State of the Contact Center 2025 Report: Trends & Analysis

State of the Contact Center 2025

Calabrio surveyed 400+ global contact center leaders, and the message is clear: AI is no longer the future – it’s here. With 98% of contact centers already using it, what’s its real impact?

In the 2025 State of the Contact Center Report, we reveal how to bridge the gap between AI, your agents, and the future of customer experience.

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Discover the key trends shaping the future of contact centers

AI has already transformed the contact center—but there’s more beneath the surface. The State of the Contact Center 2025 report uncovers the real story. As AI adoption accelerates, contact centers face growing complexities: rising customer expectations, tougher interactions, and evolving agent roles. AI is driving automation and efficiency, but 61% of contact centers still report more emotionally charged customer interactions.

Training is happening—but critical areas like emotional intelligence and social skills are not being prioritized. This leaves frontline teams underprepared for today’s customer demands.

Beyond AI growing pains, a deeper disconnect is widening: while leaders know engagement, development, and career growth are key to retention, many organizations are falling short—leading to higher attrition and lower satisfaction. This year’s report explores how AI, agent experience, and workforce strategies must align.

The takeaway? AI is essential, but success depends on pairing technology with real investment in people to deliver lasting impact.

The real impact of AI – beyond the hype

How the agent role is evolving in today’s contact center

Which KPIs truly matter (and which don’t?)

What’s next for the future of customer engagement

Download the report

83%

of contact center leaders agree / strongly agree that AI will enable 24/7, omnichannel customer support, revolutionizing accessibility and convenience.

71%

of contact center leaders anticipate AI adoption will be limited by ethical concerns, data privacy issues and regulatory challenges.

61%

of contact center leaders have seen an increase in difficult customer interactions in the past year.

87%

Email ranked as the top-performing channel, with 87% of users rating it as good or excellent, closely followed by X (Twitter) at 86%.

36%

of contact centers have a true omnichannel setup.

31%

of CX platforms and 35% of WFM platforms are still on-premise.

AI: Already a Cornerstone of Modern Contact Centers

With 98% of contact centers using AI, its impact is undeniable. From chatbots to AI-driven analytics, these technologies are boosting efficiency and performance. Looking ahead, 83% of managers say AI will help them deliver 24/7 omnichannel support, while 78% say it will transform contact centers into proactive, predictive, and personalized hubs of customer engagement. As AI evolves, leaders predict that it will enhance agent wellbeing, optimize workforce planning, and personalize customer engagement—shaping the future of the industry.

AI Challenges: Adoption Comes with Growing Pains

While AI is widely used globally, 20% of contact centers still say its challenges outweigh the benefits. High costs (33%), poor system integration (30%), and lack of employee trust (32%) are key hurdles, alongside potential ethical and regulatory concerns. With 43% of leaders now looking to implement AI in-house, the focus is shifting toward better control, integration, and long-term value.

The Agent Experience (AX) Disconnect: Contact Center Managers Must Walk the Talk

AI is reshaping contact centers, freeing agents to focus on the most complex and emotional interactions. Leaders recognize the need for emotional intelligence, adaptability, and resilience, yet their actions don’t align. Despite empathy being the most lacking agent skill, 64% of organizations aren’t prioritizing emotional intelligence or social interaction training. Meanwhile, 59% fail to provide ongoing coaching and support to help agents navigate AI-driven workflows. It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that 32% of leaders cite agent distrust in AI as a major issue. The gap is clear: to truly empower agents and enhance AX, organizations must invest in the right support—not just the right technology.

The New CX Reality: Faster, Personalized, and Always-on

Customers’ high expectations continue to surge. In the past year, 40% of contact centers have seen increased demand for 24/7 availability and 36% say customers expect greater personalization, speed, and transparency. At the same time, 61% of contact center managers report an increase in challenging customer interactions. As omnichannel experiences become the norm, businesses must adapt quickly to meet rising demands while maintaining trust and efficiency—but only 36% of contact centers have a true omnichannel setup.

Download your copy

In the 2025 State of the Contact Center Report, we explore how to bridge the gap between AI, your agents, and the future of customer experience. Inside, you’ll uncover:

The real impact of AI—beyond the hype
How the agent role is evolving in today’s contact center
Which KPIs truly matter (and which don’t)
What’s next for the future of customer engagement