Most Contact Centers Have an AI Strategy but Do Not Execute on Automation, Finds SuccessKPI Survey on Contact Center Maturity

Global survey of over 400 contact centers finds majority of contact centers’ data is too unorganized or decentralized for AI use, and the US is behind on AI adoption

FAIRFAX, Va., Sept. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SuccessKPI, a leading AI-powered Workforce Engagement Management (WEM) provider, today announced the debut findings of its Contact Center Maturity Survey, conducted in partnership with CMSWire, which surveyed 400 contact center operators worldwide. The report presents a thorough analysis of contact center maturity across seven pillars, offering valuable insights on strategy and execution gaps in customer experience, particularly regarding data governance as applied to artificial intelligence.

The survey provides customer service organizations the opportunity to benchmark themselves against their global peers. Two of the key findings from the survey underscore the pressing need for improved governance and data management as contact centers evolve toward hybrid human and AI agent workforce models and grapple with increasing complexity.

Hybrid Workforce Models Lack Supportive Governance

One of the most striking findings reveals the movement toward hybrid workforce models, where human agents share the customer experience (CX) with AI agents. While many contact centers are eagerly adopting this innovative approach, the survey indicates a lack of governance and data management structures to support this transition effectively.

"As contact centers integrate AI call center agents, there is a critical need for organizations to establish robust governance frameworks," said Dave Rennyson, CEO of SuccessKPI. "Without comprehensive management, companies risk undermining the potential benefits of a hybrid workforce, which can lead to inefficiencies and decreased service quality among both human and AI agents."

Complexity Grows with Larger Agent Pools

The survey also highlights that a larger workforce correlates with increased complexity. Midsize organizations with manageable resources report a balanced complexity level, while those with over 5,000 agents face significant challenges around integration and adoption. These larger entities often struggle with disconnected systems and siloed processes, hindering their ability to deliver a unified customer experience.

This finding strongly implies that enterprise CX operators should invest in processes and technologies that can better identify trends in data, simplify workflows, and enhance communication across all channels.

Some key findings of the report include:

• AI ambitions are far ahead of AI readiness: 82% of contact centers are still either in limited AI pilots (38.25%) or only in the early-adoption phase (43.75%). At the same time, nearly half still conduct quality monitoring manually or with limited automation.
• More than half aren't ready to put their data to work for AI: 53% say their data isn't organized or centralized well enough for AI use, while 52.25% have limited or nonexistent integration across reporting and analytics systems.
• Despite years of omnichannel investment, only 40% of contact centers still deliver limited, disconnected or repetitive customer journeys. Only 23.25% report a fully unified omnichannel journey.
• Automation remains surprisingly immature: 67% of contact centers still rely on manual processes or limited workflow automation, while just 2.5% have achieved fully automated, AI-driven workflows.
• The U.S. is surprisingly behind on AI adoption. Only 10% of U.S. contact centers report broad AI adoption or full integration, versus 24% in both UK/Ireland and APAC.
  
  

To address these maturity gaps and drive improvement, the report provides five actionable recommendations:

1. Close the Omnichannel Gap: Organizations must invest in technologies that unify customer interactions across various platforms, ensuring a seamless experience.
2. Realign AI Expectations: Clearly define the role of AI within the contact center and set realistic goals that reflect its capabilities while managing workforce dynamics.
3. Establish Robust AI Governance: Create governance structures to oversee the integration of AI into contact centers, ensuring accountability and maximizing its effectiveness in a hybrid model.
4. Redefine Agent Metrics: Update performance metrics to reflect the evolving realities of agent roles and the integration of AI, focusing on quality and customer satisfaction.
5. Enhance Real-Time Operations: Improve the capacity for real-time data analysis to inform decision-making, support agents on-the-spot, and drive operational strategy.
   
   

The survey findings underscore the transition phase the contact center industry is undergoing. While many organizations have devised strategic roadmaps for enhancing customer experience and agent experience through technology, the execution often falls short. With a substantial number of businesses still engaging in a cost-centric mindset, leaders must work to align their strategic intentions with operational realities.

By recognizing the existing gaps and implementing the recommended strategies, companies can harness the full potential of their contact centers, transforming them from cost centers into valued drivers of revenue and customer satisfaction.

For more information and to access the full report, visit https://successkpi.com/cx-maturity-benchmark-2026/.

About SuccessKPI

SuccessKPI is the performance platform for agentic and human customer experience, enabling an AI governance layer for contact centers. The company’s cloud-native platform unifies Workforce Engagement Management, analytics, quality management, automation, and operational intelligence to help organizations optimize performance, improve customer outcomes, reduce risk, and accelerate business results. SuccessKPI is trusted by some of the world’s largest government, BPO, financial, healthcare, and technology contact centers in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. With over 180 integrations and recognition as a leader in Frost & Sullivan’s WEM Frost Radar™ and CRM Magazine’s Industry Leader Awards, SuccessKPI continues to set the standard for AI-driven contact center optimization solutions.

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Most Contact Centers Have an AI Strategy but Do Not Execute on Automation, Finds SuccessKPI Survey on Contact Center Maturity

Global survey of over 400 contact centers finds majority of contact centers’ data is too unorganized or decentralized for AI use, and the US is behind on AI adoption.