F E A T U R E
F E A T U R E
Legacy platforms are expensive to maintain, slow to scale and often incompatible with modern data governance requirements. More critically, they prevent contact centres from adapting to changing customer behaviours like channel switching, asynchronous communication and remote resolution.
Cloud-native platforms, especially those integrated into systems like Microsoft Teams, deliver more than just modern features – they enable flexibility and speed. Institutions using cloud-based contact centres report 3x faster deployment times compared to on-premise systems. They can also scale operations up or down in days, not months – critical during crises or rapid growth periods.
In today’ s omnichannel world, where customers might start a query on social media, shift to email and end on a call, seamless integration across all channels is essential. Without it, interactions become disjointed, requiring customers to repeat information and causing delays.
The hidden costs of legacy platforms include:
• Maintenance overheads – Ongoing hardware servicing, patching and licensing fees
• Slow innovation – Upgrades are slow, delaying new feature rollouts
• Compliance risks – Older systems often lack modern governance and encryption
• Data silos – Fragmented systems prevent a single customer view
• Scalability issues – Operational changes are time-consuming and costly.
Customer data should power every interaction
Financial services are inherently personal. Yet too many institutions still force agents to toggle between screens in search of context, slowing resolutions and frustrating customers.
The future belongs to institutions that place customer data at the centre of every dialogue – automatically surfacing history, preferences and relevant products at the moment of contact. This enables smarter self-service, builds agent confidence and delivers consistent, personalised experiences.
Deep customer data integration makes channel switching seamless. Customers never have to repeat themselves, and each interaction builds on the last. Combined with AI-powered insights, this data allows institutions to anticipate needs before they’ re voiced. For instance, a customer who recently explored refinancing could be proactively offered a consultation during their next interaction.
Reporting isn’ t enough – insights must drive change
Traditional KPIs like average handle time( AHT), first contact resolution( FCR) and customer satisfaction scores( CSAT) only scratch the surface. In an omnichannel, distributed world, real-time visibility into all dialogues – across all departments and channels – is essential.
Advanced dialogue analytics, powered by AI and integrated with business intelligence tools like Power BI, enable banks to surface enterprise-wide insights. Why are calls spiking about a certain feature? Where are customers dropping off in digital journeys? What’ s causing regional variation in support requests?
By mining patterns in sentiment, tone and intent, analytics tools can identify friction points before they become problems. For example, detecting confusion about a new product early can prompt changes to messaging or training before it impacts satisfaction or compliance.
Key metrics for modern omnichannel centres include:
• Customer effort score( CES) – Gauging ease of issue resolution
• Sentiment shift – Tracking mood changes during interactions
• Channel containment rate – Monitoring successful issue resolution without channel switching
• Proactive engagement rate – Measuring outbound customer contacts initiated by the institution.
LEGACY SYSTEMS ARE EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN, DIFFICULT TO SCALE AND OFTEN INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE DATA GOVERNANCE AND SECURITY DEMANDS OF MODERN FINANCE.
• AI assist utilisation – Tracking how agents use AI recommendations.
Rethinking the contact centre as a strategic asset
Trust has always been at the heart of financial services. But in today’ s experience economy, that trust must be earned in every interaction. Customer engagement must move from a cost centre to a strategic differentiator.
That requires investing in the people, platforms and processes that enable frictionless, contextual and human-centred experiences – at scale.
Consider this: 70 % of customers now expect seamless hand-offs between digital channels and live agents. Forward-thinking banks are meeting that challenge with AI-powered coaching, secure video banking and even financial wellness tools embedded directly into contact centre conversations.
These innovations are not gimmicks – they’ re game-changers. They build loyalty, drive market differentiation and prepare institutions for the next wave of transformation.
The path forward won’ t be paved with buzzwords or off-the-shelf bots. It will be led by institutions willing to modernise the backbone of customer operations – one smart investment at a time. � www. intelligentfin. tech
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