10 New Ways Tech is Helping Agents Right Now

Working in a contact centre is a demanding role, with agents expected to handle numerous calls daily, meet high expectations, and navigate complex customer requests.

In such a challenging environment, the right technology can be a game changer! That’s why we asked the experts for their thoughts on where the latest tech is having the biggest impact right now.

1. Adding Much-Need Clarity to Complex Interactions

Agentic AI enhances agent performance by delivering real-time intelligence, contextual insights, and intuitive tools while reducing cognitive load, clarifying complex interactions, and enabling more confident, human-centred service.

By automating routine tasks like data entry and call summaries, and offering live prompts to guide conversations, AI frees agents to focus on empathy, problem-solving, and relationship-building.

Operationally, businesses benefit from reduced handling times, faster resolutions, and improvements in core metrics like CSAT and NPS. More importantly, agents feel less stressed and more supported.

Contributed by: Jurgen Hekkink, Head of Product Marketing, AnywhereNow

2. Automating Time Off Requests to Give Agents Instant Responses

Automated time off is quickly becoming a key enabler of agent wellbeing and operational balance.

With it, instead of requesting time off manually and waiting days for approval, agents can view their entitlements in real-time, see which days are available for them, submit requests, and get an instant response, all within their WFM application.

It improves planning accuracy, reduces agent anxiety, and the administrative burden of handling a huge backlog of requests. This saves time, improves transparency, and empowers both agents and planners to keep work and personal life in balance.

Contributed by: Zainab Ahmed, Marketing Manager, Peopleware

You can also watch the video below to hear Johnny Basra, Senior Account Executive at Peopleware, explain the new ways technology is helping contact centre agents and how automating the time off process gives agents instant responses:

3. Building Up Confidence in New Agents

The greatest value from AI tools is not as a replacement for humans, but when they are used to provide support to enable agents to do their jobs more effectively.

For example, AI can offer summaries of customer histories ahead of calls, and offer prompts with suggested responses during customer interactions.

This can help improve outcomes and enable new agents to build consistency and confidence without the customer ever knowing tech is running in the background. Over time, reliance on these tools fades as the agent’s skills improve.

Contributed by: Richard Simpson, Chief Solutions Officer, Route 101

4. Removing the Chore of Post-Call Tasks

Real-Time Transcription and Summarisation (RTAS) is transforming the agent experience by removing in-call and post-call tasks that previously consumed many hours for contact centre workers and expensive back-office specialists.

These summaries help to reduce cognitive load and let agents focus on what they do best: delivering fast, empathetic, human service. 

Within the contact centre itself, RTAS enables automation of key processes such as CSAT scoring, Quality Management and auditing, all without manual input.

Contributed by: Martin Taylor, Co-Founder and Deputy CEO, Content Guru

5. Empowering Agents to Move Their Breaks Without Manager Approval

Self-service functionalities in workforce management solutions are revolutionising the agent experience. Features such as vacation bidding and self-scheduling put agents in the driving seat.

They give them the autonomy to move their breaks, extend or take time off of calls and tasks, and book leave without manager approval or intervention.

Parameters set by management ensure staffing levels are upheld so customer experience is not compromised, but agents receive greater flexibility and control over their work-life balance, improving job satisfaction and engagement.

However, Calabrio’s latest State of the Contact Centre report found that the majority of contact centres are not embracing these capabilities, with 46% of agents lacking scheduling influence.

By utilising the right technology, contact centres can create a scheduling process – both day to day scheduling and longer-term holiday planning – that accounts for compliance and business needs, whilst providing flexibility and autonomy for agents.

Contributed by: Ed Creasey, VP of Solution Engineering, Calabrio

6. Ensuring Calls Go to the Best-Suited Agent

AI and automation are changing the game by handling repetitive tasks, surfacing real-time insights, and helping agents focus on complex, high-value interactions.

Not only that, but intelligent routing ensures calls go to the best-suited agent, while integrated platforms reduce screen-switching and manual effort.

I believe great experiences start with empowered agents. When you invest in intuitive tools, training, and real-time support, you don’t just improve efficiency – you supercharge every customer interaction.

Contributed by: Tara Aldridge, Strategic Services Director, Vonage

7. Exposing Opportunities for Continuous Improvement

Process management has had an upgrade. Stale PDFs are out. Modern tools offering live, collaborative maps are in. 

Agents should be able to access customer-centric processes from their desktop.  However, these tools don’t just document process, they expose opportunities making continuous improvement a team sport.

But the most transformative leap? Agentic AI. This isn’t just chatbots and co-pilots suggesting replies, it’s autonomous agents handling tasks and end to end processes that span front, middle and back office systems. This delivers real impact, better outcomes at speed and scale.

Contributed by: Lewis Gallagher, Senior Solutions Consultant, Netcall

8. Reducing the Overall Volume of Grumpy Callers Agents Have to Face

Many businesses don’t realise that technology can now help spot and fix these problems before they get to your team.

Tools that listen to and analyse customer interactions – like VoC systems – can help pinpoint root causes: a confusing website message, delays with one delivery partner, or a step in a process that just isn’t working.

Once you know what’s causing a repeated problem, you can fix it at source. That means fewer angry calls, less pressure on your team, and more time for them to help customers with real needs. It also makes agents’ jobs a lot less stressful and more rewarding.

Contributed by: Chad Lee, Solutions Consultant, Enghouse Interactive

9. Automating Feedback to Create Continuous Learning Loops

Traditional QA processes often rely on manual reviews and sporadic feedback, which can delay agent development and lead to inconsistent coaching.

With AI, every call can now be analysed using standardized evaluation criteria, removing human bias and delivering insights more consistently.

This enables contact centre leaders to provide agents with daily, actionable feedback, rather than having them wait weeks for scheduled quality assurance coaching sessions.

10. Detecting Early Burnout to Support Agent Wellbeing

Agent burnout doesn’t always show up in obvious ways. Sometimes, it’s in subtle signals like changes in tone, sentiment, or gradual dips in performance over time.

AI-powered tools can now analyze these patterns across interactions and identify early warning signs before burnout escalates. This proactive approach gives managers a valuable opportunity to proactively check in with team members and offer support before it becomes too late.

Contributed by: Jonathan “Kenu” Escobedo, Customer Success Manager, MiaRec

For more great insights and advice from our panel of experts, read these articles next:

• Bad Habits That Kill Resource Planning
• How to Maintain High Quality on Self-Service Channels
• Have Wallboards Had Their Day?
• What Are Intelligent Contact Centres Doing Right Now?

Author: Megan Jones
Reviewed by: Rachael Trickey