Pat Ferdig, Chief Customer Officer at 441 Locals, highlights the need to address systematic resistance to sub-par performance. He points to the crucial role in driving growth and advocates reframing contact centers as pivotal to company expansion, not just cost centers. He stresses a human-centric approach, including listening to agents and integrating them into cross-functional teams. Pat asserts that organizations can enhance performance and success by showcasing the contact center's value in improving customer experience and revenue growth.

“A humanistic approach has led companies that have gone out and contributed significantly to their valuation numbers by understanding how you address this issue of satisfactory underperformance.” - Pat Ferdig

In short, contact centers should be viewed as growth engines, not just cost centers. Prioritizing agents and adopting a humanistic approach can enhance customer experience, drive revenue, and set companies apart. Leaders must highlight their value to executives, showing their impact on renewals, repeat purchases, and satisfaction, thus making them strategic assets.