Customer Experience Transformation: Bridging the Gap

Customer experience transformation: Bridging the gap in the contact centre

Craig Farley of IPI discusses how this can be achieved in the contact centre

Across the business world, leaders are grappling with the same challenge – meeting ever-rising customer expectations while using technology built for a different era of customer behaviour. A recent study of global IT decision makers found that more than half (57 percent) acknowledged that their dependence on legacy systems is ‘likely’ or ‘highly likely’ to drive customers to defect due to poor experiences these systems create.

In an age where a single bad experience can result in customer churn, it’s clear that the gap between what customers expect and what current infrastructure can deliver needs to be closed. CX has become the new competitive battleground – and it’s easy to see why. Those that excel in CX consistently benefit from higher customer spending and more importantly, greater loyalty.

The allure of CX and the fear of change

While the power of customer experience transformation is widely recognised, there remains fear amongst business leaders that transformation equates to the same high-risk, chaos, downtime and cost spikes that organisations have come to expect from large scale technology projects. And while that fear is understandable – the perception is largely outdated.

Here at IPI, our extensive experience in delivering exceptional CX has proven that with the right strategy and the right partner, organisations can achieve a seamless, well-managed customer experience transformation – one that maintains stability while still driving the positive disruption that both business leaders and customers crave.

So, how can this be achieved? 5 steps to modernising customer experience

Taking a staged approach to modernising CX is key to success. Those who do it well start by laying the foundations that enable them to build their programme out slowly and effectively, delivering meaningful improvements for both customers and employees alike.

Here are the five key steps to take on your journey towards modern customer experience transformation:

1. Align CX transformation with broader business goals

The most common reason for CX project failure is a lack of clarity around objectives. Every transformation programme should begin by defining the desired outcomes and identifying the current barriers to achievement. This means bringing together key stakeholders from across the business to share insights and priorities. CX transformation should never be an isolated departmental initiative, but rather a wider organisational movement for change.

At IPI, our ROI Consulting approach starts by assessing your current CX maturity and mapping each initiative against measurable business outcomes.

2. Scale with purpose

Organisations that achieve the best outcomes from customer experience transformation aren’t necessarily those that are the quickest off the starting blocks rushing into multiple initiatives, but those who move with purpose – aligning a programme of change to clear business outcomes.

As you look to begin your customer experience transformation, start with a small project and prove its success to the wider organisation. This will build organisational confidence in what can be achieved and generate greater buy-in from key stakeholders to support future initiatives.

3. Use technology as an enabler

The move towards CX transformation necessitates the evolution of the technology underpinning your IT infrastructure.

AI is one of the most transformative of those features. Whether it’s improving response times, lowering handling costs or increasing CSAT ratings, AI offers a wealth of opportunity for positive change. By automating repetitive tasks (freeing up agents for more meaningful customer connections), surfacing real-time insights for faster decision-making, predicting customer intent to route queries efficiently, and supporting better self-service experiences, AI can enhance business operations and elevate the CX delivered.

4. Empower your people

Successful modernisation relies on three core factors – the technology in place, the process behind it and the people responsible for managing it. Ensure that your team is engaged throughout the process and feels confident, capable and supported as you evolve.

Minimise disruption by offering training before new tools go live and communicate openly about what is changing and why. When people understand the reason behind change, disruption turns into engagement. Consider establishing user groups and feedback forums to build on this engagement further.

5. Select the right transformation partner

Working with an experienced partner means you move at a pace that fits your business, keep what works, replace only what does not, and gain guidance from people who have delivered it before. At IPI, we combine deep technical expertise with real-world operational experience. Our teams have modernised contact centres of every size and complexity across

Modernising CX without disruption: IPI’s proven approach

IPI helps organisations modernise their customer experience with confidence. We bridge the gap between existing operations and AI-enabled CX, combining deep expertise, practical strategy and proven delivery to achieve faster value with lower risk. Talk to us about how we can help you take the next steps on your journey toward a simpler, smarter, future-ready customer experience.

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Craig Farley is CX & AI Strategist at IPI, bringing over two decades of experience in the evolving world of contact centres and customer experience. Having started his career in operational roles – panning technology, workforce engagement, and leadership – Craig has worked closely with global brands to help them harness technology and streamline operations.

In his current role, Craig acts as a trusted advisor to clients and prospects, leading strategic conversations around customer experience transformation and AI adoption.

He partners with customer teams to shape solution strategies, provide thought leadership, and translate complex AI concepts into practical business value.