The absenteeism rate in the Spanish contact centre sector reaches 14.12% in 2024, according to the latest report from the CEX Association.

Although it’s an improvement compared to 2023 (14.63 %), the figure remains well above the average for the services sector (6.7 %).

Burnout, stress and challenges in achieving work–life balance partly explain a worrying phenomenon—for operations managers in particular.

The good news is that the sector is responding: with increased investment in technology, greater adoption of AI, hybrid working models and a clearer commitment to training.

HOW TO SUSTAIN THE DOWNWARD TREND IN CONTACT CENTRE ABSENTEEISM

The CEX Association’s study on contact centre absenteeism within its market report highlights that January 2024 was the only month last year with higher absenteeism than in 2023. That signals the sector is implementing effective measures that are already delivering visible results.

Some of the strategies reflected in the study include:

1. EXPANDING INITIAL PRODUCT TRAINING

In 2024, 36% of contact centres are providing product-level training to their teams. It might sound modest, but this actually recovers ground lost in 2023 when the figure dropped to 28%, down from 41% in 2022.

This uptick highlights a revealing trend: agents aren’t leaving the sector, they’re shifting within it. They’re seeking better conditions, more efficient tools and companies that value their experience as much as the customer’s.

For operations leaders, this means one thing: the real competition isn’t only outside the sector, but within it. Retaining talent requires workplaces that are well organised, cohesive and technologically robust.

And training alone isn’t enough. What matters — and matters a lot — is the everyday tools your teams use. Organisations investing in technologies that reduce friction — from quality headsets to contact centre software that keeps everything in one place — send a loud and clear message: your time and energy are valued here.

In fact, according to the latest Gartner study, 45% of agents feel overwhelmed by the number of tools they use daily. The verdict is clear: either we simplify, or we integrate. And if eliminating apps isn’t feasible, at least let’s stop forcing agents to jump between them constantly.

This is where omnichannel software makes a real difference. Centralising all channels — phone, WhatsApp, email, social media — in one platform improves customer experience and reduces agents’ cognitive load. Fewer tabs, less stress.

Moreover, integrating telephony within the CRM automates essential actions: identifying callers automatically, opening their profile, logging their history, and making and receiving calls without leaving the CRM. All in one place.

And when you layer on workflow automation — such as an intelligent predictive dialler for outbound campaigns that boosts contact rates without overburdening agents — or implement AI-powered skill training simulations, you create an environment that’s more capable, more human, and far more appealing to agents who know the ropes.

2. EMBRACING NEW TECHNOLOGIES

While tech investment dropped by eleven percentage points from 2023 to 2024, total spend is actually higher. That points to a more strategic focus: fewer initiatives, greater impact.

Companies are no longer looking to just “have tech,” but to have the right tech. Solutions that are quick to deploy, light on resources and — above all — deliver value from day one.

That’s why usability has become a crucial decision-making factor. Tools that don’t require weeks of training, that integrate seamlessly with CRM systems, ticketing platforms and digital channels, and adapt to agents — not the other way around.

AI in the contact centre is becoming standard. With 76% adoption, the industry has stopped seeing it as a distant promise and begun to test — and verify — its real impact: optimising time, reducing burnout and enhancing customer experience.

And it’s not just about automation. It’s about AI as part of the team: copilots that suggest real‑time responses, fetch relevant info without disrupting conversation flow, and generate tickets automatically — helping to shoulder the silent burden agents have carried for years.

This isn’t the future — it’s the present of contact centre operations. In fact, a Microsoft survey reveals that 75% of agents want AI to help them find the information they need.

It makes sense. When you remove technical barriers, your way of delivering service changes: less rush to close calls. More space to listen. Because ultimately, AI doesn’t replace the human touch — it restores the time and focus that humans need.

3. HYBRID AND REMOTE WORK TO REDUCE ABSENTEEISM

One notable trend is the resurgence of remote work: 70% of contact centres now operate with hybrid or fully remote models. After a dip since 2021, levels in 2024 are back to what they were in 2022.

And the reason is clear: absenteeism falls where flexibility increases. The CEX report shows fully office‑based teams have a 15.70% rate, while hybrid drop to 12.73% and fully remote to 10.11%.

This shift has been enabled by two converging factors: the sector’s technological maturity and improved home connectivity, which now supports professional‑grade call quality from almost anywhere.

But remote work only works if your operations are built accordingly. That’s why a cloud contact centre that ensures service continuity without downtime or glitches, provides real‑time service level monitoring, agent status visibility, dynamic queue management and operational intervention capability, isn’t a perk — it’s essential.

And there’s one more crucial link: seamless integration between your contact centre software and internal communication tools. When this connection is strong, teams collaborate smoothly, share context and stay connected — even across distance.

Because when you have full visibility, real‑time coordination and well‑integrated communication channels, where agents are based becomes irrelevant. And that, in terms of wellbeing and operational sustainability, translates into less friction, less stress… and lower absenteeism.

SECTORS WITH THE HIGHEST ABSENTEEISM IN CONTACT CENTRES

According to CEX data, the telecommunications sector saw the largest increase in absenteeism, rising from 16.09% in 2023 to 16.95% in 2024.

Meanwhile, most other sectors moved in the opposite direction, with retail and eCommerce dropping nearly four percentage points, from 13.07% to 9.17% in 2024.

This sector has consistently led the way in investing in cutting‑edge innovation and technology to deliver outstanding customer experiences. Shifts in physical shopping habits have forced it to differentiate digitally — a change that has also shaped its customer service approach.

The philosophy of placing the customer at the centre and adopting omnichannel strategies is mirrored in their customer service strategy. Improving the customer’s experience doesn’t just mean merging offline and online — it also means being present in every channel, giving customers the freedom to reach out however suits them best.

What does this have to do with absenteeism? More than you’d think. It’s no surprise that enhancing agents’ experience directly influences that of end customers. Teams equipped with integrated tech, automated workflows and emerging tools like AI work smarter — with less friction, less effort and more efficiency.

FINAL CONCLUSIONS

The truth is there’s no universal magic formula to reduce absenteeism, but there are tools that can support and guide this transformation.

The sector’s efforts are clear, and regions like Murcia and Catalonia are leading reductions by increasing awareness, opening dialogue around mental health, investing in mood-boosting technologies for customer-facing professionals, and embracing continuous improvement and flexible, inclusive work philosophies.

If you’re looking to reduce absenteeism in your operation without sacrificing quality or the employee experience, speak with our experts. We can help you identify where effort is being wasted…and how to start recovering it.

La entrada 3 effective ways to reduce contact centre absenteeism se publicó primero en Enreach ES.

Implementing automation systems in the contact centre is synonymous with improving service levels, reducing waiting times, improving both the customer and agent experience, better resource allocation and increased efficiency.

Using AI in the contact centre, in addition to all the above benefits, we can make strategic decisions based on data we couldn’t measure before, such as how many customers called us for ‘X’ reason, or how agents performed in each interaction.

The recent democratisation of AI means that the contact centre sector is still in a phase of discovery and testing, so today we’ll demonstrate its potential through eight use cases.

1. FAQ RESOLUTION

AI Agents can handle the most common customer queries. When training the bot to recognise these types of queries, we can either specify the answer it should give, or alternatively let it automatically generate one after reviewing manuals, web pages or conversation histories.

Note: The AI itself will help us identify and add new FAQs in the future.

Use case:

A customer visits our website to check the return policy. After not finding the section, instead of calling customer service, the user can access the online chat on our website and get instructions from the AI Agent.

2. SELF-SERVICE

In addition to answering simple questions, bots can perform more complex tasks that may require accessing a database or sending documentation.

Use case:

A customer calls customer service to reschedule their doctor’s appointment, and our call bot qualifies their intent. After understanding the request, the bot identifies the user by asking for their ID, accesses the appointment system and suggests a new date and time. Once the new appointment is agreed, the AI records the change in the system.

3. TICKET MANAGEMENT

AI-powered bots can automate ticket creation and updates to reduce After Call Work (ACW).

If the bot recognises during the intent qualification that it can’t help the customer, it will transfer the call to the best available agent and simultaneously create a ticket in the system.

Note: If the customer calls to follow up on an incident that has already been registered, we can also train the bot to update the associated ticket.

Use case:

A customer calls the contact centre because they have no electricity at home and our call bot qualifies their intent. After identifying the customer, it accesses the ticketing system and creates a new ticket, filling in all the necessary fields.

4. SPEECH ANALYTICS

AI can also benefit contact centre supervisors or managers, as its ability to analyse a large amount of data can help them generate detailed reports to evaluate agents.

Use case:

The customer service manager can create a report for a team member detailing their performance based on service level, tone and efficiency.

5. FRICTION POINT ANALYSIS

Customer experience (CX) managers will also benefit from AI’s analytical capabilities. As the bot collects data after each interaction, it’s easy to see what friction points customers encounter when contacting customer service.

Use case:

An airline’s CX manager can quickly see how many people have called to complain about lost luggage.

6. CALL TRANSCRIPTION

This powerful technology can also transcribe all calls in real time. In addition to creating a document that separates the dialogue between the customer and the agent, we can also program the bot to summarise and/or label the conversation.

Use case:

An agent is talking to a customer; instead of taking notes, the agent can focus on solving the problem. Then they don’t have to typify the conversation and can move on to the next person in the queue.

7. AGENT SUPPORT

As well as freeing agents from many administrative tasks, AI can also be programmed to assist operators during customer interactions.

Whether it’s through an internal ChatGPT where they can type during a call to resolve a product/service query, or as a proactive bot that analyses the conversation in real time and suggests responses.

Use case:

A customer service agent is on the phone with a customer who has a technical problem. Instead of transferring the call to the technical department, the agent can enter the internal ChatGPT. The bot will check the manuals and provide an immediate answer.

8. EXPERIENCE PERSONALISATION

Generative AI can recommend products/services based on user responses. To do this, we need to feed the bot with our portfolio of products/services and their buyer personas.

Use case:

A user arrives at a bank’s website because they need to apply for a credit card. They turn to the AI Agent to ask about the types of cards available and which one is best for them. The bot asks about their spending habits and recommends the most suitable card based on the answers.

FINAL THOUGHTS

There is still a lot of uncertainty about how artificial intelligence can be applied in the contact centre. Contrary to what many may think, this technology doesn’t have the ability to replace humans, but it can replicate the way we communicate and the methodology we use to perform administrative tasks.

AI solutions for customer service have a positive impact on many aspects that are vital to businesses, such as customer experience and, in recent years, agent experience.

So it’s no wonder that after implementation, our NPS increases, our cross-sales increase and our churn rate decreases.

Want to discover the power of Artificial Intelligence for your contact centre? Call us on +34 900 670 750 or fill in this form.

La entrada 8 of the most common AI automations used in customer service se publicó primero en Enreach ES.

Customer service agents are the ones who deal directly with your customers: they listen when they have a problem, follow up on their issues and help them find solutions. Essentially, they are the public face of your brand. If they are demotivated or uncomfortable in their role, they will never be able to provide excellent service.

Considering that 61% of customers have switched brands after receiving poor customer service, looking after the agent experience should be part of your customer loyalty strategy.

“61% of customers have switched brands after receiving poor customer service.”

Microsoft

While financial compensation is a direct factor in motivating customer service reps, a good salary is useless if they don’t feel heard or valued, for example.

That’s why we’ve compiled seven best practices to help you motivate your customer service agents by investing in their long-term happiness.

7 WAYS TO MOTIVATE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENTS

1. RECOGNISE AND ADDRESS EARLY SIGNS OF BURNOUT

You’ve probably heard the term “burnout” lately; it’s a phenomenon that affects millions of workers worldwide. According to Jeff Toister, an expert on the contact centre agent experience, 59% of agents are at risk of burnout.

“59% of agents are at risk of burnout.”

Jeff Toister

Excessive workloads and daily stress in the contact centre directly contribute to burnout. Poor attitude, failure to meet targets or repeated absenteeism are some of the ways in which this phenomenon manifests itself. 

If some of your reps are exhibiting these symptoms, it is time to take action. The reasons for agent burnout may be due to one specific factor or a combination of things, so it’s best for supervisors to talk to each team member personally.

If you notice widespread burnout, we recommend evaluating customer feedback. With a contact centre tool that can store an intervention history, you can review recent complaints and identify common issues.

2. RECOGNISE THEIR SKILLS AND TALENTS

Did you know that agents who use their skills during customer interactions are 8% more productive? This data from Gallup reveals something important: people feel fulfilled when they can use their talents and achieve results.

The best way to ensure reps are using their soft and hard skills is to have customer service software that enables skills-based routing.

By identifying each agent’s skills, advanced contact centre programs can route specific inquiries to the best available agent who can handle them more effectively.

3. ENSURE AGENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS

Agents should only have to worry about listening and resolving customer queries. If the programme they’re using doesn’t make this task easier, they won’t be able to remain productive. 

The most powerful technology currently supporting millions of contact centre agents is artificial intelligence. With the ability to automatically transcribe conversations, query the CRM to identify a customer, and solve common queries, AI multiplies agent productivity.

Having customer service software that incorporates new technologies such as AI allows agents to focus on more complex tasks, freeing them from mechanical and unproductive actions.

4. PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO AGENTS

Feedback is the most powerful and cost-effective tool contact centres can use to increase agent productivity. Both a sense of progress and recognition are key motivators in the workplace. 

There are two ways to create a feedback culture:

• Monthly: Schedule monthly follow-up meetings to gather agents’ opinions, identify potential shortcomings and set new goals.
• After each interaction: After every customer interaction, create a survey for customers to rate the agent who helped them.

Ongoing feedback not only prevents burnout, but also keeps the team motivated.

5. CREATE A POSITIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Did you know that 83% of contact centre agents have at least one toxic colleague? Toister identifies toxic agents as dishonest individuals who deliberately provide poor service to customers or harass other team members.

“83% of contact centre agents have at least one toxic colleague”.

Jeff Toister

Recognising these behaviours and taking action is vital to creating a positive working environment. If agents are caught in a spiral of negativity, you’ll notice a drop in their productivity.

6. SUPPORT AGENTS DURING CALLS

Sometimes agents are faced with difficult customers or requests they can’t handle. That’s why it’s important to have customer service software that allows supervisors to monitor agents in real time. 

Supervisors can see how much time each agent is spending on a call and even connect live to provide guidance without the customer hearing it.

7. OUTLINE A CAREER PLAN FOR EACH AGENT

You’ve probably wondered whether it’s better to hire new talent or promote someone internally. Making this decision will be much easier if you work on a career plan for each agent. 

Remember that agents who move to positions of greater responsibility or change departments have a great deal of internal knowledge and culture that you want to preserve.

BOTTOM LINE

Turn agent burnout into motivation by continuously improving the contact centre. Establish a culture of recognition and feedback, eliminate potentially toxic agents, create personalised career plans, and above all, empower agents with software that makes their daily tasks easier.

Discover the real impact that advanced customer service software can have on agent productivity. Contact our team of experts on +34 900 670 750 or chat below.

La entrada 7 ways to motivate customer service reps se publicó primero en Enreach ES.