Get out of wrap: 247 – The Get Out of Wrap TV Christmas Special

Key Take Aways

1. The contact centre industry remains resilient, with some positive indicators despite challenging times, reflecting adaptability and ongoing innovation.

2. Leadership in financial services should focus on cultivating organisational resilience, communication skills, and strategic upskilling of personnel moving into 2026.

3. There is an industry-wide recognition of AI as a support tool rather than a job competitor, indicating a shift towards more purposeful adoption driven by specific business needs.

4. The industry must navigate the balance between human agents and AI, ensuring advisors are supported in handling complex, emotive customer interactions.

5. Collaboration, open-mindedness, and a commitment to kindness are emphasised as cornerstone values for navigating future industry challenges.

6. Predictions for 2026 point to increasing realisation that AI impact will be more gradual and targeted, rather than disruptive and universal.

7. The sector anticipates a focus on quality management and knowledge sharing, leveraging AI for process efficiencies and better customer outcomes.

8. Organisations are urged to prioritise people, skills development, and emotional intelligence over shiny new technology to improve customer experience.

9. The ongoing regulatory landscape around AI and fraud detection (e.g., biometrics, multi-signal fraud scoring) will intensify, especially in security contexts.

10. Industry leaders highlight that customer satisfaction showed slight improvement in 2025, challenging expectations of decline and indicating resilience.

11. The importance of transparency and responsible AI implementation is underscored, particularly around expectations of AI augmentation and real human-centric guidance.

12. Industry communities and awards continue to promote sharing best practices, recognising achievements, and fostering peer learning into 2026.

Key Statistics

• Approximately 800,000 people work in contact centres in the UK.

• Virgin Media faced a regulatory fine of £23.8 million for failures during digital migration.

• Customer satisfaction scores in the UK in 2025 slightly improved, contrary to expectations of decline.

• In Spain, contact centres are now legally required to answer customer calls within three minutes.

• The UK contact centre industry employs around 800,000 agents, with a potential peak of 1.7 million.

• Predictions for 2026 include AI-driven impersonation fraud becoming mainstream, with deepfake voices and synthetic identities.

Key Discussion Points

• The industry’s adaptation amid division and technological change, with a focus on inclusiveness and positive engagement.

• The importance of sharing festive and supportive messages to foster inclusivity within the industry.

• The ongoing industry debate around AI, with predictions emphasising intentional, specific deployment over hype-driven adoption.

• The impact of AI on customer interaction quality and emotional complexity, highlighting the need for targeted training and human support.

• The predicted realignment of AI development towards fixing existing issues rather than chasing FOMO.

• The potential for a regulatory and market correction in AI, with a projected bubble and subsequent stabilisation or burst in 2026.

• The emphasis on leadership and skills development, prioritising resilience, communication, organisational problem-solving, and emotional intelligence.

• The importance of collaborative efforts and recognising contributions through industry awards and peer recognition.

• Concerns around fraud, security, and the rise of AI-facilitated impersonation, demanding enhanced biometric and multi-signal authentication solutions.

• The realisation that customer experience improvements are tightly linked with human-centric service and genuine support, not just technological upgrades.

• Predictions about the future role of contact centres in Europe, especially considering geopolitical tensions and resource reallocation.

• The value of industry communities and knowledge sharing, with a nod to upcoming best practice guides and awards to foster continuous improvement.

Podcast Description

This podcast provides a forward-looking discussion on the contact centre and customer experience industry within the context of 2025 and predictions for 2026. It gathers insights from industry leaders, reflecting on resilience, the evolution of AI, regulatory developments, sector challenges, and strategic imperatives. The show emphasises the importance of human-centric leadership, collaborative culture, and responsible technology adoption, offering senior managers in financial services actionable intelligence to navigate upcoming disruptions and opportunities effectively.