Top 10 Ways to Future-Proof Your Contact Centre

As 2026 takes hold, it’s clear that the pace of change is only increasing.

From the rise of AI to the redefinition of frontline roles, leaders are facing a future shaped by both automation and the enduring power of human connection.

So, to help you prepare for 2026, 2027, and beyond, we’ve brought together key recommendations – based on our latest industry research and expert insights – so you can proactively navigate the challenges and changes to come.

1. Treat AI as a Solution – Not THE Solution

AI continues to be a hot topic – and understandably so. With its potential to transform customer experience, improve operational efficiency, and reduce cost, it’s little wonder that it tops most contact centre wish lists.

However, Martin Jukes, Managing Director of Mpathy Plus, urges leaders to proceed with caution and apply AI intelligently – not impulsively:

“Organizations must first understand their core challenges before deciding on solutions. AI may well be part of the answer, but it should be implemented with careful planning and expert input.

The goal should be to integrate AI alongside human talent, ensuring both technology and people contribute to better outcomes. In short, AI is best seen as a solution – not the solution – for the future of contact centres.”

Watch the video below to find out what else was discussed when Call Centre Helper’s Megan Jones spoke to Martin Jukes, Managing Director at Mpathy Plus, about our research and the top CX priorities for 2026:

2. Keep People at the Heart of Your Operation

Despite the hype around AI, our research shows that engagement and culture remain the second-highest priority for contact centre professionals (19.8%) for 2026 – ahead of even efficiency and self-service.

It is promising therefore that leaders are recognizing transformation isn’t just about new tools but about nurturing the people who use them. After all, AI may change what advisors do, but it shouldn’t change why they do it.

The goal should be to integrate AI alongside human talent – ensuring both technology and people contribute to better outcomes.

3. Keep Pace With the Changing Role of the Human Advisor

Leaders can’t ignore that the role of the contact centre agent is evolving – fast.

As more simple queries are handled through bots and self-service, what’s left for humans are the complex, emotionally charged interactions that truly test empathy and analytical skill.

And it’s never been more critical that leaders keep pace with the changes and upskill their agents accordingly.

“Humans are now advisors, resolving more complex, emotionally charged issues often caused by factors beyond their control. This demands strong analytical thinking and the ability to navigate ambiguity.

Communication and empathy are still vital. Advisors must be able to explain complex issues clearly and calm angry and upset customers down.

They must interpret data from multiple sources, identify patterns, personalize interactions, and make quick, informed decisions. This also requires resilience, as these contacts now dominate daily workloads.” – Dr Nicola Millard, Principal Innovation Partner at BT Business

Watch the video below to find out what else was discussed when Call Centre Helper’s Rachael Trickey spoke to Dr Nicola Millard, Principal Innovation Partner at BT Business, about our research and what the most important customer service skills will be for 2026 and beyond:

4. Embrace the Opportunity to Make Agents’ Lives Easier

We’re also witnessing a new wave of investment in enablement – rather than replacement.

The gold rush to deploy agent-focused support tools is really positive. Tools like agent assist, real-time knowledge support, and supervisor support are reducing the fear and increasing the confidence on the frontline.

In other words, AI isn’t taking jobs – it’s changing them, making advisors faster, more informed, and more effective. So, whilst the job is undoubtedly getting harder, the technology is going some way to ease the pressure.

5. Trial the Introduction of the “Right Score” Metric

For many, “faster issue resolution” tops the list of most exciting AI innovations.

But Nerys Corfield, Director of Injection Consulting, warns that this speed must be balanced with quality and even warrants the creation of a new metric:

“It is no surprise to see that the number-one innovation businesses are excited to see is one focused around providing faster resolution.

However, 2026 should resolutely be the year of a new contact centre success metric that combines Average Speed of Answer and First Contact Resolution. I played with ChatGPT on this, and after a bit of back and forth, we came up with the RIGHT SCORE % (Resolved in Good Time, High Quality, First Touch).”

Is it high time to overhaul your mix of metrics to future-proof your operation?

Watch the video below to find out what else was discussed when Call Centre Helper’s Xander Freeman spoke to Nerys Corfield, Injection Consulting, about our research and if SolveScore is the next great customer contact metric:

6. Centralize Data Before You Scale AI

Many leaders are racing to deploy AI across their operations, but success depends on solid foundations!

After all, the base layer to delivering any of this effectively lies in the requirement to centralize data. With so many businesses planning on deploying swathes of AI, it’s critical not to do this as an isolated project. This is organizational change!

Without a clear data strategy – and clean, unified sources – even the smartest AI tools will struggle to deliver reliable insights or personalized experiences.

7. Stop Focusing All Your Efforts on Cost-Cutting Alone

It’s also important to keep front of mind that AI will continue to drive efficiency, but the real gains will come from smarter design – not cost-cutting alone.

“AI is already reshaping contact centres, but the story behind these numbers reveals a deeper truth: organizations aren’t just chasing efficiency any more.

They’re waking up to the fact that the most powerful outcomes of AI show up in human experience: customers who feel heard and agents who feel capable. That’s where the energy is, because experience is the currency that compounds.

So, whilst cost reduction shows up strongly in the research, the leaders worth watching understand that it’s not an independent outcome. It’s the echo of smarter design.

Cut cost without elevating experience, and you accelerate churn. Align AI to reduce customer and employee effort, and the savings follow naturally and sustainably.” – Justin Robbins, Founder and Principal Analyst at Metric Sherpa

Watch the video below to find out what else was discussed when Call Centre Helper’s Xander Freeman spoke to Justin Robbins, Founder Metric Sherpa, about our research and where artificial intelligence (AI) works best in customer experience (CX):

8. Prepare Your Advisors to Become “AI Conductors”

Looking further ahead, the agent of 2027 won’t just collaborate with colleagues – they’ll also collaborate with AI systems.

Collaboration skills may well shift from collaborating with other humans to collaborating with fleets of AI agents. Advisors could even become managers of these digital co-workers, making multitasking more important than ever.

To prepare effectively for this, training will need to evolve accordingly, blending soft skills, technical literacy, and adaptive thinking. Advisors will increasingly act as “AI conductors”, orchestrating tools and data streams to deliver seamless outcomes.

9. Keep a Close Eye on What’s Happening With Your Voice Volumes

In the midst of all this change, keep a close eye on what’s happening with your voice volumes too!

While voice remains the dominant contact channel, its share is starting to dip – dropping into the 40% range for the first time. This marks the long-anticipated shift toward automation and asynchronous channels.

Paul Weald, The Contact Centre Innovator, believes this is less of a revolution and more of a steady evolution:

“2025 was the year when we finally started to see the much-hyped reduction in the live agent phone channel, with a 4.6% reduction across inbound plus outbound voice compared to 2024. Whilst voice still represents the largest share at 63.1%, this could be the start of a trend that extends in future years.”

Watch the video below to find out what else was discussed when Call Centre Helper’s Rachael Trickey spoke to Paul Weald, The Contact Centre Innovator, about our research and how contact centre CX channel mixes are changing:

10. Don’t Just React to Change, Anticipate It

Perhaps the most important lesson of all is that successful contact centres aren’t just reacting to change – they’re anticipating it.

As technology becomes more accessible and the “solution ecosystem” continues to evolve, the leaders who thrive will be those who align AI, people, and process under a single vision.

Ultimately, AI creates capacity. The differentiator is how leaders put that capacity to work: building trust, deepening relationships, and turning every interaction into a force multiplier for the business.

Author: Megan Jones