What's Keeping You Up at Night?

"Thank you for putting this community together. It's truly felt special. Afshan did an AMAZING job leading a great conversation!" ~Liz Zaleski

Every month, ICMI Community Coffee Chats bring together small groups of contact center professionals for candid, peer-to-peer conversations. In September, we hosted several of these small-group discussions, each with four to five leaders matched together for an open exchange of ideas.

This recap comes from one of those meetups, facilitated by Afshan Kinder, who served as the conversation captain for her group. Joining her at the virtual table were Liz Zaleski, Leslie Points, and Adam Boelke, who shared their honest thoughts about what keeps them up at night as contact center leaders. The group unpacked real challenges and surfaced insights that you can likely relate to.

AI Readiness Isn't Just About Technology

Given this month's theme was "What's Keeping You Up at Night," it's probably no surprise that the conversation quickly turned to AI. While excitement is high, readiness is uneven. The group noted that simply rolling out a chatbot or virtual assistant hasn't always delivered the expected relief in call volume. Often, the problem isn't the tool but rather the foundation.

Data silos, unstructured knowledge bases, and unclear processes can make automation feel more like an added burden than a solution. As one participant put it, "We're trying to build the plane while flying it." Without strong data hygiene and clear use cases, AI risks creating noise instead of value.

Shifting Culture and Roles

Adopting AI is also a cultural shift. The group agreed that more organizations are beginning to view contact centers as revenue drivers rather than cost centers, but that mindset shift requires rethinking roles and expectations.

Skills such as AI prompting, data fluency, and technical writing for large language models are becoming integral to the job, while traditional QA metrics are losing importance. Leaders must balance the need for innovation with the reality that roles (and even career paths) are in flux.

The Leadership Squeeze

Leadership challenges were another hot topic. Middle managers often feel squeezed, expected to deliver more with fewer resources while navigating hybrid work environments. Many have been promoted from frontline roles without the training to succeed strategically, leaving them stuck between executive demands and employee needs.

Generational dynamics add another layer. Younger employees, having watched repeated waves of layoffs, are skeptical of long-term career promises. Meanwhile, older generations still carry the belief that advancement is the reward for hard work. Bridging that gap requires empathetic leadership, clear communication, and realistic pathways for growth.

So, What Keeps You Up at Night?

This chat reminded us that while technology is evolving rapidly, people remain at the heart of every challenge and solution. Leaders are excited, but also anxious, about how to align people, processes, and technology in ways that truly serve employees and customers alike.

That's exactly what ICMI Coffee Chats are all about: creating space for authentic conversation, peer connection, and shared learning.

Join Us for an Upcoming Coffee Chat

Want to be part of the next conversation? Sign up for one of our upcoming ICMI Coffee Chats in October, November, or December. Bring your challenges, your questions, and your curiosity. We'll bring the community.