Australian contact centres continue to invest in digital channels. Self-service portals, virtual assistants and live chat are now standard. The business case is clear: lower cost to serve, faster resolution, and 24/7 availability.
But there’s a risk.
If customers feel pushed into digital channels before they’re ready — or can’t easily reach a person when they need one — trust erodes quickly. For contact centre leaders, the challenge is not simply driving channel shift. It’s managing it in a way that protects the customer experience.
Here are three practical strategies to get the balance right.
1. Make Self-Service Genuinely Useful — Not Just Available
Customers will use digital channels when they work well. They resist them when they don’t.
Before promoting self-service, ensure it is:
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Easy to find and simple to navigate
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Written in clear, plain language
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Designed around top contact drivers
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Optimised for mobile (where many interactions now start)
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Tested regularly with real customers
Analyse your call reasons and identify high-volume, low-complexity enquiries. These are ideal candidates for automation. Payment extensions, password resets, delivery tracking and appointment changes often sit in this category.
But avoid over-automating complex or emotionally sensitive issues. Complaints, hardship cases or vulnerable customer interactions still require empathy and judgement.
Channel shift works best when customers choose digital because it’s easier — not because there’s no alternative.
2. Design Clear and Safe Escalation Paths
One of the biggest causes of frustration is getting “stuck” in digital.
If a chatbot cannot solve the issue, escalation to a human should be:
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Clear
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Fast
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Seamless (no need to repeat information)
Invest in strong integration between digital tools and your CRM or case management systems. When an interaction transfers to an agent, context should follow. Customers should never feel like they are starting again.
This is where workforce planning becomes critical. As simple enquiries shift online, the remaining voice contacts are often more complex. That changes:
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Average handling times
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Skill requirements
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Training needs
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Emotional load on agents
Leaders must adjust forecasting models and capability frameworks accordingly. Channel shift is not just a digital project — it is a workforce transformation.
3. Reposition the Role of the Human Agent
As automation increases, the value of human interactions rises.
Agents are no longer just problem solvers. They become:
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Relationship builders
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Escalation specialists
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Empathy experts
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Brand ambassadors
This shift requires investment in soft skills, coaching and empowerment. Script-heavy environments rarely deliver great experiences in complex situations.
Consider:
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Giving agents more decision-making authority
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Reducing rigid scripts in favour of conversation guides
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Supporting wellbeing, as complex calls can increase emotional fatigue
When customers reach a person, the experience should feel distinctly better than self-service. That is what maintains trust and loyalty.
Balancing Efficiency and Experience
Channel shift is not about replacing people. It is about redesigning the service model.
The most successful Australian contact centres:
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Use data to understand customer behaviour
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Invest in intuitive digital tools
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Redesign workforce capability
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Protect vulnerable and complex interactions
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Treat digital and human channels as connected, not competing
Done well, digital self-service reduces friction. Human agents then focus where they add the most value.
At Customer Driven, we support contact centres to align customer experience strategy, workforce planning, digital enablement and operational performance. Managing channel shift requires more than technology — it requires thoughtful design across people, process and platforms.
If you are reviewing your channel strategy, now is the time to ensure efficiency gains don’t come at the cost of customer trust.