Today’s contact centers weren’t built for today’s customers. What started as a table-stakes solution to manage inbound inquiries has gradually evolved into a tangle of quick fixes, disconnected tools, and one-off solutions.

The result? An experience that may function on the surface—but underneath, agents are overwhelmed, insights are buried, and customers are left frustrated. 

We’re at a turning point in customer service. Expectations have risen, channels are multiplying, and the pressure to deliver frictionless, customer-centered experiences is only intensifying. Yet for many organizations, the contact center hasn’t kept up.

No longer just a place where issues get resolved, the modern contact center is evolving into a strategic hub for customer insight, brand loyalty, and business value. While it’s still the most critical human touchpoint in the omnichannel journey, it’s now driven by data, supported by AI, and deeply connected to the broader service experience.

“Contact centers used to be all about efficiency—how fast and cheaply you could handle transactions,” says Jessica Cash, global service transformation lead at Slalom. “Now, it’s about connection. The organizations that tie service to the full customer experience—and back it with the right talent and technology—are the ones pulling ahead.”

There’s an opportunity now to shift from a fragmented system to a thriving ecosystem—one rooted in the right technology, empowered people, and connected processes. One that blends human empathy with intelligent automation, integrates seamlessly with digital tools, and transforms every interaction from a simple point of contact into an opportunity for deeper engagement.

It’s not just about managing conversations—it’s about reimagining the contact center as a connection center, where service becomes a strategic driver of loyalty, insight, and long-term value.

When you think of a self-sustaining, integrated ecosystem, think of a forest. Every change—whether it’s altering operational metrics, introducing AI-supported chatbots, or evolving your service delivery model to capture new revenue streams—affects the entire ecosystem.

If customer and agent experience make up the visible canopy, then technology, data, and processes are the root network—feeding, supporting, and connecting everything above. Get the foundation right, and the whole system thrives.

There are three pillars to consider in any contact center transformation:

• Customer experience: Creating personalized, high-impact service experiences for your customers

• Agent experience: Simplifying service delivery without sacrificing quality or productivity to empower agents to connect

• Tooling: Implementing the proper tools and technology to drive ongoing people and process improvement

By investing in these key pillars, you’re laying the groundwork for a more connected, resilient, and high-performing contact center. 
 

At Slalom, we don’t see the contact center as a silo—we see it as a powerful ecosystem where people, processes, and technology come together to drive smarter, more responsive service.

When it comes to prioritizing improvements and investments, we look at what to eliminate, automate, and optimize (EAO). Our flexible EAO framework helps organizations cut through complexity, focus their efforts, and find the best entry points for transformation—delivering real impact across customer experience, agent experience, and tooling.

“We’re seeing major momentum in two areas: modernizing customer-facing contact centers to strengthen loyalty and relationships, and transforming internal service desks to reduce cost and elevate the employee experience,” says Matt Kiesling, managing director of service, sales, and loyalty transformation at Slalom. “What sets us apart is how we pair AI solutions with deep expertise in organizational change, ensuring your technology works for your people.”