Interview: Rod Lester, NICE

What is the major potential tech pain point that will face all organisations large and small in 2023?

Having the technology and infrastructure to deliver services the way citizens and customers expect will be a major pain point. Organisations must alleviate pressure on human contact centre agents and managers by optimising processes to deliver services in a frictionless and agile manner. Users across all demographics now demand engagement with businesses and government via the interaction channel of their choice, at a time that best suits them.

Organisations and all levels of government must meet these expectations by delivering effortless, consistent and personalised digital-first experiences. By failing to do this, or simply choosing to ignore it, organisations risk falling behind competitors, as a lack of customer service delivery leads to lost revenue and poor overall performance.

Which new technologies will reach critical mass and become dominant in 2023?

Meeting customers where they truly begin their journey through the continued adoption and development of digital, self-help and messaging channels, plus furthering the growth of cloud contact centres, will reach a tipping point for organisations in 2023. NICE anticipates that virtual messaging channels will account for 40–50% of all interactions; however, the ability for customers to speak to operators whenever they wish, including when experiencing stress, will remain a vitally important part of providing a seamless experience for every customer journey.

Businesses and governments will also transition to a suiteform — the combination of a suite and a platform — where a number of interconnected customer experience and enterprise software applications exist on a common framework. By developing a holistic solution that enables the end-to-end capture of the customer journey, organisations will be able to make better data-based decisions.

How is the current talent shortage impacting your industry and how will this be overcome in 2023?

The current skills shortage is having a substantial impact on almost every sector with the salaries of those working in the contact centre industry increasing dramatically over the last couple of years as organisations struggle to attract and retain talent.

The cost of labour and onshoring due to pandemic-related disruptions made automation a much greater priority for organisations and all levels of government. In 2023, this will only increase so that interactive experiences can be delivered more effectively and efficiently without impacting the customer experience.

Will IT continue to drive organisational efficiency in a hybrid work world and who should lead the charge (CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, etc)?

Necessity drove organisations to find new ways of working that would help individuals to be effective in the hybrid world. While IT didn’t necessarily drive organisational efficiency or lead the charge in the new way of working, it did respond to and support lines of business and employees demanding change.

Due to the pandemic, businesses have experienced 10 years of change inside three years, with all organisations and levels of government now used to an accelerated speed of change. Every sector has learnt to move more quickly with this pace not anticipated to return to the levels seen prior to the pandemic. In 2023 and beyond, IT will need to be cloud-orientated, stitching these modern applications together to form a cohesive solution that will work well in the new hybrid work environment rather than focusing on acquiring kit and controlling tools.

Rod Lester is the Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand for NICE. He’s responsible for overseeing operations in the region, including driving strategy and growth. With more than 25 years of sales and management experience, primarily in the ICT industry, Rod brings a wealth of knowledge to NICE.