Empowering a Leading TV Provider to Take Control of Its Customer Experience

How Kenway helped a North American broadcasting leader gain operational independence with Genesys Cloud.

The Challenge: Escaping the Limitations of a Legacy System 

To stay competitive in a fast-moving industry, one of North America’s largest television providers knew it needed to modernize its customer experience. Their legacy contact center infrastructure, shared with a parent company, was not only expensive to maintain but increasingly misaligned with their evolving business needs. Ongoing payments for shared infrastructure strained their budget, and the system lacked the flexibility to adapt to their growing customer base or evolving service expectations. 

What the client needed was clear: 

But they also knew the stakes were high. Any disruption to core customer service functionality could impact revenue and damage the brand. A seamless migration was non-negotiable. 

The Vision: A Modern, Customer-Centric Contact Center 

The client had already selected Genesys Cloud as their new platform. The goal was to replicate and stabilize existing experiences in the new environment, then optimize the system. They wanted to shift routine interactions away from agents and into well-orchestrated self-service flows while gaining full visibility into performance metrics. Most importantly, they sought a platform they could own, operate, and evolve independently. 

Kenway’s Role: Strategic Guide Through the Transition 

Kenway partnered with the client as a hands-on, trusted advisor from day one, providing deep expertise across strategy, implementation, testing, and Reporting. 

Strategic Alignment and Business Analysis 

We began with a comprehensive gap analysis to align current-state operations with future-state goals. By mapping legacy call flows, routing logic, and customer intents to Genesys Cloud’s architecture, we ensured that no functionality was lost and that future enhancements would be easy to layer in. 

Optimizing Self-Service 

Rather than pursuing trendy AI solutions, we focused on targeted, high-impact opportunities for self-service. By analyzing call volumes and agent-handled inquiries, we identified intents ideal for automation and built intuitive IVR flows that empowered customers to resolve routine issues independently. 

Partner Ecosystem and Data Strategy 

We helped the client navigate the Genesys Cloud ecosystem to choose the right integrations and build a solid foundation. This included creating a semantic data dictionary to guide future development and reporting—a critical asset for long-term agility. 

Testing, Validation, and Automation 

Kenway led end-to-end testing efforts, from user acceptance to go-live validation. We also introduced test automation using Cyara Botium, setting the stage for proactive monitoring and long-term system reliability. 

Change Management and Enablement 

From training to documentation, we prioritized adoption. Our team equipped the client’s staff with the tools and confidence to manage and evolve the platform post-launch. 

The Results: A Platform Built for Control, Scale, and Experience 

The client successfully launched Genesys Cloud voice and chat services without disrupting customer experience, a critical milestone on their path to full operational independence. Key outcomes included: 

By replicating core functionality first, the client built a foundation they can now scale, enhance, and own entirely—on their terms. These improvements are already translating into enhanced customer satisfaction. 

As our project sponsor confirms -

Looking Ahead 

The client’s transformation journey isn’t over, but they’ve taken a major leap forward. With a modern platform, stronger customer journeys, and the confidence to move independently, they’re positioned to continuously innovate and improve. 

Why Kenway 

Kenway Consulting and our Contact Center Solutions practice is a strategic partner for organizations modernizing their contact centers. As a Genesys-certified provider with deep industry expertise, we help clients accelerate transformation, reduce risk, and build solutions that last. 

Facing similar challenges? Let’s talk about how Kenway can help you take control of your customer experience. 

Overcoming Contact Center Challenges in Banks  

You’re navigating complex customer service challenges, and you’re not alone. At Kenway, we’re here to support your journey. By reimagining your contact center operations, streamlining reporting, and integrating Intelligent Virtual Assistants (IVAs), you gain the tools and insights to elevate your customer experience and lead meaningful transformation. 

Overcoming Challenges Together 

Customer Expectations for Personalized Experience 

Banks  are under increasing pressure to deliver personalized experiences that reflect each customer’s unique needs, whether that means recognizing past transactions, anticipating future financial moves, or engaging through preferred communication channels. However, fragmented data, legacy systems, and siloed operations often stand in the way of achieving a unified customer view. Without real-time data orchestration, banks struggle to surface next-best-action recommendations that align with customer behavior, risk profiles, or life events. This not only leads to missed opportunities and inconsistent service but also limits the ability to leverage KYC/AML insights to personalize interactions in a compliant, secure, and value-driven way. 

You’re committed to delivering the personalized experiences today’s customers expect, but legacy systems and disconnected data can stand in the way. That’s where Kenway comes in. Our expertise in customer experience consulting empowers you to transform your contact centers into a strategic hub of tailored service. By leveraging data from disparate platforms such as transaction histories and customer preferences, you equip your agents with the insights to deliver a seamless experience, with a unified system. This enables contact center agents to deliver seamless, real-time interactions informed by behavioral insights and customer context driving personalization that aligns with both customer expectations and regulatory frameworks. By doing so, firms can elevate satisfaction and loyalty without sacrificing operational efficiency or compliance. 

Fraud, Security, and Compliance 

In the banking industry, firms must strike a delicate balance between robust security and seamless customer experiences particularly as fraud, identity theft, and data breaches grow more sophisticated. Adhering to regulations like GDPR, CFPB, PCI DSS, and compliance mandates such as AML and KYC is essential, but it can’t come at the cost of customer trust or convenience. Our data solutions and reporting services enable real-time data orchestration and next-best-action recommendations based on customer behavior and risk profiles. By securely leveraging AML and KYC data, contact centers can personalize interactions in a compliant, value-driven manner, enhancing both protection and satisfaction. 

Security and a seamless customer experience can still go hand in hand—especially when guided by the right strategy. As regulators increasingly emphasize zero-trust security models in environments where customer PII and financial transactions are accessed across distributed agent networks, Kenway’s solutions help financial institutions stay ahead. We integrate advanced authentication, audit logging, and encryption controls to ensure compliance with frameworks like PCI DSS 4.0 while supporting secure, efficient interactions. Through actionable reporting and data-driven insights, we help firms proactively identify vulnerabilities and align their contact center modernization efforts with both regulatory demands and service excellence. 

Omnichannel Support Expectations & Digital First 

Many of today’s banking customers expect fluid, personalized experiences across all service channels, whether initiating a request in a mobile app, continuing it in a branch, or resolving it over the phone. To meet this demand, many firms are undergoing channel rationalization efforts aimed at unifying experiences across contact centers, digital platforms, branches, and relationship manager (RM) tools. Kenway’s omnichannel implementation and management services help integrate these touchpoints into a cohesive service architecture, using CRM integrations and middleware to unify customer data and enable seamless transitions between channels. 

Our approach also focuses on governing channel behavior intelligently routing complex inquiries to specialists and tailoring engagement strategies to meet the preferences of distinct customer segments, such as Gen Z digital natives or high-net-worth individuals. Critically, we ensure that this level of personalization aligns with regulatory expectations. Contact center logic must not only enhance the customer experience but also stand up to scrutiny under Fair Lending, UDAAP, and emerging CFPB guidance around AI and digital-first tools. Kenway helps financial institutions embed auditability and explainability into personalization strategies, ensuring that AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants deliver transparent, equitable, and compliant service without obstructing access to human support or compromising customer trust. 

Legacy Infrastructure 

Many financial services firms grapple with outdated core banking systems that limit their agility and ability to adapt to modern customer demands, stalling digital transformation efforts. Our deep experience in digital transformation equips these institutions to modernize their contact centers effectively. By assessing and updating legacy infrastructure, we enable seamless integration of new technologies that enhance service delivery and responsiveness. This expertise allows financial institutions to shed the constraints of obsolete systems, unlocking the flexibility needed to innovate and meet evolving market expectations while maintaining a competitive edge. 

Cost Pressure and Efficiency 

Banks are under increasing pressure to do more with less, driven by margin compression and growing fee transparency regulations. While reducing operational costs remains critical, maintaining high-quality customer support adds complexity—especially when navigating the risks of outsourcing or deploying AI. As a result, contact centers are being evaluated not just on efficiency, but on their ability to deliver value through insights that uncover cross-sell, upsell, and retention opportunities. Our contact center optimization services, combined with its AI-driven solutions and partnerships with Cyara and Teneo.ai, provide a strategic answer. We help firms streamline processes, optimize resource allocation, and deploy AI tools to handle routine inquiries, reducing call volumes and operational expenses. Simultaneously, its focus on maintaining service quality ensures that cost-cutting measures don’t compromise customer satisfaction. By blending technology and human expertise, we deliver efficient, cost-effective contact center operations tailored to the financial sector’s unique demands. 

Turning Challenges into Opportunities 

You’re navigating a complex balancing act of managing cost pressures, meeting compliance standards, keeping up with technology, and exceeding rising customer expectations. It’s no small task. That’s why Kenway doesn’t just offer solutions, we become your strategic partner in turning these challenges into meaningful wins. Whether you are deploying voice or chat bots, tapping into data-driven insights, or tailoring operational strategies, our focus is on enabling you to deliver exceptional experiences. Because when you lead with exceptional experiences and your contact center thrives, so does your entire business. 

Ready to transform your contact center into a strategic asset? Contact us today to start the conversation. 

How to Create a Data Strategy Roadmap

Leading a business is demanding. Large enterprises have many stakeholders, high demands, variable and inconsistent market pressures, and layers of complexity. Small to mid-sized businesses may work with less complexity, but the pressures of growth and balancing the strategic and tactical are significant. Then there’s your data. You know there is more available than you’re getting. The promise of a “Data-driven Organization” is further on the horizon. You know that data and its strategic use are crucial for long-term success. 

Suddenly, data management questions and confusion pile up to the point that they can’t be ignored. Instead of quickly sifting through questions and providing a resolution, the business owner realizes they don’t have the answers their team needs about data security and organization, and they’re not sure anyone else does either. 

To make matters worse, this business will realize they have spent years sitting on valuable data instead of using it to leverage effective business growth.

While we hope you have never experienced this situation, the reality is all too common. The best way to prevent this nightmare scenario is to develop a data strategy.

What is a Data Strategy? 

A data strategy is a comprehensive plan that outlines exactly how data should be used and stored, who data can be used by, and what rules are non-negotiable for your company’s data interactions. 

While a data strategy is your company’s source of truth for guidance through data management, developing your company’s data strategy is the most important first step. 

If your business is revamping its existing data strategy or is building one for the first time, keep reading for tips on how to develop a data strategy roadmap that will guide your team through each phase. 

Why Data Strategy Roadmaps Are Important

A company without a clear data strategy risks internal misalignment and confusion, missed opportunities for growth, and potential operational inefficiencies. These challenges can hinder both day-to-day performance and broader strategic goals.

Establishing a data strategy roadmap creates alignment across teams, enabling smarter decision-making, improved efficiency, and a competitive edge. By fully leveraging both internal and external data, your business can build a more comprehensive and resilient foundation for growth.

Steps to Creating a Data Strategy Roadmap

There are several foundational steps involved in creating a data strategy roadmap, and it's important to recognize that this foundation will evolve over time. While it may be tempting to move quickly, taking the time to get each step right is essential. A thoughtful, well-structured roadmap sets the stage for long-term success and ensures your data strategy can grow with your organization’s needs.

Step 1: Define Clear Goals

It is critical that you involve all the necessary stakeholders and implement a system for them to provide feedback and share insights throughout the process. It is important to ensure that the stakeholders are aligned on the following types of questions:

Step 2: Assess Your Current Data Landscape

Now that these foundational questions have been answered, it's time to bring data experts into the conversation—if they weren’t a part of it already—and gain clarity on these questions: 

Step 3: Prioritize Your Initiatives

It may be tempting to dive into all the needs identified during the assessment phase, but a methodical approach—aligned with the high-value initiatives you uncovered—will drive greater alignment and long-term success for your team.

Start by establishing your data strategy roadmap priorities by breaking the effort into key value-driven phases. For example:

Clarifying these priorities helps align your team around meaningful outcomes, supports accurate budgeting, and highlights the technologies needed to deliver long-term impact.

As your project planning progresses, it may become clear that some of these initiatives will require outside assistance. This is a good time to begin conversations about whether your company would benefit from keeping the project in-house or working with an outside consultant for assistance in areas that require extra support. 

While there is value in keeping your data strategy project internal, an unbiased and expert third party can bring unique expertise and insights into potential blind spots. For example, Kenway’s team of data experts has data strategy experience in a wide variety of industries and can share their knowledge surrounding best practices and common pitfalls that your team may be unaware of.

Step 4: Develop the Roadmap

Crucial elements of your data strategy roadmap development include setting rules for data collection, storage, and analytics. You will also need to create a data governance roadmap, which will define who is allowed to access certain datasets, how data should be classified, best practices, and what standards should be followed to ensure consistent data compliance. 

Step 5: Implement and Monitor the Roadmap

Your team will need to monitor the performance of each phase of the data strategy to quickly identify and resolve issues before they escalate.

While it will be exciting to launch the data strategy you’ve worked so hard to develop, it's important to remain open to the reality that refinement and changes to your process will be necessary to maintain a robust and effective strategy. In addition to making adjustments based on internal business needs, industry best practices also evolve quickly. Remind your stakeholders (and yourself) that it's important to remain flexible and revise your strategy as needed in order to stay relevant for your customers. 

Challenges and Common Pitfalls of Data Strategy Roadmaps

The potential of developing and implementing a data strategy roadmap is exciting, especially considering the long-term benefits of data health for your company. But this process doesn’t come without its challenges. The best way to experience a smooth data strategy execution is to be aware of these common pitfalls and  effectively address them from the start: 

While data strategy does involve technology, the humans in your company are ultimately the ones who will make or break your data strategy goals. Attempting to craft a strategy without buy-in from essential team members (especially executives) can result in disagreements and a lack of alignment during implementation. 

The best way to avoid this pitfall is to involve all relevant stakeholders in the strategy development and conversations from the beginning. While this may slow the initial process down, it will save your team significant pain points in the future.

If your team doesn’t establish the most important goals and initiatives throughout this process, the strategy can quickly become overcomplicated due to conflicting priorities. Avoid overloading your team by aligning on realistic expectations that fit within existing responsibilities and timelines. 

Don’t forget to monitor your data strategy roadmap once it’s been established. As mentioned above, your industry and business needs will constantly evolve, which means your strategy should also be flexible enough to evolve. 

Encourage your team to be aware of the importance of improving your roadmap, and empower them to suggest optimizations. The more empowered your team feels, the easier it will be for them to recognize areas for improvement and provide effective suggestions.

Roadmaps for Business Success 

Creating a data strategy roadmap is a key milestone for any maturing, growth-oriented business. It provides a structured path to reduce technical debt, improve efficiency, and advance data maturity over time.

While it may be tempting to rush the process or make decisions in isolation, a thoughtful, collaborative approach lays a stronger foundation—ensuring your strategy aligns with both short-term priorities and long-term goals.

Whether your organization is in the thick of the data strategy process or just starting out, Kenway is here to provide expert guidance and insights for the smoothest data strategy implementation possible. Reach out today to find out how we could serve your organization! 

FAQs

Why do you need a data strategy roadmap? 

Data strategy roadmaps ensure that business and data objectives work together efficiently to drive business success. 

What does a data strategy roadmap look like?

A data strategy roadmap is a structured plan that outlines how your organization will transform its data into a strategic asset. It typically includes a clear vision, measurable goals, an assessment of current capabilities, and a prioritized sequence of initiatives across areas like data governance, architecture, tooling, and talent. The roadmap also defines timelines, ownership, and success metrics—ensuring all efforts are aligned with business objectives and scalable for future growth.

How do you build a data strategy roadmap?

Building a data strategy roadmap starts with aligning key stakeholders around a shared vision for how data will support business goals. From there, assess your current data landscape to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities. Define high-impact initiatives and group them into clear, value-driven phases—such as improving data quality, modernizing architecture, or implementing governance. Finally, map these initiatives to realistic timelines and resource needs, while remaining flexible to adapt as your organization evolves.

Contact Center: The Customer Journey  

In today’s fast-moving and competitive landscape, customer experience is everything. It’s what sets leading companies apart from the rest. And often, it all comes down to one critical touchpoint: the contact center. 

Your contact center is more than a support line—it’s the gateway to your brand. When designed well, it can turn a frustrated caller into a loyal advocate. But when it misses the mark, it can drive even your most loyal customers away. 

The First Impressions Matter 

When a customer contacts your center, the first barrier is set: Does your system guide them efficiently, or does it frustrate them from the very first second? 

Imagine you are a customer trying to resolve an issue with your account. You call an 800 number or interact with a chatbot, expecting quick assistance. But after 20 minutes on hold or chatting, your issue remains unresolved. You feel frustrated, like your time was wasted, and you consider ending your relationship with the company. 

This isn’t just a bad experience, it’s a business risk. Studies show: 

[Source: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/advisory-services/publications/consumer-intelligence-series/pwc-consumer-intelligence-series-customer-experience.pdf] 

A poorly designed contact center—with robotic voices, irrelevant menus, and dead ends—can be a nightmare. At Kenway Consulting, we believe in solving that by starting with the customer journey first. Before jumping into technology or design, we take the time to understand what the customer needs, anticipate where friction occurs, and build seamless, intuitive experiences across all channels. 

When designed well, your contact center can do more than solve problems: it can build trust, loyalty, and strengthen your brand. 

Designing a Contact Center That Works for Your Customers 

The key to a successful contact center isn’t always more technology- it’s smarter design. It starts with understanding the journey your customers take when they reach out for help. 

Here’s how top-performing organizations design high-impact customer interactions by focusing on three key principles: 

1. Start With Clear Intent 

The foundation is understanding why your caller is reaching out. Using smart tools, a well-designed platform identifies the customer’s purpose immediately and offers relevant options, guiding them to self-service solutions or the right agent quickly and smoothly. 

2. Streamline Identification and Authentication 

Collect only the essential information—such as name or account number—efficiently and securely. Avoid overcomplicating authentication, which can frustrate customers. Tailoring this process based on the caller’s context helps speed up resolution while protecting sensitive information. 

3. Reduce Friction at Every Step 

Avoid common pain points that damage the customer relationship and increase costs, including: 

Each delay or misstep creates frustration and may lead to customers abandoning the interaction. That’s why intelligent routing and system design that anticipate and minimize these issues are essential. 

At Kenway, we put ourselves in the caller’s shoes at every point of their journey to design seamless, personalized experiences that minimize friction and maximize efficiency. Understanding your caller is the first step to delivering the fastest, most relevant solutions, reserving human agents for complex or sensitive issues only when truly necessary. 

Finding the Balance: When Does a Customer Prefer a Bot and When Do They Need to Talk to an Agent? 

In the evolution of customer service, the real challenge isn’t choosing between automation or human help, it’s knowing how to blend both perfectly. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made big leaps. Today’s AI doesn’t just answer simple questions; it can handle complex issues, recognize patterns instantly, and deliver personalized support at scale. This means customers get quick, accurate answers without needing to talk to a person. 

A breakthrough in this area is called Agentic AI. Unlike traditional chatbots that only respond to isolated questions, Agentic AI understands the full conversation and can connect with systems like CRMs to take real-time actions. For example, if a customer asks about flight baggage rules, a regular bot might just list them. But Agentic AI can spot a storm delaying flights and proactively offer to rebook the trip—saving the customer time and hassle. 

At the same time, as automation takes on more routine tasks, the role of human agents is evolving. Agents are increasingly focusing on complex, emotional, or sensitive interactions that require empathy, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving. This transformation not only enhances customer experience but also gives agents the opportunity to add real value and satisfaction to their work. 

The future of great customer service lies in knowing when automation can speed things up without losing quality—and when a human touch is essential to build trust and truly resolve issues. 

The End of the Journey: Measure What Matters 

What gets measured, gets improved. To truly enhance your contact center, you need clear insights into how customers interact with your system—and where the pain points are. At Kenway Consulting, we focus on tracking key metrics that reveal what’s working and what isn’t, so you can make data-driven decisions to optimize every step of the customer journey. 

We focus on key metrics that highlight opportunities to enhance the customer journey and reduce unnecessary transfers, tailoring improvements to your contact center’s goals. Some of the most important KPIs include: 

Tracking these KPIs allows us to continually refine your IVR and routing strategies, delivering better service while reducing operational costs. 

The Payoff: A Contact Center That Builds Loyalty 

When your contact center is seamless, intuitive, and tailored to each customer, it does more than just solve problems. It strengthens your brand, builds lasting trust, and reduces operational costs. 

Your customers deserve smooth, meaningful interactions—and your business deserves the benefits that come from delivering them. 

Ready to transform your contact center? Let’s explore how to create a customer journey that works—for both your customers and your business. 

CX Today: How to Test Contact Center Virtual Agents In 2025

Kyle Finke – Kenway’s Director of Client Delivery & Practice Lead, Contact Center Solutions – discusses how to build a strategic test automation framework grounded in People, Process, and Technology. Read more at CX Today.

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About Kenway Consulting

Kenway Consulting is a management and technology consulting firm whose entire reason for existence is to help companies and its employees. Founded in 2004 on the principles of being good and being truthful, Kenway’s set of Guiding Principles steers each employee’s decision-making process and centers on integrity, quality, value and respect. The company focuses on the means and not the outcomes, always in line with these Guiding Principles, and always with integrity as its cornerstone. Kenway strives to provide all clients with unmatched quality and service, and specializes in customized business solutions using its Application Development, Artificial Intelligence, Contact Center Solutions, Data and Analytics, Data Compliance and Privacy, Program and Product Management, and Salesforce practices.

Cyara Xchange - This Year's Highlights Unlocking the Future of CX Assurance: Reflections from Cyara Xchange 2025

Last week, our team had the pleasure of attending Cyara Xchange 2025 in Austin, TX. During this jam-packed two-day event, customer experience (CX) innovators, technologists, practitioners, and thought leaders gathered to explore the rapidly evolving world of CX in voice, digital, and AI-driven channels. What we learned at Xchange 2025 will shape how the most innovative companies build and test customer experience platforms in the age of conversational and generative AI.

The event opened with hands-on workshops, where we dove deep into Cyara’s robust suite of CX testing and monitoring solutions. From exploring Botium’s powerful automation capabilities to getting our hands dirty with CI/CD integrations and advanced NLU/NLP testing, it was an opportunity to see Cyara’s innovation in action. Thursday built on that momentum with mainstage sessions that tackled the broader implications of these technologies, especially in the context of AI risk, governance, and CX accountability.

Workshop Highlights: Rolling Up Our Sleeves

Cyara’s Wednesday workshops weren’t your average product demos—they were immersive, instructor-led labs that let attendees see firsthand how to maximize Cyara’s tools:

These sessions brought home the message that testing must evolve alongside CX technology. That theme was carried directly into Thursday’s conference.

Conference Day: Responsible AI Starts with Responsible Testing

Thursday’s mainstage presentations and panels zeroed in on one thing: AI is here, but it’s risky without guardrails. Over and over, we heard variations of the same cautionary tale, companies rushing to production with flashy new AI-powered bots, only to suffer major setbacks: hallucinations, misinformation, nonsensical answer, reputational damage, and ballooning operational costs. In the quest to unlock AI’s full potential, strategy, governance, and risk mitigation are no longer optional—they’re required.

Cyara made it clear: Responsible AI is tested AI. That means real-time model monitoring, trust frameworks, and continuous feedback loops across environments. Solutions like Cyara Botium and the AI Trust suite are central to CX assurance, providing real-time visibility into AI behavior and helping teams prevent hallucinations, inappropriate responses, and reputational risks before they reach customers. However, to be truly effective, these tools must be supported by sound governance, high-quality and compliant test data, robust DevOps pipelines, and scalable monitoring frameworks.

Cyara’s Next-Gen Platform: Six Innovations for 2025

In a major announcement, Cyara unveiled six new innovations in its next-gen platform, each designed to help organizations deliver reliable, secure, and intelligent CX at scale:

  1. Pulse 360 – Real-time CX performance visualization across voice and digital channels, allowing you to test real-world interactions across 100+ countries and 320+ carriers.
  2. Cyara Copilot – An AI-powered assistant which helps you test and validate CX journeys faster and with fewer manual steps.
  3. AI Trust Misuse – As the newest addition to Cyara AI Trust, Misuse flags inappropriate or harmful AI behaviors in real-time, helping companies build more trustworthy bots.
  4. Test Case Designer – The industry’s only true no-code visual test automation tool empowers you to quickly generate comprehensive test cases without starting from scratch.
  5. Cyara Agent Assist Assurance (AAA) – Ensures Agent Assist tools are delivering the right information at the right time during live calls.
  6. Intelligent Insights – Combines historical test results with predictive analytics in self-service, customizable dashboards for AI-driven anomaly detection and trend tracking, without the need for IT support.

With these innovations, Cyara is going far beyond “just testing”—they’re delivering a full-stack CX assurance platform that spans voice, digital, and AI-powered experiences across 100+ countries.

Final Takeaways: Don’t Wait for the Fallout

The final recommendation from Cyara to attendees was simple but powerful:

With $3.7 trillion at stake globally due to poor customer experiences and weak operational insights, businesses can’t afford to wait. Cyara Xchange 2025 made it clear: if you want to lead in the age of AI-powered CX, your quality strategy needs to be just as advanced as your customer-facing tech.

We left Austin energized, inspired, and ready to help our clients take the next step toward responsible, scalable, and high-quality CX transformation. Whether you're scaling conversational AI in customer service, integrating generative AI, or Agent Assist, let’s talk—because what you don’t test will hurt you.

Contact Center AI: What You Need to Know

AI has made huge strides in nearly every industry, and this impact has been keenly felt in contact centers. Contact center artificial intelligence (also known as CCAI) is one of the industries where AI has made significant waves and is revolutionizing productivity and customer understanding and satisfaction.

What is Contact Center AI (CCAI)? 

Contact Center AI is the use of artificial intelligence to automate and streamline contact center operations for increased efficiency and cost savings. 

Contact Centers are complex operations and the backbone of how many companies keep a pulse on their customers’ satisfaction levels and pain points. A contact center that runs smoothly is an indicator of the overall health of your business. 

Contact centers are crucial for so many organizations, but a traditional contact center model requires extensive staffing and availability for 24/7 call center or chat responses. What results from these extensive needs is a contact center solution that puts your company in touch with its customers, but that depletes resources at the same time. 

CCAI solves this problem by using AI to monitor calls, run reports, and automate chat or call interactions

Types of Contact Center AI Solutions

Contact center AI doesn’t refer to a one-size-fits-all solution, but rather a multifaceted set of capabilities that can be tailored to your organization’s specific needs. 

The main types of contact center AI solutions are: 

Reporting

Contact center reporting is used during customer interactions to gather data that is then analyzed and delivered to your organization for insights into customer trends and metrics like average call time, abandonment rate, and CSAT scores. 

Speech Analytics

While contact center reporting is focused on the hard data surrounding call center metrics, speech analytics is an AI capability that analyzes customer interactions through the lens of language patterns, common words and phrases, and even a customer’s emotional state at different points in the conversation. Speech analytics is a valuable tool that takes call center reporting a step further by understanding customer emotions and behaviors.

Intelligent Virtual Agent (IVA)

An IVA is a voice or chat service that uses AI technology to simulate conversations by mimicking human speech patterns to find solutions for customers in real time using internal knowledge. Many contact centers use this helpful service to free up time for customer service representatives and provide a streamlined experience for callers.

Testing 

While contact center AI provides an entire host of solutions, it also introduces new use cases that need quality assurance testing. This testing can be automated and used to simulate a variety of possible contact center customer interactions to ensure the AI is enabling a smooth process from start to finish of every call.

Contact Center AI Recommendations 

Contact Center AI solutions are necessary for contact centers to stay relevant and successful, and every variety of CCAI is useful in unique ways. 

Some of Kenway’s top tips for implementing or refreshing CCAI in your organization are:

Implementing AI Throughout Your Organization 

AI can feel overwhelming, especially if your organization has never used contact center AI. But the benefits of automated reporting, speech analytics, and increased productivity far outweigh the unknown that comes with implementing CCAI.

Focus on starting small, maintaining data security and governance throughout your implementation, and educating your team to use AI to their advantage. 

If your organization wants extra support in the process of implementing CCAI, the Kenway team would love to help. Reach out today to learn more about how your organization can unlock the potential of your contact center!

FAQs

How is artificial intelligence transforming contact centers? 

AI has transformed contact centers from call centers with capabilities limited by staff availability to dynamic contact centers that can field high call volume, answer customer questions, direct callers to proper experts, and provide expert insights all at once. 

What is CCAI?

CCAI is the abbreviated term for contact center artificial intelligence, which is the use of AI to aid in contact center reporting, data collection, and customer service. 

Another related but different term is Google CCAI, is a Google owned cloud-based platform that uses AI to help organizations with customer service and operational efficiency.

An In-Depth Guide to Contact Center Optimization

Contact centers play a vital role across industries, from healthcare and telecoms to retail and transportation. As customer service capabilities within these industries continue to expand, the demand for contact center optimization is growing.  

Managing these advancements while ensuring security and exceptional customer service is essential and requires dedicated focus and strategy. In this guide, we’ll explore the evolution of contact centers, discuss best practices for optimization, and look ahead at future trends shaping the industry.

The Evolution of Contact Center Optimization

Since the 1960s, contact centers have come a long way from basic phone support. What began as simple call-answering has transformed into a dynamic, multi-channel center that incorporates chat, SMS, AI, and advanced automation tools. This evolution highlights contact center optimization and contact center workforce optimization — which includes factors like IVA and IVR services and AI optimized agents, as well as moving contact centers from on-premises servers to cloud-based. All of these factors and more contribute to the evolution of contact centers that has brought us to the point we’re at now. 

Key Principles of Contact Center Optimization

Optimizing your contact center requires strategic improvements, from efficient call handling to enhanced self-service options. Each of these principles will aid your organization in achieving more contact center efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Efficient Call Routing and Handling

Efficient call routing is a foundational piece of contact center optimization. Continuous improvement in this area involves sharing key data points like customer intent, account number, authentication status, and service details with the agent desktop tool, so agents can understand customer needs instantly. This reduces response times, boosts First-Call Resolution (FCR), and helps match customers with agents prepared to address their specific needs. 

Workforce Management Strategies

Estimating and managing the proper amount of available customer service representatives is a tricky task for contact center managers. When executed well, workforce management ensures the right staffing at peak times, reducing wait times and mitigating agent burnout. Data can be used for contact center workforce optimization by: 

Optimized Agent Performance

A well-trained team drives contact center efficiency. Keeping your agents ready to serve your customers means focusing on:

Improving Self-Service Capabilities

Self-service options reduce call volumes and allow customers to resolve inquiries 24/7. Tools like Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and Intelligent Virtual Assistants (IVAs) enable customers to handle routine questions independently, reducing costs and freeing agents for more complex calls.

Technology and Tools for Optimization 

AI and Automation

Modern contact centers rely on AI-powered tools like Intelligent Virtual Agents (IVAs) to streamline customer interactions. IVAs use Natural Language Processing (NLP) to provide automated assistance that closely reflects human conversation and speech patterns. Using an IVA for call centers reduces call volume, enhances self-service capabilities, and allows agents to focus on complex issues. 

Reporting and Analytics Solutions

Intentional reporting strategies and analytics tools are crucial for successful contact center data-driven decision-making. Monitoring metrics like First Call Resolution (FCR) and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) allows contact centers to identify trends, measure performance, and pinpoint areas for improvement. Regular reporting and real-time insights enable proactive adjustments, leading to better service quality and optimized operations.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems

CRM and CEM systems are essential for maintaining and accessing comprehensive customer data. Integrating a CRM like Salesforce allows agents to quickly view customer histories, preferences, and previous interactions, creating a seamless experience across channels. CRM systems also support a personalized contact center approach, enabling responsive and targeted support that aligns with customer needs.

Implementing Best Practices

Change Management and the Importance of Starting Early

Change Management is essential when implementing new contact center technologies or processes. Starting this process early helps teams adapt smoothly and builds buy-in from key stakeholders from day one. Proactive communication and addressing potential challenges upfront will help ensure a smoother transition, making it easier for agents and managers to embrace new strategies and tools over time. 

Training and Development Programs

A well-trained team is the foundation of an efficient contact center. Establishing regular training time not only optimizes agents’ skills but will also boost their confidence and sense of ownership in their work, so they are better equipped overall to handle diverse customer interactions. 

Development programs should cover core areas such as customer service techniques, technology updates, and product knowledge.

Continuous Improvement Processes

Continuous improvement keeps contact centers agile and responsive. Regularly analyzing key performance metrics, identifying bottlenecks, and adapting strategies ensures the center remains effective and customer-centric. Leveraging AI tools like Agent Assist from Google and Five9 can further enhance performance by providing real-time support and insights for agents.

Case Studies and Real-World Applications

Contact center optimization is only important if your efforts yield true results — Kenway is proud to partner with a variety of companies and industries to optimize and bring success to their call centers: 

Contact center optimization is multi-faceted, and the needs of your business will dictate whether a focus on cloud-based computing, data management, updated reporting and analytics, or change management should be the top priority for your optimization efforts. Focusing on optimization now is the best way your organization can keep up with the already rapidly evolving world of contact centers as a service transformation.

Future Trends in Contact Center Solutions

Artificial Intelligence 

As previously discussed, AI is already present in contact centers, and that presence will only become more prevalent as time goes on. Certain industries like IT and telecoms are leading the pack in AI integration and optimization, while others like healthcare and financial services are a bit further behind in their advancements. No matter your industry or level of expertise in digital improvements, AI is here to stay. 

Cloud-Based Contact Centers

One of the biggest changes in the digital landscape in recent decades is the migration of on-premises data storage to cloud-based data storage. Cloud-based contact centers, also known as Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS), are already common across the many industries that use contact centers, but it isn’t too late to move your contact center platform from on-prem to cloud-based if you haven’t already. 

CRM and Personalization

CRM integrations are important for the future of contact centers not only to ensure effective management but also to ensure a truly personalized approach to customer service in tandem with AI. The contact center industry is at a delicate crossroads in which digital optimization is more important than ever, but so is true, attentive customer service. A highly thoughtful CRM can be the key to accomplishing both of those goals at once.

Key Takeaways

Contact centers have evolved into multi-channel, data-driven hubs that require strategic optimization to stay effective and customer-centric. Key principles include efficient call routing, workforce management, and agent performance enhancement. Self-service tools like IVAs and virtual agents reduce call volumes, while CRMs like Salesforce ensure seamless, personalized interactions. 

Implementing best practices like early Change Management, regular training, and robust reporting and analytics keeps contact centers agile. With emerging technologies like AI and advanced CRM integrations, contact centers are positioned to move from the outdated stereotype of call centers into efficient, customer-focused support centers that balance automation with personalized service.

Using these strategies will equip organizations to transform their contact centers into pivotal assets that drive both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. If your organization is ready to take the next step in contact center optimization and wants an expert partner for every step of the journey, reach out to Kenway today. Our contact center solutions experts offer tailored assessments and strategies to unlock the potential of your contact center. 

FAQs

What is contact center optimization? 

Contact center optimization is the process of using reporting, analytics, Change Management, and digital integrations like AI to continuously improve your contact center for more efficiency and better customer service.

Why is contact center optimization important?

Contact center optimization is important due to the ever-changing digital landscape that impacts contact centers, such as BI, CRM, cloud-based computing, and AI integrations. Staying up to date with these changing technologies is necessary for improved customer experience, which leads to happier employees, happier customers, and a happier organization overall.

What technologies can be used to optimize contact centers?

Technologies for optimizing contact centers include IVA and IVRs, AI automation services, cloud-based integrations, and CRM and BI tools.

Case Study – Revolutionizing Customer Experience with a Voice Virtual Assistant and Google CCAI

Client Profile

Industry: Telecommunications

Client: Fortune 50 telecom

Solution: Voice Virtual Assistant (VA) Implementation

Partner Role In Project  

When a global telecommunications company wanted to build a new Voice Virtual Assistant leveraging Google's Contact Center AI (CCAI) platform, Kenway partnered with the client to harmonize the innovative capabilities of CCAI with the people, processes, and tools already in place. With Kenway’s help, the client established a platform of cross-functional learning, and Google gained insights into the client’s methodologies while the client received an in-depth understanding of CCAI strategies.

The Challenge

The client sought to improve the customer experience by implementing Contact Center as a Service (CCAI Platform) while upholding their high standards of operational efficiency and service. Their objective was to enable seamless interactions that delivered fast, accurate responses, alleviated the workload on their experts, and reduced operational costs.

While Google CCAI is an excellent out-of-the-box product, additional personalization is necessary to align with internal policies, practices, and service offerings. Balancing consistency in Google's Intelligent Virtual Agent (IVA) with the unique internal requirements is a complex task. This task requires a deep understanding of branding, including language and messaging. It also calls for close collaboration between Google and the client’s teams to integrate CCAI’s features while preserving the uniqueness of the client’s products and services.

The Kenway team worked closely with the client to identify the following goals:

The Solution

Data-driven product design decisions

Leveraging data plays a pivotal role in enhancing overall user experience. By leveraging feedback loop analysis and existing reporting tools like Power BI and Kibana, Kenway skillfully identified opportunities and pain points across all self-service customer experiences and brought them to Google with the goal of improving the customer experience and driving more calls into self-service. 

    Customer welcome and intent identification

    Before a caller can access the variety of self-service functions, they first encounter a series of questions designed to capture their intent and confirm their account. Kenway recognized how essential it is to accurately identify the purpose of the call from the outset to deliver a tailored experience. By leveraging insights from Google’s data, Kenway optimized these initial prompts to feel natural and intuitive, creating an efficient, almost human-like dialogue that keeps callers engaged longer and encourages them to use self-service options.

      NLU tuning

      By quantifying the most common customer utterances, Kenway helped customize the Natural Language Understanding (NLU) model. These recommendations included giving customers more time to respond, slowing down prompts, and understanding specific terms, phrases, or accents unique to the client. As a result, the NLU model has significantly improved containment rates and enhanced accuracy in interpreting customer inputs, enriching the overall user experience. This analysis is conducted program-wide as customer behaviors and preferences evolve, utilizing a robust, customizable NLU model that adapts to fit specific needs related to products, services, and language.

        Customer experience and journey mapping 

        Tying the customer experience to an overall customer journey strategy is essential to enhanced Customer Experience (CX) decision-making. It’s crucial to the customer journey enhancements to minimize excessive questioning that can frustrate callers. By ensuring that questions are relevant and leveraging known customer information from past interactions, the IVA can more effectively guide callers through the system without overwhelming them. This contextual awareness allows the system to make informed decisions about a caller’s intent, reducing the need for clarification and streamlining the overall experience.

          The Results

          Significant Progress

          With these enhancements, the client’s Google CCAI platform made significant strides in success metrics and self-service containment rates, currently handling over 25 functions, such as payments, troubleshooting, and billing, while servicing more than 1 million customers daily.

          Data-Driven Refinements 

          The rapid development of call functions is based on continuous refinement cycles using data from real callers. The team designed an efficient call flow by carefully analyzing NLU and customer inputs that adapt to evolving consumer needs. This includes reducing unnecessary prompts, leading to increased caller engagement and a seamless experience.

          Trust and Cost Efficiency

          While serving a larger number of callers can generate direct cost savings, the greater benefit lies in the enhanced trust between our client and its customers. By implementing an efficient system that effectively serves customers, both parties are building a reliable foundation for future interactions.

          Conclusion

          The client’s successful implementation of Google Contact Center AI, guided by Kenway Consulting, highlights the critical role of strategic collaboration, specialized technical knowledge, and data-driven insights combined with deep business knowledge. This partnership has led to notable improvements in operational efficiency, enhanced customer experiences, and innovative service delivery.

          Are you ready to elevate your customer interactions with an effective Voice Virtual Assistant strategy? Contact us today to discover how CCAI can transform your service capabilities!

          Is Contact Center Automation Right for You?

          There are dozens of ways to optimize your contact center for modernized customer service capabilities and better workflows for your contact center employees. Contact center automation tools are at the top of that list as one of the most accessible ways to accomplish this – from IVR and IVA capabilities to workflow automation and data analytics, keep reading for Kenway’s top contact center automation tips. 

          What is Contact Center Automation?

          Contact center automation is the use of pre-programmed systems and workflows to accomplish routine tasks that are time-consuming and monotonous for contact center agents. Using automation and AI capabilities creates opportunities to reduce resources spent on these costly manual tasks and increase overall contact center performance. 


          Benefits of Using Contact Center Automation

          Call center automation solutions make life easier for everyone involved in your contact center — from your customer service representatives to data analysts and employees.

          Streamline operations

          Contact centers can streamline operations by setting up workflows for repetitive tasks (like text alerts or email triggers) and using agent-assist technology to summarize interactions, write notes, and provide agent-action recommendations for more efficient customer service. 

          Tracking call center metrics like average handle time and customer satisfaction scores through automation reduces room for error in manual documentation for a more accurate and efficient process.  

          Improve efficiency

          Speaking of efficiency, contact center automation tools can aid in efficiency for every contact center user. Repetitive, time-consuming tasks like logging and analyzing data become a breeze when automated for you. 

          Testing automation is another way automation tools can be used to explore the efficiency of various use cases. An automated testing platform like Botium by Cyara uses AI to test the accuracy of your generative AI chatbots for continuous improvement, even when your employees are off the clock.

          Enhance customer experience

          The focus of contact centers is and should always be customer experience. Every AI tool walks a fine line between optimizing or being detrimental to the customer’s experience — but when done well, contact center automation can anticipate and answer customer questions and provide increased availability compared to a 9-5 contact center employee. 

          Implementing Contact Center Automation

          Does your organization use call center automation solutions? Whether you have never used automation and AI or you simply need an upgrade in your current system, a suite of varied options is available to suit your organization's specific needs.

          Best practices

          Although contact center automation is important, rushing into an automation system without a strong strategy will set your organization up for more failure than success. 

          Focus on determining your organization’s specific needs through data research, getting company-wide buy-in, and ensuring your infrastructure is optimized to effectively implement a new automation software. 

          Choosing the right solution 

          Once those foundational elements are established, you are now ready to choose a specific contact center automation provider. Some of these software options are: 

          All of these platforms feature tailored contact center automation services, but also provide general CCaaS capabilities as well. Find the software that will best serve your company and get ready to start implementation! 

          Kenway Consulting & Contact Center Automation 

          Determining which software to use, what the unique needs of your company are, and which automations to prioritize can feel like a full time job in and of itself. Kenway Consulting is home to contact center experts who do the heavy lifting for you — we will walk you through the process of choosing the best contact center software for your business, implementing automations, and conducting testing to ensure everything is running smoothly. 

          Ready to connect with our AI and Contact Center experts for a solution customized to your organization’s needs? Reach out today to get started!

          FAQs

          What is contact center automation?

          Contact center automation is the use of AI and machine learning to optimize your contact center chatbot, data entry, and workflow processes. Contact center automation trends include using generative AI to answer employee questions

          How to determine what automation to use in a contact center?

          The automations you choose for your contact center are dependent on the unique needs of your business. Consider important contact center automation trends like the use of generative AI, but also gather information from employees, customers, and other stakeholders to determine where optimization is needed, and then identify which call center automation solution could be the best fit. 

          Why is automation needed in the contact center?

          Automation is necessary due to the number of repetitive tasks required to run an efficient contact center – rather than busying your contact center team with repetitive data entry tasks, offloading that work frees up your employees for work that will serve customers and your organization more effectively.