It is definitely summer. There are so many graduations, weddings and vacations. Even if we didn’t know what month it was by the calendar, we would know by the activities shaping our people interactions and relationships.
Same is true of our July issue. We discuss making connections, the relationships between AI agents and Human agents, and tapping the power of culture to connect with our customers. Of course, we discuss the enablers—bots, digital transformation, AI, BPO companies and more.
Be sure to check out our Top 5 Blog Posts for June (page 11 of the digital and print magazine). I love seeing the most read posts for the month. I feel it lets us know the pulse of our industry.
Have a great summer.
Table of Contents, July 2025
FEATURE ARTICLE
Making Connections Amidst Disruption
By Brendan Read; Q&A with Expert Panel
How AI and automation are changing them.
CONTACT CENTER ECONOMICS
Why Recession Planning Should Start in the Contact Center
By Cloud Tech Gurus
Economists are sounding the alarm.
AGENTIC AI
AI Agents and Human Agents – Better Together?
By Jon Arnold
Can Agentic AI help them live happier ever after?
BOTS
Are You Ready for Bots to Call?
By Jim Davies
You need to be thoroughly AI-fluent for when they do.
OUTBOUND
Breaking Through the Outbound Barriers
By Rob Auld and David Byck
Personalization, follow-up, AI, and compliance can connect with customers.
COMPLIANCE AND SECURITY
Rethinking Outbound
By Jim Tyrrell
Threats and new rules require strategy changes.
COACH’S CORNER
Tapping the Power of Culture – Part 1
By Mark Pereira
How CQ can connect with customers.
CHARGEBACKS
Charging Back at Chargebacks
By Monica Eaton
How customer response can help.
OMNICHANNEL
How To Avoid Repeats…Repeats…
By Vladimir Sterescu
Customers shouldn’t have to repeat themselves.
VOICE IVR
The Case for Voice IVR
By Daniel O’Sullivan
How it can provide excellent service.
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Doubling Down on Digitization
By Meredith Keller
Why single-platform interaction solution integration is essential.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
How to Evolve With, Not Fight Against AI
By Andreas Orebo Wenzel
Investment in supporting methods, tools needed.
BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING
Navigating the Future of BPO
By Rommel Regino
BPO companies face treacherous global trade shifts.
A special thank you to our authors this month for sharing their insights and wisdom: Jon Arnold, Rob Auld, David Byck, Jim Davies, Monica Eaton, Meredith Keller, Daniel O’Sullivan, Mark Pereira, Brendan Read, Rommel Regino, Vladimir Sterescu, Jim Tyrrell, and Andreas Orebo Wenzel.
Sincere appreciation to our vendor community: AWS Marketplace, Calabrio, CallMiner, Centrical, Cognigy, dentsu Israel, Human Numbers, MediaSmith, NECCF, NICE, NP Digital, Regal, Strategic Contact, TTEC Digital, Verint, WalkerSands, and Webex.
