As we dive into the evolving landscape of customer experience, I’m thrilled to sit down with Aisha Amaira, a MarTech expert with a deep-rooted passion for integrating technology into marketing. With her extensive background in CRM marketing technology and customer data platforms, Aisha brings a unique perspective on how businesses can harness innovation to uncover critical customer insights. Today, we’re focusing on a often-overlooked cornerstone of customer engagement: the voice channel. In this conversation, we’ll explore why voice remains a vital part of building trust, how it complements digital transformation, and the challenges and opportunities in optimizing it for today’s customer needs.
What led to the voice channel being sidelined in favor of digital tools over the past few years?
I think the shift largely comes down to the excitement around digital transformation. Businesses have been captivated by the promise of AI, chatbots, and self-service tools because they seem like the future—scalable, cost-effective, and tech-forward. Voice, on the other hand, often gets pegged as old-school, even though it’s far from obsolete. There’s also a perception that voice is expensive to maintain with live agents and legacy systems, so the focus turned to automating everything possible. But in chasing the shiny new thing, many forgot that voice carries an emotional depth digital can’t always replicate.
How does voice stand out as a critical tool for building customer relationships compared to other channels?
Voice is unique because it’s inherently human. When a customer picks up the phone, they’re often looking for empathy, tone, and nuance—things a chatbot or email can’t fully deliver. It’s the channel where trust is built in real-time. You can hear frustration or relief in someone’s voice and adjust your response instantly. Unlike text-based or self-service options, voice allows for a personal connection that reassures customers they’re being heard, especially in high-stakes or emotional moments.
With reports showing that 65% to 70% of contact center interactions are still voice-based, what do you make of this dominance in the face of digital growth?
Honestly, I’m not surprised. Despite the push for digital, people still crave human interaction when things get tricky or personal. Voice remains dominant because it’s the go-to when customers hit a wall with self-service or need clarity on complex issues. Digital channels are great for quick, transactional stuff, but they often lack the depth for nuanced problems. I think this percentage might dip slightly as digital tools improve, but voice will hold strong for situations where empathy and understanding are non-negotiable.
How should businesses strike a balance between investing in digital tools and maintaining a strong voice channel?
It’s not about choosing one over the other—it’s about integration. Businesses should invest in digital for efficiency, like automating routine queries, but they can’t let voice become an afterthought. Voice needs funding for modern tools like smarter call routing or agent training to handle complex issues. The real magic happens when digital and voice work together, like using data from digital interactions to personalize a voice call. It’s about creating a seamless journey where each channel supports the other rather than competes.
The idea that ‘when digital fails, voice saves’ really resonates. Can you elaborate on how voice steps in during those critical moments?
Absolutely. Digital tools often fall short when a customer’s issue doesn’t fit into a predefined script—think a billing error that’s not easily resolved online or a situation where frustration is boiling over. Chatbots can’t always pick up on emotional cues or adapt to unique problems. That’s where voice comes in. A human agent can listen, validate concerns, and pivot to a solution in a way that feels personal. It’s often the moment trust is rebuilt, turning a bad experience into a loyal customer.
What are some of the biggest hurdles companies face when trying to improve their voice channel?
One major hurdle is outdated technology. Many contact centers are stuck with legacy systems that don’t integrate well with modern tools, leading to clunky experiences for both agents and customers. But it’s not just tech—there’s also a mindset issue. Some leaders view voice as a cost to minimize rather than a value to enhance, so there’s resistance to investing in it. Overcoming this means shifting the narrative to show how a strong voice channel boosts satisfaction and even operational efficiency when done right.
There’s a lot of talk about re-imagining voice with innovations like smarter routing and analytics. How can these technologies transform the voice experience?
Smarter routing is a game-changer because it gets customers to the right agent faster, cutting down wait times and frustration. Imagine a system that uses past interactions to predict who can best handle a specific issue—that’s efficiency. Analytics, meanwhile, helps uncover patterns in calls, like common pain points or agent performance gaps, so businesses can coach teams better. These tools don’t replace the human element; they enhance it, making every conversation more meaningful and less of a hassle for everyone involved.
Looking ahead, what’s your forecast for the role of voice in customer experience over the next few years?
I believe voice will remain a cornerstone of customer experience, even as digital channels grow. It’s not going away—it’s evolving. We’ll see more integration with digital, where voice becomes the emotional anchor in a hybrid journey. Technologies like AI will support voice, not replace it, by arming agents with real-time insights to personalize interactions. My forecast is that businesses who invest in re-imagining voice now will stand out as leaders in CX, because they’ll be the ones truly listening to what customers need in those critical moments.