Frost & Sullivan Customer Contact West 2024: Embracing Flexibility and AI Innovation for Future-Ready Customer Service

The Frost & Sullivan Customer Contact West event was an incredible opportunity for customer service leaders to engage in real-world discussions about the future of customer support and workforce management.  

Liveops was proud to host a breakout session led by Senior Vice President of Marketing & Sales, David Parkhurst and CEO, Greg Hanover, where the focus was on flexibility in workforce management—a topic that resonated with many attendees facing challenges with staffing. 

Liveops Breakout Session: Flexibility in Workforce Management 

During the session, participants dove into the pain points and hurdles that many organizations face regarding call center staffing, especially on high-demand days like Mondays. Traditional brick-and-mortar models require paying full-time internal agents working four-to-eight-hour shifts. This model often leads to inefficiencies where at times you have too many agents, hurting your bottom line, and times where there are not enough agents, leading to poor customer service.  

David and Greg introduced the Liveops flexible customer service model which allows for far more alignment between call demand and agent availability. This approach sparked lively conversations as participants shared their own pain points, such as the difficulties in handling call volume during peak times while ensuring engagement.  

Real-World Insights from Business Leaders 

The event featured general sessions every morning and afternoon, where business leaders shared real-life examples of the outcomes their organizations have experienced over time. This wasn’t just theoretical talk; it was an open exchange of data-backed stories and practical applications, which attendees found incredibly valuable. The openness and honesty during these sessions set the stage for meaningful networking opportunities, as participants could connect over shared challenges and successes. 

One of the key takeaways was the ability to build relationships that extend beyond the event itself. Participants appreciated the chance to learn from one another and left feeling equipped to reach out to their new network for support in the future.  

Frost & Sullivan deserves major props for facilitating these connections and creating an environment where lasting partnerships could be forged.  

AI Dominates the Conversation 

A major trend at this year’s event was the rapid acceleration of AI technology in the customer contact space. Exhibitors and sponsors heavily emphasized AI tools and their potential to revolutionize customer service. Conversations ranged from AI-enabled customer contact platforms and agent assist tools to fully voice-enabled AI systems that never give an incorrect response. The overarching question was: how can businesses effectively integrate AI into their operations? 

While AI offers incredible opportunities, a big theme was ensuring that agents don’t fear it. Instead, businesses need to empower their teams to embrace and leverage AI. The solution? Have agents test the technology and provide feedback, turning them into advocates for AI within the organization.  

Funny enough, Liveops embraces this approach with full force. By leveraging AI tools to streamline repetitive tasks, agents can focus on high-value customer interactions. Recently, Liveops was recognized for its advancements in this area, winning the Innovation of the Year Award for LiveopsGPT, an AI-driven tool designed to support agents with real-time insights and task automation. This award-winning tool further empowers agents to work more efficiently and ensures that they spend their time where it truly matters —on delivering personalized, meaningful customer experiences. 

Building a Foundation for Future Collaboration & Success 

Beyond the insights shared in each session, a big takeaway from Frost & Sullivan Customer Contact West 2024 was the ability to network and build long-lasting relationships. Attendees left with new connections, knowing that they had built a foundation for future collaboration.  

This event, much like the Consero 2024 Customer Experience & Contact Center Forum that took place just weeks prior, fostered an environment where business leaders could connect on a deeper level, exchanging not just contact information but meaningful conversations about how to tackle ongoing challenges in workforce management and customer service. 

In short, this event provided a comprehensive look at the challenges facing today’s contact centers and how innovation—whether through flexible staffing models or AI adoption—can address them. It was clear that the future of customer service will be shaped by those who are willing to adapt, evolve, and embrace new technologies. 

The Liveops session, in particular, gave participants actionable ideas on how to address flexibility in their own organizations, while also encouraging further dialogue outside of the event. Attendees appreciated how David and Greg led the conversation with transparency, bringing real-life examples to the forefront, and giving Frost & Sullivan well-deserved recognition for facilitating an environment where industry peers could foster meaningful discussions and connections.