how well we design for the moments that matter. These are the emotionally charged, high-impact interactions where customers expect not just resolution, but recognition. In these moments, empathy isn’t a soft skill—it’s a strategic differentiator. When service shows up with clarity, care, and orchestration, it builds loyalty, trust, and lifetime value.
I think we need to stop asking “How do we make support cheaper?” and start asking “How do we make support work harder for our business (customers)?”
Legacy models of support were built for containment, not connection. Customers called. Agents answered. Problems got logged, and with luck, solved.
But today’s customers expect more. They want to be known, not just served. They expect continuity across channels, personalized interactions, and real-time resolution. That means your service operation must evolve from reactive firefighting to proactive, context-aware engagement.
This is especially true during high-empathy moments—when a delayed delivery, a policy exception, or a lost payment carries emotional weight. These are inflection points that define relationships. Done right, they’re not just service interactions; they’re brand-defining experiences.
Executives who embrace this shift unlock new value streams:
Reduced churn through predictive support and timely intervention
Today’s contact centers can no longer afford to operate in silos. Multichannel is no longer enough— service organizations must embrace strategic orchestration: the coordination of data, tools, and people into one seamless service experience.
What does this look like in action?
In a moment that matters—when a customer is grieving, panicked, or urgently seeking help—this orchestration is what makes or breaks the experience. Preserving emotional context across channels isn’t just efficient. It’s human. And it’s where AI and empathy meet.
This orchestration isn’t just about tech—it’s about aligning every layer of the service model around business impact.
AI is often discussed in theoretical terms—but its ROI in contact centers is very real. When deployed strategically, AI doesn’t just reduce costs—it elevates performance.
What’s especially powerful? AI doesn’t remove empathy from the equation—it creates space for it. By automating the mundane, your best people are freed up to handle the moments that require nuance, compassion, and calm.
Executives who integrate AI into their contact center workflows see tangible returns: lower cost per contact, higher customer satisfaction, and increased operational agility.
New platforms and tools only go so far without the cultural, operational, and structural readiness to sustain them.
That’s why successful contact center transformation requires:
Because in a world of rapid tech shifts, what matters most is the human response. Leaders must model empathy as much as efficiency—especially when frontline staff are asked to adopt new tools while managing emotionally loaded conversations.
Executive sponsorship isn’t optional—it’s essential. When leaders champion the strategic role of service, teams align faster, adoption accelerates, and outcomes multiply.
The contact center is no longer just a line item to minimize—it’s a strategic asset to optimize.
If you’re looking to:
…then the contact center deserves your attention—not as a problem to solve, but as a platform to scale.
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Contact a consultant at OSF Digital to learn how to redefine your contact center for high ROI and low TCO.
With over two decades of experience in leadership roles, Garry Larner's career is marked by his ability to drive growth and success through strategic leadership and innovative solutions. Garry serves as the UKI Managing Director at OSF Digital, where he leads a high-performance team dedicated to delivering Salesforce advisory and professional services. Under his leadership, the team drives digital transformation for clients through innovative solutions. Garry's mission is to cultivate a culture rooted in belief, commitment, and discipline, while maintaining a steadfast focus on customer satisfaction.