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Send us Fan Mail The onslaught of customer AI agents. In the next 9 to 12 months, your customer will be able to say “hey Siri, call my subscription company and cancel my plan, then chat with the ABC airline and move my flight from Tuesday to Wednesday.” The AI agent launches the call or chat. It acts on their behalf. Think about what that does to your cx volume. Interactions are going to skyrocket.  This is when and why AI in your contact center stops being optional. You’ll need it just to handle the sheer volume of bots coming at you. So the question becomes whether you have an AI front door. Something that can answer these calls, do the basic triage, and hand off to a human only when it actually needs one. You can still have human service for human callers but you will need Ai to handle the Ai. IMO  Sla will become less and less of a core metric as bots will wait in queue and won’t care.  How we operate will change too. All you centers with retention lines and agents. How do you downsell or save a bot told to cancel? And it’s going to be really bad at first. Customers will not be happy with the bot outcomes. They will call you back to try to fix. It will get better but it’s going to be a rocky start.  Volume are going up.  This is one of the main things we’re thinking about at Expivia. And it’s exactly what we’re getting ready to help our BPO customers handle. The bots are coming. The centers that planned for them win. The ones that didn’t get buried.  Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail Everything I've learned about AI QA after 2 years of building OttoQA and being one of the first companies to fully automate contact center quality assurance with AI. I'm breaking down the biggest lessons, the biggest mistakes I see people making, and what actually works when you're implementing AI powered QA in a contact center. I cover why you should never reinvent your scorecard on day one, what "false hustle" questions are and why they're killing your QA program, why most AI QA companies won't publish their accuracy rate, how statistical sampling means you don't need to score 100% of calls, why human QA evaluators disagree 30 to 40% of the time and how AI fixes that, how aggregate data turns QA from a scoring exercise into a real coaching tool, and the REDO feature we built at OttoQA that lets agents practice failed calls with an AI customer. 30 years of contact center operations. 2 years of building an AI QA platform. This is what I know.  Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail Most contact centers still believe scoring more calls means better QA. It doesn’t. In this episode, we start with the Law of Large Numbers and break down why scoring 100% of calls doesn’t give you better insight. It just gives you more work. We talk about where the push for full coverage really comes from. Fear. Compliance pressure. Old spreadsheet thinking. And why that mindset quietly hurts coaching, accuracy, and confidence. We also cover what the data actually shows, how statistical sampling works in the real world, where AI helps and where it doesn’t, and what QA should really be optimizing for. If your QA program feels busy but not effective, this episode will make you rethink how many calls you really need to score.  Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail This episode is my AI Christmas wish list for CCaaS.  Not toys.  Not buzzwords.  The real AI tools contact centers should already have but don’t. Everyone is focused on making AI talk to customers.  That’s missing the point.  AI in CX isn’t supposed to just talk. It’s supposed to run the contact center.  I break down the biggest opportunities CCaaS platforms are skipping, from AI flow builders you can prompt in plain English, to real-time workforce orchestration, predictive routing that replaces “next available agent,” dashboards built instantly by prompt, in-call coaching that actually helps agents in the moment, and real-time billing with zero surprises.  This is a wish list, but it’s not fantasy.  This is practical, achievable AI that would make life easier for the people running the floor every day. If you’re tired of AI demos that look good but don’t change operations, this episode is for you.  All I want for Christmas is CCaaS AI that actually works.  Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail Join us for an inside look at Expivia Digital and the current state of contact center technology. We share our 30-year journey from running contact centers to consulting on CCaaS platform selection, AI quality assurance, and NICE CXone implementations. As members of NICE's Executive Advisory Board, we discuss the biggest trends shaping the industry in 2025: usage-based pricing, AI automation, agent experience, and how to cut through vendor promises to find technology that actually delivers ROI. Whether you're evaluating platforms, implementing AI, or trying to optimize your current stack - this is the real talk contact center leaders need to hear. Come check us out at Expiviadigital.com  Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail  In this episode, we dig into the Keep Call Centers in America Act and uncover the truth behind the headlines. On the surface, it sounds like a patriotic move to keep jobs here in the U.S., but when you look closer, the story gets more complicated.  We break down what the bill actually says, how it could affect American contact centers, and why the reality isn’t as simple as politicians make it sound. We also share our perspective on what really drives growth for U.S. call centers and why legislation alone won’t solve the bigger challenges.  If you care about the future of American contact center jobs and want the straight truth without the spin, this episode is for you.   Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail This episode sounds as good as it gets — huge thanks to Christopher Irwin-Dudek, VP of Marketing Communications at NICE, for joining me. We dive into a wide-ranging conversation covering: The new leadership vision at NICE and what it means for the futureWhether NICE sees itself as a CCaaS platform, an AI powerhouse, or bothThe evolving role of major CRMs in the contact center AI landscapeAnd a whole lot more behind-the-scenes insight from one of the most influential CX tech companies out thereIf you're in the contact center, customer experience, or enterprise tech space, this is a must-listen. Don’t miss it.  Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail  Everyone’s rushing to add Auto QA. But most are thinking too small. In this episode, I break down what most platforms get wrong, why scoring calls is just the beginning, and what to look for if you actually want impact, not just another dashboard.  Before you build your own or sign a contract, listen to this. It’ll change how you see QA, coaching, and the real future of AI in your contact center.   Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Advice from a Call Center Geek podcast, we unveil our highly anticipated 2025 Geek Gauge CCaaS Rankings.  We break down the comprehensive analysis of the top 19 Contact Center as a Service platforms, showing which vendors truly lead the pack in 2025.  Using a groundbreaking approach that combines ChatGPT's analytical capabilities with Deep Research, we've evaluated each platform across 18 critical criteria.  Whether you're considering a CCaaS migration, evaluating your current vendor, or just keeping tabs on the industry, this vendor-neutral assessment provides the clarity you need to make informed decisions.  From AI capabilities to cost transparency, integration ecosystems to operational excellence try to cover it all.  Don't miss this essential guide to the current CCaaS landscape, where technology meets practical real-world application through the eyes of AI.   Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail In 2025, outsourcing isn’t just about price, it’s about AI, partnership, tech, and long-term CX strategy.  In this episode, Tom Laird breaks down exactly what to look for in a modern contact center outsourcing partner and how to build an RFP that separates real CX tech players from the fluff. From AI expectations and data transparency to platform flexibility and agent experience, this is your blueprint for setting the bar higher and finding a partner who can actually meet it.  Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Are your post-call surveys actually providing meaningful insights, or just creating a dangerous illusion of customer understanding? In this eye-opening episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we tackle the uncomfortable truth about those NPS and CSAT metrics your executive team loves so much.  The shocking reality? Only 1 in 20 customers actually completes these surveys, yet companies continue making major strategic decisions based on this minuscule, heavily biased sample. After examining the latest research and industry data, we're ready to challenge everything you thought you knew about customer feedback collection. This episode breaks down: Why survey response rates have plummeted to a dismal 5% and what this means for data reliabilityHow extreme response bias creates a distorted picture of your actual customer experienceThe fundamental flaws in survey methodologies that no amount of tweaking can fixWhy AI-powered sentiment analysis across 100% of interactions represents the future of customer insightsPractical steps to transition your contact center to more reliable feedback mechanismsWhether you're a contact center director, CX professional, or operations manager, this episode delivers the wake-up call your customer experience strategy desperately needs.  Stop making decisions based on feedback from just 5% of your customers and discover how to capture the complete voice of your customer base.  Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail Traditional contact center metrics like Average Handle Time and Customer Satisfaction scores have served the industry well for decades. But as AI transforms how we serve customers, through virtual agents, agent assistance tools, auto-quality assurance, and intelligent summarization, yesterday's KPIs are no longer enough. In this groundbreaking episode, we explore the new measurement framework required for AI-powered contact centers. We'll dissect traditional metrics, introduce essential new KPIs for measuring AI effectiveness, and provide a practical roadmap for evolving your measurement approach. Whether you're just beginning your AI journey or already operating a sophisticated digital-first contact center, this episode delivers actionable insights on: Virtual agent performance metrics beyond simple containmentMeasuring effective human-AI collaborationTracking the complete customer journey across AI and human touchpointsCalculating the true ROI of your AI investmentsJoin me as we redefine what success looks like in the age of AI-powered customer experience.  Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail Most QA programs score agents but don’t actually develop them—and that’s the problem. In this episode, we break down how to move beyond compliance-based QA and use real call insights to coach smarter, faster, and better. You’ll learn: ✅ Why high QA scores don’t always mean high performance ✅ How to shift from traditional QA to coaching-driven QA ✅ The power of Auto QA tools like OttoQa.com for real-time coaching insights ✅ How micro-coaching leads to faster, more effective agent development Stop grading agents and start developing them. Tune in and discover how to turn QA insights into coaching gold!  Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail In this thought-provoking episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we dive deep into one of the most contested questions in customer service technology: Can artificial intelligence truly demonstrate empathy, and how do we meaningfully measure it? While tech companies tout their AI's emotional intelligence capabilities, we'll cut through the marketing hype to examine what empathy really means in customer interactions. We'll explore practical examples from call centers where AI handles emotionally charged situations, comparing them with human responses to similar scenarios.  Through real case studies and expert insights, we'll break down the components of empathy, from emotional recognition to appropriate response selection - and assess how AI systems measure up against these criteria. Rather than accepting the binary "AI can/cannot be empathetic" debate, we'll examine the nuanced reality of how AI systems process and respond to emotional cues.  We'll discuss concrete metrics used in call centers to evaluate emotional intelligence, whether applied to human agents or AI systems, and question whether these measurements truly capture the essence of empathy. This episode challenges both AI skeptics and enthusiasts to reconsider their assumptions.  For call center leaders and CX professionals, we'll provide actionable frameworks to evaluate AI solutions beyond the buzzwords, helping you make informed decisions about implementing emotionally intelligent automation in your customer service operations.  Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com

Send us Fan Mail Tired of the AI hype cycle? In this straight-shooting episode, we're diving into what's actually happening with AI in customer experience operations right now. Not what vendors are promising, not what futurists are predicting, but the real deal from someone in the trenches.  You'll discover what's genuinely working, what's still smoke and mirrors, and most importantly, how to build your roadmap for 2025.  We're unpacking real implementation stories, revealing common pitfalls, and sharing the frameworks you need to evaluate what's right for your organization.  Key takeaways:  The truth about current AI capabilities in CX (no sugar coating) Which use cases are delivering real value today Critical steps to prepare your team and infrastructure A practical framework for your 2025 planningThe mistakes you can't afford to makeWhether you're just starting your AI journey or trying to optimize your current operations, this episode gives you the unfiltered insights and actionable steps you need to move forward with confidence.  Time to cut through the noise and get real about AI in CX.  Through Expivia Digital, Tom works with contact center leaders on CCaaS platform selection, AI implementations, and NICE Studio and integration services.  Same honest, vendor-neutral advice you hear on the Call Center Geek podcast, applied directly to your specific operational challenges.  Schedule a consultation at ExpiviaDigital.com to discuss your contact center technology strategy.  Click here: expiviadigital.com Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/ Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel OttoQA: try.ottoqa.com Expivia: Expiviausa.com