{"id":14704,"date":"2025-12-09T14:51:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T14:51:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/?p=14704"},"modified":"2026-03-09T13:58:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T13:58:23","slug":"where-customer-experience-actually-happens-rethinking-the-contact-center-in-a-multi-channel-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/where-customer-experience-actually-happens-rethinking-the-contact-center-in-a-multi-channel-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Where Customer Experience Actually Happens: Rethinking the Contact Center in a Multi-Channel World"},"content":{"rendered":"<h6><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Customer experience no longer unfolds in a straight line. It moves across apps, websites, self-service flows, agentic AI, stores, and finally, when none of those paths succeed, the contact center. For many companies, this last stop is still treated as a cost center or a fail-safe. But for customers, it\u2019s something much more consequential:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s where their entire experience is decided.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Not because the contact center handles the most interactions, it doesn\u2019t.<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">But because it handles the ones that matter most.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">And in a landscape where expectations are rising, patience is shrinking, and digital systems rarely behave perfectly, the contact center has quietly become the defining arena for trust, loyalty, and long-term value.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In practice, modern CX isn\u2019t shaped by technology alone.<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s shaped by a set of forces that influence how customers feel the moment a conversation begins and whether they believe the organization will stand behind the promises it makes.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Shift No One Talks About: Voice Isn\u2019t Just a Channel. It\u2019s the Trust Environment.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Organizations have spent years investing in automation, self-service, and channel expansion. Yet despite these advancements, customers continue to reach for a human being when the stakes are high or the frustration is deep.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What lands in the contact center today are the interactions that carry emotional weight:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"8\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the customer who tried four channels before giving up<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"8\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the one who needs an immediate solution<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"8\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the one who is anxious, confused, or dealing with a high-impact issue<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"8\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the one navigating a broken process that should have worked<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The voice channel has become the environment where digital failures surface, and where customer sentiment is either repaired or permanently damaged.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This shift is explored in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/why-the-contact-center-still-matters-in-the-age-of-digital-cx\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Why the Contact Center Still Matters in the Age of Digital CX<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, which reframes voice not as an outdated channel but as the place where trust is earned in real time.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Customer Experience Is No Longer About the Call. It\u2019s About the Journey That Arrived There.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">By the time a customer speaks to a person, the initial problem is only part of the story.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The emotional context matters more:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Did the website contradict itself?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Did the app fail at checkout?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Did automation loop them in circles?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Did the customer already feel ignored?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Two people can experience the same resolution but interpret it differently depending on what happened before the call.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This is why customer experience cannot be evaluated solely through operational metrics. The emotional state entering the conversation is often the biggest determinant of the emotional state exiting it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">That idea is examined further in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/perception-at-the-core-of-customer-experience-in-the-contact-center\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Perception at the Core of Customer Experience in the Contact Center<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, which explains why perception, not process, drives the real outcome.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Context Is the Missing Infrastructure in Most Contact Centers<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When customers move between channels, companies often lose visibility into those movements. A customer may try a self-service option, attempt a purchase, troubleshoot online, abandon the journey and then call.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">But unless the systems that captured those steps speak to each other in real time, the agent sees none of it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Customers then face the single most universal frustration in CX:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cI just did that. Why don\u2019t you know?\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This leads to an invisible tax on both sides:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">customers must repeat themselves<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">agents must rebuild the story from scratch<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">resolution slows<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">frustration rises<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">empathy becomes harder to deliver<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This problem, and its implications, is explored in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/data-persistence-or-agent-persistence\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Data Persistence or Agent Persistence?<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, which argues that asking customers to start over is no longer acceptable in a world where technology should enable continuity, not undermine it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Most Damaging CX Failure Isn\u2019t a Defect. It\u2019s Inconsistency.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Modern journeys span channels, but most companies still manage channels as separate ecosystems. This leads to mismatches that feel like broken promises; the digital tool says one thing, the agent says another and the store says something entirely different<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Inconsistency erodes trust faster than inconvenience.<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">A customer can forgive a delay or an error.<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">They rarely forgive contradictory information.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Consistency doesn\u2019t require every channel to do everything.<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">It requires every channel to reflect the same reality.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This challenge is dissected in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/the-other-half-channel-consistency\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">The Other Half: Channel Consistency<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, which examines how misaligned policies, systems, and capabilities undermine even the strongest CX strategies.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Real Path to Fewer Calls Isn\u2019t Automation. It\u2019s Defect Elimination.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Every CX leader today contends with the pressure to reduce call volume. But fewer calls are only a win when they come from fewer problems, not fewer pathways to help.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Digital tools can create efficiencies, but they also create new points of failure; broken flows, unclear messaging, partial capabilities, dead ends and inconsistent rules.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When these breakdowns happen, customers inevitably turn to human support.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The question is not:<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">How do we reduce calls?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The question is:<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Why are customers calling at all?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This principle is central to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/reducing-calls-or-reducing-defects\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Reducing Calls or Reducing Defects?<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, which argues that true CX improvement comes from solving root causes, not creating new layers of digital insulation.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">So Where Does CX Go Next?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Modern customer experience is no longer about adding more channels, more automation, or more features. It is about creating:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"15\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">continuity<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> instead of resets<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"15\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">clarity<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> instead of contradictions<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"15\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">coherence<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> instead of fragmentation<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"15\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">empathy<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> instead of escalation<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"15\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">simplicity<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> instead of system complexity<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"15\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">prevention<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> instead of troubleshooting<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The contact center becomes the crucible where all of these forces converge.<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">It is where broken digital experiences are felt most acutely, and where organizations have a final opportunity to restore confidence.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In an era defined by technological acceleration, the differentiator will not be how automated a journey becomes, but how human, coherent, and trustworthy the final moments of that journey feel.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Explore the Full CX Power 5 Series by Jerry Adriano<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"16\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/why-the-contact-center-still-matters-in-the-age-of-digital-cx\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Why the Contact Center Still Matters<\/span><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"16\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/perception-at-the-core-of-customer-experience-in-the-contact-center\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Perception at the Core of CX<\/span><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"16\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/data-persistence-or-agent-persistence\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Data Persistence or Agent Persistence?<\/span><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"16\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/the-other-half-channel-consistency\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The Other Half: Channel Consistency<\/span><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"16\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/reducing-calls-or-reducing-defects\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Reducing Calls or Reducing Defects?<\/span><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Customer experience no longer unfolds in a straight line. It moves across apps, websites, self-service flows, agentic AI, stores, and finally, when none of those paths succeed, the contact center. For many companies, this last stop is still treated as a cost center or a fail-safe. But for customers, it\u2019s something much more consequential:\u00a0 It\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":14708,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[59],"class_list":["post-14704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-customer-experience","tag-blog"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14704","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14704"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14704\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14711,"href":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14704\/revisions\/14711"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14708"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.afiniti.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}