The customer service agent profession, previously known as "telemarketing attendant," can be the first employment opportunity, especially for the young. But, with the arrival of artificial intelligence and other technologies, will the telecommunications sector still be a gap in employment for this group, and will technical and behavioral skills align with labor market needs?
According to the world's leading CX companyFoundever, the segment will be enriched with opportunities and, furthermore, this profile will acquire new skills. The reportCX trends for 2035, developed by the company, predicts that the contact center professional's profile will only be modified and will add amore analytical view in your schedulecontradicting global research that indicates the profession will cease to exist soon due to artificial intelligence.
The material highlights that self-service is increasingly gaining ground, driven by the evolution of artificial intelligence and GenAI. These technologies enable a wider range of complex cases to be resolved across different online channels, such as messaging, apps, and voice. In other words, virtual assistant skills are expected to expand to a wide range of channels, complementing the existing omnichannel capabilities.
Today, the profession of customer service agent, as it is called, largely adds upmore than 60% of professionals between 18 and 29 years old.The available data from the Brazilian Association of Teleservices (ABT), considering the last few years, still reveal that the sectoremploys more than 1 million peopleMore than 70% of their professionals are women, half of whom are Black and mixed-race.
The CEO of Foundever in Brazil, Laurent Delache, highlights the growing importance of young people in the contact center sector, driven by their remarkable adaptability and continuous learning abilities. "This generation stands out in these services due to its agility in dealing with changes and challenges, as well as its multitasking ability, excellent communication, familiarity with technology, and quick assimilation of new knowledge," he/she/they states.
Improvement until 2035
The CEO of Foundever in Brazil, Laurent Delache, predicts the arrival of a centralized artificial intelligence agent capable of offering advanced skills and greater personalization. This will represent a significant contrast to the isolated and basic experiences that currently predominate.
"The pursuit of increasingly personalized experiences, driven by AI agents, brings with it immense potential to enhance the interaction between brands and consumers. Conversely, this intensified personalization raises crucial questions about ethics and security, and therefore, the collection and use of personal data to shape individual experiences require companies to exercise extra caution to avoid discrimination and ensure user privacy," warns Delache.
Although there are concerns about task automation and the possible replacement of jobs, research shows that customer support leaders see AI as a driving force for career evolution in this field. In other words, according to Delache's analysis, as customer expectations increase, AI will empower service professionals to become specialists in solving complex problems more efficiently, contributing to greater customer satisfaction and loyalty during their experience.
How to prepare to be a good customer service agent by 2035, according to Foundever:
Understand where GenAI will come to life in the contact center and help you thrive;
Ensure that the ethical and safety standards for new technologies maintain an exemplary level of integrity;
·Practice transparency with consumers and serve as an educational guide for them about new technology and data policies.
