Rethinking Contact Strategies in the Age of AI

Customer expectations have changed. Businesses are under pressure to deliver more with less. And AI has moved from a buzzword to a practical tool that's reshaping how contact centres operate.

In our recent webinar, Kayleigh Tait (Marketing Director) and Matt Yates (VP of Engineering) explored how contact strategies need to adapt to meet these challenges head-on. If you missed it, here are the key highlights.

Today's customers don't just want fast service – they expect it. The research tells a clear story:

77% of customers expect to speak to someone immediately when they reach out

70% expect a reply to an urgent text within 5 minutes

In sales situations, responding within 5 minutes can increase conversion rates by up to 400%

These aren't aspirational targets. They're the baseline. Tools like ChatGPT and Claude have shaped a new standard for what instant, intelligent responses look like. Customers have experienced that level of service elsewhere, and they expect it from you too.

On the flip side, businesses are dealing with tighter budgets, leaner teams, and mounting pressure to deliver more value with fewer resources. Simply adding more people isn't realistic in today's climate.

At the same time, technology is changing how customers interact with businesses. AI assistants, call screening, and smart devices are deciding whether calls even reach the customer. It's no longer just about making contact – it's about earning attention, building trust, and making every moment count.

This shift means contact strategies need to evolve. The webinar covered three core areas where AI can bridge the gap between what customers expect and what businesses can realistically deliver:

Customers expect 24/7 availability, but that doesn't mean you need round-the-clock staffing. AI agents can handle routine enquiries instantly, at any time of day, freeing up your team to focus on the conversations that need a human touch.

Every customer wants to feel like their situation matters. AI can deliver personalised, contextual interactions at scale by drawing on customer data and conversation history to tailor each response.

AI doesn't just save time – it improves outcomes. By handling straightforward tasks like appointment booking, payment plan setup, and basic enquiries, AI agents reduce handling time whilst maintaining quality. Our customers have seen handling time drop by an average of 65%, with agents getting up to speed faster and delivering better results.

Matt demonstrated MaxContact's AI agents handling real-world scenarios, including appointment booking and payment plan setup. These aren't concepts or prototypes – they're live solutions delivering results for customers today.

Key features include:

Conversational flow builder – A visual tool that lets you design how AI agents interact with customers. You set the guardrails, define the scenarios, and control when conversations hand off to human agents.

Intent understanding – AI agents don't just follow scripts. They understand customer intent, adapt to interruptions, and handle natural conversation flow.

Safe deployment – Guardrails ensure AI agents operate within defined boundaries. If a customer asks for something outside the scope, or says they don't want to speak to AI, the system hands off to a human agent.

Seamless handoffs – When conversations need a human touch, AI agents pass the full context to your team, so customers don't have to repeat themselves.

One of the most important takeaways from the session was the role of guardrails in deploying AI safely and effectively.

Unlike consumer-facing AI tools that try to answer everything, MaxContact's AI agents operate within defined boundaries. They handle specific scenarios – like booking an appointment or setting up a payment plan – and hand off to human agents when conversations go outside those parameters.

This approach builds trust. You're not asking AI to solve every problem. You're using it to handle the tasks it's good at, whilst keeping humans in the loop for complex or sensitive situations.

Over time, as trust builds, you can expand the scope of what AI agents handle. But the guardrails remain, ensuring every interaction stays safe, compliant, and aligned with your business goals.

AI isn't about replacing people. It's about enabling them. By handling routine tasks, AI agents give your team more time to focus on the interactions that need empathy, creativity, and judgement.

The result? Faster response times, better customer experiences, and a team that's more engaged because they're spending time on work that matters.

The Q&A session covered practical concerns, including:

How do AI agents handle interruptions? They stop speaking and listen, understanding customer intent without talking over them.

What happens if a customer requests something outside the guardrails? The system hands off to a human agent.

What if a customer says they don't like AI? The agent acknowledges this and transfers them to a human.

Which LLMs do you use? We use Azure and Google Cloud Platform-hosted OpenAI services, ensuring secure interactions with minimal data sharing.

The webinar also marked the official launch of MaxContact's refreshed brand. The market has changed dramatically over the past few years – from AI adoption to evolving customer expectations and economic pressures.

Our platform has grown more powerful, our expertise has deepened, and we've sharpened our focus on helping customers manage complex interactions and turn them into real results. The new brand reflects where we are and where we're heading.

Have questions about how these strategies could work for your team? Get in touch - we'd be happy to talk through how MaxContact can help you maximise every moment.

Rethinking Contact Strategies in the Age of AI

Subjects Covered

From AI Assistants to AI Agents

understand the forces reshaping contact and how to turn them into your competitive advantage.

The new baseline for customer service

The pressure on businesses