As Cognigy’s Vice President, Alan Ranger, explains, there’s still a widespread misunderstanding about what AI agents can do. “Most people think AI agents are still co-pilots – tools that assist human advisors with suggestions or summarizing emails,” Ranger notes. “But we’re now entering a phase where AI agents can independently handle tasks with near-human conversational quality.”  

This evolution marks a shift away from the early “bots that suck” – rigid, rule-based systems that often frustrate users. Today’s leading AI agents are conversational and adaptive and can resolve a broader range of tasks. They combine deterministic conversational AI platforms that keep conversations on track with the broader understanding and fluidity of large language models (LLMs).  

More than Just Customer Service  

While customer-facing roles in contact centers have been the primary playground for AI agents, their reach is expanding. Ranger highlights emerging use cases in back-office operations, such as billing departments, training functions, product feedback loops, and even brand development.  

“AI is becoming a tool to interrogate systems and knowledge bases,” he says. “Contact centers often detect product or service issues before operations teams are even aware. With AI agents plugged into these conversations, businesses can act faster and smarter.”  

The ability of AI agents to spot trends across vast datasets makes them valuable not just for service but also for strategic decision-making. Imagine an AI agent that notices an unusual spike in complaints about a specific product model or shipping issue – it can flag potential systemic problems in real time, closing service gaps and uncovering the root causes long before traditional processes catch up.  

The Shift from Human-First Design to AI-First 

Integrating AI agents isn’t just a technical task – it’s a cultural and architectural one. Many legacy systems, especially contact center platforms, were built with only human agents in mind. This outdated approach forces AI to “act human” in ways that limit its true potential.  

Ranger suggests a more outcome-oriented model: “We need to stop designing around human agents and start designing for outcomes. AI agents should be integrated not as a bolt-on but as core service architecture components.”  

Technically, this means more direct integrations – AI agents managing their phone lines or back-end processes without routing through central IT or contact center infrastructure. It also means building orchestration layers allowing AI to navigate departments and datasets freely.  

A Blended Future 

As businesses continue to adopt hybrid work models, the workforce itself is becoming hybrid – humans working alongside AI teammates. And these agents are no longer just support staff; they’re decision-makers, analysts, and even the first point of contact.  

The shift isn’t just about replacing human effort. It’s about enhancing what humans can do, spotting what they might miss, and giving organizations the agility to respond in real time. 

The conversation reveals compelling use cases that go well beyond basic FAQ handling. From insurance companies completely replacing their IVR systems with AI agents that handle identification, verification, and information gathering, to fashion retailers using image recognition for warranty assessments, these technologies are orchestrating complex processes behind the scenes.

Rather than replacing human agents, AI is elevating their role from task-based to value-based activities. As one agent noted at a recent industry event: “AI is taking away all the boring tasks and letting me become the voice of the brand.”

Looking ahead, Ranger predicts a shift from contact centers being cost centers to profit centers, with AI agents handling outbound activities and the entire enterprise becoming responsible for customer experience delivery. The future points toward seamless orchestration where no customer service use case remains beyond automation’s reach.

The roots of conversational AI date back to the early days of automatic speech recognition and natural language understanding. As Marc Goldstein, Director of Conversational AI at Inoria, a CallTower company, explains, “Conversational AI didn’t just appear; it began many years ago with automatic speech recognition, which aimed to collect artifacts of human language and enable more natural conversations.”

The introduction of large language models and generative AI has been a game changer. They allow conversational AI to access a vast array of data and facilitate more natural, personalized, and efficient interactions. Goldstein states, “It’s allowed us to build more natural conversations, drawing from this incredible real-world data and allowing conversational AI to interact in a very human-like manner.”

Conversational AI in Action

CallTower recently aquired Inoria, who specializes in CAI to transform the modern contact center. Their tools range from virtual agents that handle customer inquiries to agent-assist features that empower contact center representatives. The impact of this technology is extensive.

“We collaborate with our partners to ensure that we possess a deep expertise in all these platforms while utilizing our user-centric design experience,” Goldstein explains. This approach ensures that conversational AI solutions benefit the business while providing customers with a seamless and personalized experience.

Addressing Ethical and Privacy Concerns

As conversational AI adoption continues to grow, it is crucial to address ethical and privacy considerations. Alain LeBrasseur, Director of Innovations and Strategic Partnerships at Inoria, emphasizes the need for explicit opt-in and consent from customers and the proper handling of personal information in compliance with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA.

“We have a responsibility to design systems that consider ethical and privacy concerns,” LeBrasseur says. “Failure to comply can lead to regulatory violations and legal penalties.”

The Power of Integration

It must be connected to systems like CRMs, knowledge bases, and other backend tools to get the most out of conversational AI. As Goldstein puts it, “Without integration, it’s like a business having to start from scratch with every call—that’s just not sustainable.”

With access to the right data, conversational AI can tailor responses, surface relevant information, and create a smoother, more efficient customer experience.

What’s Next for Conversational AI in the Contact Center?

As technology advances, conversational AI’s role in contact centers is only set to grow. Goldstein and LeBrasseur expect significant strides in agent support, self-service, and unified customer experiences across channels.

“We’re seeing virtual assistants play a real role in helping agents by delivering the information they need in real-time,” says Goldstein. “It’s making them faster and more effective.”

There’s no denying that conversational AI is changing the game. With cutting-edge tech, thoughtful design, and intelligent integration, companies like Inoria and CallTower are reshaping the contact center – bringing real value to businesses and their customers.

The Future of Conversational AI in the Contact Center

As technology continues to evolve, the future of conversational AI in contact centers looks increasingly promising. Goldstein and LeBrasseur foresee advancements in agent empowerment, self-service capabilities, and seamless omnichannel experiences.

“We’re observing that these virtual assistants can effectively support contact center agents by providing real-time knowledge and information, enhancing their efficiency,” Goldstein states.

The transformative power of conversational AI is undeniable. By leveraging advanced technologies, user-centric design, and robust integration capabilities, CallTower and Inoria, a CallTower Company, are redefining the modern contact center experience and delivering tangible benefits to businesses and their customers.

In this interview, we dive into how this convergence is reshaping enterprise communications strategies, enhancing customer and employee experiences, and enabling scalable, integrated ecosystems for digital transformation.

William shares expert insights on:

• The role of UCaaS/CCaaS in building agile communication systems
• Key considerations for IT leaders evaluating converged platforms
• Common misconceptions about merging UC and contact center environments

This strategic partnership has positioned CallTower as a one-stop-shop for organizations looking to harness the power of conversational AI to revolutionize their contact center operations. From automating repetitive tasks to enabling real-time translation and voice biometrics, CallTower’s AI-driven solutions are poised to transform the way businesses engage with their customers.

Rachell McConkie, Contact Center Product Owner at CallTower, explained that – prior to the acquisition – CallTower had strong capabilities on the UC side, but lacked dedicated expertise in contact center implementations. The Inoria team brought that specialized contact center implementation knowledge.

Here we explain how the newly formed, strengthened company is leveraging conversational AI to drive innovation and transformation in the contact center.

Enhancing the agent and customer experience

CallTower is leveraging conversational AI to automate repetitive, low-value tasks in the contact center, allowing agents to focus on more complex and high-value interactions.

AI can handle “lower, more step by step processes” like password resets, checking account information, etc – and is largely taking over these routine, repetitive tasks in contact centers. By automating the simpler, transactional interactions, AI is allowing agents to focus on more nuanced, high-value support.

When the conversational AI reaches the limits of what it can handle, it seamlessly transfers the customer to a live agent, providing the agent with a summary of the interaction so far.

The future of conversational AI in the contact center

Rachell shared an optimistic vision for the future development and application of conversational AI in the contact center, highlighting some areas:

1. Real-Time Translation: Rachell is particularly excited about the potential for real-time translation capabilities in voice channels, allowing customers to interact in their preferred language and get responses back in their own language. She sees this as a “next big thing” for conversational AI.
2. Enriched Customer Profiles: Rachell envisions AI-powered transcription and summarization capabilities feeding directly into CRM systems to create more robust customer profiles. This would allow agents to quickly get up to speed on a customer’s history and needs.
3. Proactive, Anticipatory Service: Building on the enriched customer data, Rachell believes AI will enable contact centers to be more proactive and anticipatory in their service. For example, being able to say, “Hey Rachel, you called about this, are you still having issues?” rather than starting the conversation from scratch.
4. Continued Human Involvement: While bullish on AI’s potential, Rachell doesn’t see it fully replacing human agents. She believes there will always be a need for human involvement, with AI augmenting and empowering agents rather than fully automating interactions.
5. Gradual, Thoughtful Adoption: Rachell advocates for a measured, thoughtful approach to adopting conversational AI, starting with specific use cases and data-driven applications rather than broad, unconstrained deployment. This allows organizations to implement AI safely and effectively.

CallTower’s dive into conversational AI isn’t just about chasing the latest tech – it’s about changing the way contact centers connect with real people. By partnering with Inoria and combining cutting-edge AI with their trusted communication tools, they’re helping businesses deliver support that’s faster, smarter, and more personal.

With AI taking care of the routine stuff in the background, support teams are free to do what they do best: listen, empathize, and truly help. And the future looks even brighter – with tools like real-time translation and deeper customer insights, companies can start solving problems before customers even notice them.

What really sets CallTower apart is their approach. They’re not trying to replace people with machines – they’re using AI to strengthen the human side of customer service. It’s a thoughtful, balanced strategy that helps companies grow while keeping real conversations and real connections at the center.

As AI continues to transform customer experience, Content Guru is taking a unique approach by looking both backward and forward. In this exclusive interview, Global CEO Sean Taylor discusses the company’s upcoming brain^® 2050 event and shares practical insights on leveraging AI in customer engagement.

“AI is pretty big,” Taylor acknowledges with characteristic understatement, before revealing how the technology has already delivered tangible results for clients, including reducing loan processing times by over 50% while improving consistency and quality.

The brain^® 2050 event, scheduled for May in London, will explore AI’s journey through three distinct chapters: looking back 25 years, projecting forward to 2050 with Swedish futurist Stefan Hipfors, and examining practical applications for the next five years.

As Content Guru celebrates its 20th anniversary, Taylor reflects on the company’s history of early technology adoption. “We’ve been futurists ourselves,” he explains, noting how they established their “Brain” AI orchestration platform years before generative AI entered the mainstream consciousness.

Taylor emphasizes that successful AI implementation requires balancing excitement with practicality. “Don’t outsource your brains to AI,” he advises. “The horse is the business outcome that we need, and the cart is the technology.”

Content Guru’s approach centers on four pillars: omni-channel communication, omni-data consolidation, omni-automation (with AI as a subset), and what they call “omni-customer” – treating IoT devices as another type of customer in the ecosystem.

For CX leaders navigating the AI revolution, Taylor’s message is clear: prioritize business applications first, then look at how technology fits in.

There is a growing need for providers to deliver not just the technology but also the professional services, managed services, and support to help customers implement and maximize the solutions. Providers are consolidating to meet this demand – notably with CallTower’s recent acquisition of Inoria.

This move has allowed CallTower to expand its contact center capabilities and offer a more integrated solution to customers. Other major players like Genesys, 8×8, and Cisco are also involved in consolidation activities to build out their UC and contact center portfolios.

In this article, we explore how UC/CX synergy can be increased dramatically if both solutions are housed by the same provider – saving time, IT workload and even billing issues.

The Drivers of Consolidation

The factors driving this move to consolidation include:

1. Increasing Customer Demand for Integrated UC and Contact Center Solutions

Customers are increasingly demanding integrated UC and contact center solutions, including not just the products/licenses but also the professional services, managed services, and support to implement and manage the solutions.

2. Need for Comprehensive Professional Services, Managed Services, and Support

There is a move to provide a more personalized, consultative approach to customers rather than just selling licenses. Customers want a partner that can help them understand their needs and design solutions for their current and future requirements.

William Rubio, CRO at CallTower, notes that the goal is to be a “partner” to the customer, helping them not just solve immediate problems but also understand their future needs and design solutions accordingly. This requires a more consultative, service-oriented approach.

3. Desire to Deliver Deeper Customer Insights and Business Outcomes

Customers are always looking for feature-rich platforms but don’t know how to implement them effectively. It is vendors’ responsibility to work with our customers to implement the features to drive the business outcomes they need to increase business efficiency and productivity for their organization.

4. Importance of AI-powered Capabilities

The increasing importance of AI and the need for providers to offer AI-powered capabilities. Customers are demanding AI but often don’t know how to effectively implement it, so providers need to guide them through the process.

5. Expansion of Vertical Expertise

The opportunity exists for smaller, more specialized players to carve out niches in vertical markets, even as larger consolidation happens among the major providers. Vertical expertise can be valuable.

Benefits of Consolidation for Customers

The key benefits are improved pricing, service, simplicity, customer intimacy, and future readiness – all of which can drive better business outcomes for the customer.

Pricing: CallTower’s Rubio notes that, while there are some concerns about pricing becoming stagnant with consolidation, he hasn’t heard customers complaining about pricing if they see value and business outcomes being delivered.

Service quality: The consolidation allows providers like CallTower to offer a more comprehensive, integrated suite of services, including professional services, managed services, and ongoing support. This can improve the overall service quality for customers.

Vendor simplification: By having fewer, more integrated vendors, customers can reduce vendor management overhead and have a simpler, more streamlined technology stack.

Deeper customer understanding: The more consultative, services-oriented approach that consolidated providers are taking allows them to develop a deeper understanding of the customer’s business needs and challenges. This can lead to more tailored, impactful solutions.

Future-proofing: Consolidated providers are better positioned to invest in emerging technologies like AI and stay ahead of the curve – ensuring customers’ long-term needs are met.

How Consolidation Impacts AI Strategies

Customers are increasingly interested in AI implementation but face challenges in deploying it effectively.

William Rubio notes that many customers are simply demanding ‘AI’ without a clear understanding of how to effectively implement and utilize it. Consolidated providers can offer guidance, consulting, and expertise to help customers identify the right AI use cases and deploy AI solutions in a strategic, impactful way.

Rather than overwhelming customers with a broad AI strategy, William suggested taking a more incremental, targeted approach. Start with simple AI automation use cases that can deliver quick wins and build momentum, rather than trying to tackle too much at once.

The focus should also be on the business outcomes rather than the ‘nice to haves’. AI can drive tangible business outcomes for the customer, whether that’s increased productivity, cost savings, or revenue growth. Providers need to demonstrate the financial and operational benefits of AI, not just the technology itself.

The consolidation of the UC and contact center industries, exemplified by moves like CallTower’s acquisition of Inoria, is reshaping the landscape to meet evolving customer expectations. As Rubio concludes, CallTower and Inoria are now “working closely together, with the goal of providing a more personalized, consultative approach to customers that goes beyond just selling licenses.”

By integrating comprehensive suites of technology with professional services, managed support, and AI-powered capabilities, providers are not only simplifying vendor management and improving service quality but also positioning themselves as true partners in their customers’ success. This synergy drives innovation, enhances customer experience, and delivers tangible business outcomes – such as cost savings, productivity gains, and future readiness – that go beyond the limitations of standalone solutions.

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In this interview, Miratech’s Matthew Ainsworth dives deep into the current state of CX and the dynamic opportunities emerging in this rapidly evolving landscape.

From the quick rise of CCaaS, to the challenges large enterprises face in adopting cloud technologies, Matthew reveals why CX transformation isn’t as simple as just jumping on the AI bandwagon.

With real-time experiences and multi-vendor solutions becoming the norm, discover what businesses need to consider to stay ahead in the game and the complex hurdles of data security and personalization that come with innovation.

For more information, visit Miratech.

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Joel Neeb, Chief Transformation and Business Operations Officer at 8×8, shares valuable insights on the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and customer experience.

Rather than replacing human agents, Neeb emphasizes that AI serves as a powerful augmentation tool – providing context summaries, coaching prompts, and brand-aligned response suggestions that help agents deliver more empathetic, personalized service.

“Investing in AI to reduce headcount at this point is potentially misguided,” Neeb explains. “You’re probably going to miss out on some of the nuances and the truer understanding and depth that your employees have.”

When implementing AI in customer service, it’s important to categorize use cases into three buckets:

• Augment: enhancing human decision-making
• Automate: high-impact, high-effort, low-risk tasks
• Simulate: testing scenarios in safe environments

He stresses the importance of optimizing processes before automating them to avoid “automating inefficiencies.”

As states like Virginia move to regulate high-risk AI applications in customer service, Neeb welcomes the development of clear frameworks for automation decisions while highlighting the need for proper governance and oversight.

The conversation acknowledges consumer hesitation about AI interactions but notes growing acceptance as experiences improve. Ultimately, the future of CX lies not in choosing between human and artificial intelligence, but in finding the optimal integration of both.

According to 8×8, more than $171 billion in merchandising returns were returned in America and nearly £1.5 billion in the UK in January. 8×8‘s retail clients highlight the same challenges time and time again: providing an aftersales experience. Poor CX lessens the likelihood of a returning customer, and increases CSAT scores and repeat sales.  

Retailers are increasingly recognizing that the customer journey doesn’t end at the point of purchase. A strong post-sales experience plays a crucial role in building loyalty and encouraging repeat business. When done right, after-sales support can do more than handle returns or refunds – it can help customers activate products or warranties, offer personalized guidance, and ensure they feel supported every step of the way. Small business insurance can help cover claims arising from negligence, mistakes, or omissions during a sale. But otherwise, retailers must abide by their returns policies and foot the bill of any losses.  

What’s Driving the Return Surge?

A return can be for several reasons. However, just over 20% of online shoppers have admitted to returning non-defective electronics due to frustration or confusion around installing or using the product. Recently, serial returns in the fashion industry have captured the headlines.   

Several consumer behaviors exacerbate the returns problem:   

• Bracketing: This involves purchasing multiple sizes or colors of a product with the intention of returning those that don’t fit or aren’t preferred. A significant 69% of Gen Z consumers engage in this practice, compared to just 16% of Baby Boomers. Retail Management Success Site  
• Wardrobing: Some consumers buy clothing or footwear with the intent to use them for a short period, such as for a single event, before returning them. Overall, 16% of shoppers admitted to this behavior, with higher prevalence among younger demographics. Retail Management Success Site  
• Staging: This refers to purchasing items solely to showcase them on social media and then returning them. About 15% of shoppers have engaged in this practice, again with a higher incidence among Gen Z consumers.  

The Power of Great Aftersales Assistance

Great aftersales assistance isn’t just about solving problems – it’s a powerful strategy that can drive growth, build brand loyalty, and reduce long-term costs. Benefits include:  

1. Increased customer loyalty and retention 
2. Higher lifetime customer value 
3. Reduced returns and refund costs 
4. Better reviews and word-of-mouth referrals 
5. Market differentiation / competitive edge 
6. Reduced operational costs over time 
7. Enhanced brand trust 

Happy customers will usually mean fewer returns are received. Providing aftersale assistance could also reduce the number of fraudulent returns – 70% of shoppers revealed in a Statista report that they had made false damage or refund claims. Some social media influencers treat returns as a loophole to “borrow” clothes without paying – especially if retailers offer free returns. In extreme cases, this crosses into return fraud, especially if items are returned worn or altered.  

Returned clothing often isn’t resold – especially if worn or damaged. In the UK alone, an estimated 23 million returned garments were sent to landfill or incinerated in 2023, contributing to 750,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. Serial returning fuels this unsustainable cycle, with an immense future environmental impact. 

How to Offset the Returnuary Impact

Technology can help provide solutions to the Returnary headache. With platforms like 8×8 Aftersale Assist, retailers can deliver a better post-sales experience by contacting the customer.  

How 8×8 Aftersale Assist works to drive better customer support:  

1. Once your customer receives their new purchase, they’ll get an automated SMS from you offering help with setup or installation.  
2. They can then respond to the SMS and choose to either connect with an agent right away or schedule a consultation for a convenient time using AI virtual agent, 8×8 Intelligent Customer Assistant.  
3. When their consultation time comes, one of your agents will reach out to troubleshoot any issues they might be experiencing.  
4. To simplify it, the agent will send a link directly to the customer’s phone. They just tap it, and their camera opens instantly (no app needed).  
5. The customer points their camera at the issue, allowing your agent to see exactly what’s happening, capture any necessary photos, add notes to the account, and quickly provide the setup assistance they need.  

To find out more about how 8×8 Aftersale Assist can alleviate your Returnary blues, head to: https://www.8×8.com/solutions/retail