Small actions, lasting impact: reflections on the 2025 Auscontact National Conference

Last week in Melbourne, the Auscontact National Conference brought together a passionate, curious and committed community of people who care deeply about customer and team experience.

There were many standout moments, but what impressed us most was the spirit behind it all — the willingness to learn, challenge, share, and grow.

We want to say a big thank you and congratulations to Fran Southward, Jess Keough, Ash Rouse and the entire Auscontact team. You created a space that was thoughtful, energising, and optimistic. The vibe was real, and it reflected something bigger happening across the industry right now — not just evolution, but purpose-led change.

Those three words from the conference theme — innovation, disruption, evolution — weren’t just branding. They were reflected in the conversations, the questions, and the quiet momentum building across the room.

The job is changing — but so is the pressure

One of the clearest threads running through the conference was that the nature of frontline roles is shifting. AI is already taking on simpler customer interactions. As that continues, the work left for humans is getting harder — more complex problems, more vulnerable customers, and more emotionally charged conversations.

As one speaker, Simon Kriss, noted: we’re moving from being “makers to checkers.” From managing every interaction ourselves, to overseeing the quality of what AI handles.

It’s a profound shift — and it brings new expectations. Agents will need more time to reflect, more breaks to recover, and stronger coaching to stay confident. If we ask them to do more of the hard stuff, we need to give them more of the good stuff, too: connection, clarity and support.

AI can scale. But can our support systems?

The investment in AI is real. And for good reason — there were some impressive examples at the conference of how it’s already enhancing conversations, reducing friction and improving outcomes.

But alongside the excitement, there’s a growing question: is the corresponding investment in people rising at the same pace?

COPC shared that just 53% of frontline agents receive coaching at least once a month. Our own data suggests that even when coaching is happening, goal quality and clarity are often missing, which makes it harder for people to build capability with confidence.

If agents are being left with only the hardest conversations — and not getting the time, tools or support to handle them — what happens next?

It’s not a warning. It’s an opportunity.

As the old saying goes, humans won’t lose their jobs to AI — they’ll lose them to other humans who know how to use it. But who’s teaching that? Where’s the roadmap for building that kind of capability?

If we want to prepare our people to thrive, we need to invest in the fundamentals: clear goals, regular coaching, thoughtful rhythms, and a shared understanding of what great looks like.

This wasn’t just evolution — it felt like purpose-led change

There was something different about this year’s event. Less hype, more honesty. Leaders sharing challenges as openly as they shared wins. Case studies focused not on tools alone, but on how people were being supported to use them well.

Conversations about leadership, engagement, mental health and resilience weren’t tacked on — they were central. And we saw a real hunger for practical ideas: not just what’s possible, but what’s useful.

Across the board, there was a strong sense that innovation is not just about the next new thing. It’s about using the tools we have — especially AI — to make work better for people, not just faster or cheaper.

Final reflections

We walked away with real optimism. Not because every answer is clear yet — but because the industry is asking the right questions.

What do we want AI to do?

What do we want leaders to do?

And how do we support people to do the kind of work only humans can do well?

It’s not about replacing people. It’s about equipping people, and building systems that help them succeed.

Consistency builds trust.

Clarity provides focus.

And with the right tools, AI helps scale both.

That’s the kind of innovation we want to be part of. That’s how we lead with purpose.