Rail travel is not standardized across different countries. Customer expectations, terms and conditions, service levels and ticket types vary massively across different localities. This is difficult for non-domestic travellers; most train companies design apps, websites and journeys for the domestic traveller, making several assumptions about base knowledge along the way.

In this session, we'll explore how Rail Europe has deployed AI to enable the team to unify CX worldwide while keeping down operating costs. AI is fed common customer queries and answers by a dedicated team that constantly monitors and reviews the deployments. Critically, the global travel tech company hasn't lost sight of the key elements of service that need to remain in human hands. Agent hiring is highly selective: agents are truly experts in their fields and take pride in their work. High retention rates reflect this, with several agents having been with the business for more than 25 years.

In this session, Valentina Cesani, Chief Operating Officer at Rail Europe will join us to explain why the organization chose AI as the best way to unify global CX without losing sight of the value of human interaction in customer service.

Attendees will learn:

• Key use cases for AI in customer service in a global operation, and how to get stakeholders on side.
• Where AI fits into a robust customer feedback loop that builds trust with customers and drives experience improvements.
• Navigating AI implementation while maintaining a good agent experience and aiding contact center retention.

Valentina Cesani

Chief Operating Officer
Rail Europe

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Chatbots are one of the fastest adoption stories in tech history, with use cases rare as recently as 2020 where they are now everywhere one looks. Generative and agentic AI chatbots can standardize CX, create cost savings and streamline customer journeys while retaining brand identity and warmth. In fact, more than two-thirds of CX organizations believe that gen AI can help to create warmth and familiarity in service and 69 percent believe it can actually humanize interactions. Despite this, when we asked our community where customers encounter generative AI during a typical journey, the number one and two most popular responses were 'generative bots in support' and 'we do not currently use generative AI'.

In this session we'll unpack where this adoption gap comes from, addressing common concerns and roadblocks to capitalizing on generative and agentic chatbots in customer service. We'll explore real-world case studies, looking at what worked well and sharing key learnings to equip attendees with an action plan for deployment.

Attendees will learn:

• Use cases for generative and agentic AI chatbots in customer service and where to find the quickest wins
• Measuring the success of AI deployments in customer service and how to collaborate with your customers to improve
• What next? Using AI interaction data to close the loop and improve overall customer journeys

Contact centers have changed, but WFM professionals are often still operating in their comfort zones – forecast accuracy, scheduling, and reactive real-time processes. 

Though those core competencies will continue to be important, our leaders and internal customers are desperate to find "bigger" thinkers who make the time, form the relationships, and passionately push themselves and their departments into greater relevance. 

Through stories and real-life experiences, Bryce Ackerman from Roche will challenge and motivate WFM professionals to burst out of the workforce "bubble" while opening Operations Leaders' eyes to the change leaders that your organization needs.

Attendees will learn:

• The key to internal influence and getting WFM heard throughout the organization
• How to spin the wealth of interactions data to drive customer-centric change and CX innovation
• How to identify and champion quick wins to demonstrate WFM's broader organizational value

Bryce Ackerman

Workforce Management Leader
Roche

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Most organizations still treat the contact center as a cost center to be minimized but leading brands are flipping the script, using customer interactions and contact center data as a source of revenue and business-critical insights.

• How to reframe the contact center's role from cost center to growth center
• The KPIs you need to track to link CX with revenue and retention
• Real examples of turning service interactions into loyalty and advocacy