SHALIMA BHALLA
Contact centre work involves managing difficult conversations with unhappy customers throughout the day, with agents frequently juggling multiple screens to access different systems whilst handling calls.
AI-powered systems reduce that burden by surfacing relevant information automatically, with after-call summaries and categorisation happening without agent input. Shalima describes this as making every agent a“ super agent”. AI tools raise the floor by giving all agents access to information and prompts that previously only the best agents intuited through experience.
Integrating conversational AI with contact centre platforms Conversational AI handles routine queries like balance enquiries and billing information in natural language rather than through menu trees, with customers able to speak naturally instead of pressing numbered options.
The real value emerges when context flows seamlessly into the handoff to human agents. Customers who describe an issue to an AI system shouldn’ t repeat it during escalation. When designed well, the integration between conversational AI and contact centre platforms should maintain that continuity end to end.
146 January 2026