From Plan to Performance: How WFM Leaders Are Orchestrating the AI-Powered Contact Center
Key Takeaways:
- Shift your organization’s focus from static scheduling to real-time orchestration by leveraging AI to respond dynamically rather than just plan ahead
- Prioritize agent outcomes by making AI tools work with them by boosting their skills, freeing their time and improving their experience instead of burdening them
- Tie every AI and orchestration initiative to measurable business and agent metrics (service levels, training impact, agent retention) so you’re driving performance, not hype
Workforce Management (WFM) is no longer a back-office function. It is at the center of strategy, technology, and employee experience as WFM leaders are required to orchestrate AI in their customer service operations. As AI reshapes the industry, WFM leaders are uniquely positioned to balance the needs of agents, customers, and the business—turning plans into measurable performance.
In our recent webinar, From Plan to Performance: How WFM Leaders Are Orchestrating the AI-Powered Contact Center, we explored decades of experience in operations, forecasting, to unpack the evolving role of WFM in guiding organizations through AI adoption.
The Expanding Role of Workforce Management
Traditionally, WFM has been about aligning headcount with demand, requiring tasks such as forecasting, scheduling, and meeting service levels. But as AI and automation alter the nature of work, WFM’s scope is broadening.
Today, WFM touches nearly every area of the contact center:
- Operations and Finance: balancing efficiency with cost
- Learning & Development: ensuring agents are prepared for new tasks
- Technology: integrating AI into workflows without disruption
- Agent and Customer Experience: maintaining the human touch
WFM has become the hub of a complex ecosystem where employee engagement and customer satisfaction intersect.
AI’s Treacherous Path and the Opportunity Ahead
AI is everywhere in today’s conversation, but it’s not without risk. Industry data shows that up to 80% of AI projects fail to meet expectations, often due to miscommunication, lack of clarity, or overlooking the people side of change.
The key takeaway: AI success requires more than technology—it requires orchestration. Companies that succeed don’t swing for a home run immediately; instead, they focus on small, targeted wins. For example:
- Using AI for call summarization to reduce handle times
- Deploying agent-assist tools to improve accuracy
- Automating routine back-office tasks to free capacity
By starting with manageable use cases, organizations build confidence and momentum while minimizing risk.
Orchestrate AI to Balance Employee and Customer Experience
AI doesn’t change what agents do, it changes how they work. As automation handles routine interactions, the remaining work often becomes more complex, requiring higher skills and faster adaptation.
That’s why balancing Employee Experience (EX) and Customer Experience (CX) is critical. AI must reduce effort for agents, not add to it. Poorly implemented tools like distracting pop-ups or fragmented workflows only increase stress and accelerate burnout.
According to Gartner, 74% of organizations that invest in advanced technology recognize a direct link between EX and CX. In other words, supporting employees with the right tools directly improves the customer journey.
Critical Success Factors for AI Execution
The webinar highlighted several factors that determine whether AI projects succeed or stall:
- Alignment with Organizational Goals – AI initiatives must tie directly to measurable outcomes.
- Voice of the Agent – Feedback loops ensure tools enhance, not hinder, daily work.
- Change Champions – Peer advocates build trust and adoption.
- Real-Time Adaptability – Plans rarely go as expected; agility is essential.
- Visible Leadership Commitment – From supervisors to executives, buy-in must be clear and continuous.
When these elements are in place, AI becomes a driver of efficiency and engagement rather than resistance and attrition. s in employee experience and operational responsiveness, contact centers can prioritize improvements that increase readiness for AI.
Burnout: The Barrier to Sustainable Change
The greatest risk of poorly managed AI adoption is agent burnout. Research shows that attrition costs can exceed $35,000 per agent when accounting for training, lost productivity, and ripple effects on morale and customer experience.
Burnout isn’t just about workload—it’s about well-being, value, and growth opportunities. Agents who feel supported, engaged, and empowered to use AI tools are more likely to stay and perform at a higher level.
The WFM Leader’s Mandate
As contact centers move deeper into the AI era, WFM leaders must guide their organizations through a delicate balancing act:
- Driving efficiency without eroding engagement
- Leveraging automation without overwhelming agents
- Reducing attrition while improving customer outcomes
The path forward isn’t easy, but it is clear: AI will not replace WFM—it will elevate it. By orchestrating people, processes, and technology in real time, WFM leaders are shaping the next generation of contact center performance.
Ready to Orchestrate AI in your Operation?
Watch the full replay of From Plan to Performance: How WFM Leaders Are Orchestrating the AI-Powered Contact Center to hear directly from industry veterans and discover practical strategies for navigating AI adoption with confidence.
Back to Blog
