Contact Center Evolution: Live from NECCF 2025

In this special episode of The Bridgecast, host Scott Kinka goes live from the Northeast Contact Center Forum 2025 at Gillette Stadium to capture the pulse of the contact center community. Through candid conversations with industry leaders, we explore how AI is shifting from "foe to friend," why breaking down organizational silos has become mission-critical, and how the post-COVID workplace continues to reshape customer service delivery.

From AI-powered knowledge management to the evolving challenges of remote work and agent burnout, this episode delivers unfiltered insights from the front lines of customer experience. Whether you're navigating staffing shortages, implementing new technology, or trying to get leadership buy-in for contact center initiatives, these conversations offer practical wisdom from those who've been there.

What you will learn:

How leading organizations are distinguishing between AI and automation for practical business applications
Why contact centers are becoming the voice of the customer within their organizations
The real impact of remote work on agent performance and customer expectations
How to break down silos between contact centers and other departments
Practical strategies for managing agent burnout as simple calls get automated away
The critical role of data quality in successful AI implementations
Why relationship-building remains essential in an increasingly digital workplace
Leadership lessons on delegation, trust, and working on the business vs. in the business

Episode Participants:

Aileen Rocheleau - Operations Manager at Citizens Bank and board member of NECCF, sharing insights on AI implementation and breaking down organizational barriers.

David McAbee - Vice President, Enterprise Solutions at BridgepointeCX, discussing customer expectations, AI adoption trends, and the evolving staffing landscape.

Erin McGinnis - Contact Center Manager at Cornerstone Bank, exploring the challenges of automation's impact on agent workload and the importance of cross-departmental relationships.

Penny Tremblay - Founder of the Sandbox System and keynote speaker, providing insights on workplace relationships and conflict resolution in the post-COVID era.

Wade Hauser - Vice President of Business Development at Teleperformance, sharing perspectives on industry competition and the changing landscape of contact center outsourcing.

David Teixeira - Equity Partner at Bridgepoint Technologies and NECCF board member, discussing vendor management and the evolution of live events in the industry.

Episode Highlights:

[00:19] AI as Friend, Not Foe - When Done Right

Aileen Rocheleau distinguishes between AI and automation, emphasizing that success comes from having the right data foundation. She shares how AI can process thousands of customer survey comments in 30 seconds to identify top unresolved issues, providing quantified business cases rather than gut feelings. The key insight: AI's power lies in data analysis and pattern recognition, not just voice automation. Contact center leaders should focus on building robust data systems before implementing AI solutions, ensuring they can demonstrate clear ROI through measurable outcomes rather than technological novelty.

[06:42] The New Staffing Challenge: Finding AI/ML Engineers

David McAbee reveals a surprising trend in the staffing shortage: highly skilled AI and ML engineers are now so scarce that companies are going nearshore to find talent, driving up costs in Latin American markets. This represents a fundamental shift from traditional contact center staffing challenges to specialized technical roles. IT leaders need to consider whether to build internal AI capabilities or partner with specialized vendors. The shortage also highlights the importance of identifying team members who can bridge business needs with technical implementation.

[16:30] When Automation Creates Harder Jobs

Erin McGinnis addresses a critical challenge: as self-service handles easy calls, agents only deal with complex, difficult conversations, leading to increased stress and potential burnout. This creates a training imperative where agents need higher skill levels to handle escalated issues effectively. Contact center leaders must invest in advanced training programs and consider how to maintain agent morale when their daily interactions become predominantly challenging. The solution involves reframing the role as specialized expertise rather than basic customer service.

[27:00] Breaking Down the Contact Center Silo

Multiple participants emphasized the frustration of contact centers being blamed for systemic issues they don't control. Aileen Rocheleau notes that contact centers "don't create products or systems" but are expected to fix customer experience problems. The solution requires executive support to give contact centers authority to drive change across departments. Successful organizations are positioning contact centers as the voice of the customer with the power to influence product development, systems design, and process improvements.

Episode Resources:

Northeast Contact Center Forum Website
Scott Kinka on LinkedIn
The Bridgecast on Apple Podcasts
The Bridgecast on Spotify
The Bridgecast on YouTube