AI has transformed the modern contact centre, taking on tasks that once consumed valuable agent time.
But while technology can streamline processes, speed up resolutions, and intelligently guide conversations, it can’t replace the human qualities customers rely on such as empathy, warmth, and trust.
To find out more, we spoke to Martin Taylor, Co-Founder and Deputy CEO at Content Guru, about how the real opportunity for contact centres lies in using AI to strengthen human connection, not substitute it.
Video: Build Rapport: It’s About Enriching Every Interaction
Watch the video below to hear Martin explain what contact centres need to do to help agents build rapport with customers, focusing on why enriching every interaction matters:
With thanks to Martin Taylor, Co-Founder and Deputy CEO at Content Guru, for contributing to this video.
This video was originally published in our article ‘New Ways to Help Agents Build Rapport’
3 Ways to Use AI To Enhance Human Rapport in the Contact Centre
AI can’t build trust on its own, but it can create the perfect conditions for humans to do so, as Martin explains:
“Building rapport with customers in an AI-powered contact centre starts with using intelligent tools to enhance human connection, not replace it.”
By reducing the noise, surfacing the right insights, and empowering agents with real-time intelligence, AI amplifies empathy rather than replacing it.
When technology and humanity work together, every customer interaction becomes more genuine, more efficient, and more meaningful.
To get you started, here are three ways AI can help contact centre agents build rapport:
1. Freeing Agents to Focus on Real Human Moments
Routine, repetitive tasks such as data entry, information retrieval, and after-call admin used to drain agents’ time and attention.
Agentic AI now handles these behind the scenes, allowing agents to concentrate on the part of the interaction that matters most: listening, empathizing, and building rapport, as Martin continues:
“Agentic AI can take on routine repetitive tasks that once consumed agents’ time, allowing them to focus on what matters most, empathy and understanding.”
With fewer distractions, humans can be more… human.
2. Creating Seamless, Trust-Building Experiences
AI improves the flow of a customer conversation by ensuring fast, accurate, and frictionless support, but while customers value efficiency, true rapport still comes from the human on the other end.
“AI helps build trust by delivering efficient, seamless interactions, something customers appreciate. However, genuine rapport still comes from the human connection.
The role of AI in customer experience is to make that human element as human as possible by preparing and enriching every interaction.”
AI’s role is to remove obstacles, reduce delays, and prepare agents so they can deliver confident, calm, and reassuring interactions that form the basis of trust.
3. Empowering Agents With Instant Insight and Personalization
Intelligent agent-assist tools and real-time customer data platforms give agents the context they need at exactly the right moment.
Data from across the organization is unified, allowing agents to respond in a personalized way, through acknowledging history, anticipating needs, and showing genuine understanding.
“With intelligent agent assist technology, agents have the right information in front of them at exactly the right moment.
A customer data platform synchronizes organizational and individual data in real time, empowering agents to respond in a personalized way with empathy, confidence, and charm.
While only humans can truly build trust, AI enables them to do so faster, giving every agent the insight and capability of the most experienced team member from day one.”
With AI boosting their knowledge and confidence, even new agents can perform as capably as the most experienced team member.
Author: Robyn Coppell
Published On: 22nd Jan 2026
Read more about - Video, Agentic AI, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Call Handling, Communication Skills, Content Guru, Customer Experience (CX), Employee Engagement, Martin Taylor, Rapport, Skill Development, Soft Skills, Videos
