While contact centres are being rebuilt around AI, one of the hardest things contact centre leaders grapple with is what not to automate. CX Network's own research found that in 2026, AI-powered technologies for operations ranked as the top CX trends for the second year in a row. But chasing total automation risks stripping out human empathy and judgement that many complex and sensitive interactions demand.

PayByPhone, a global leader in mobile parking payments that serves 125 million drivers across 1350 cities, has built its operating model around resolving that tension. Rather than automation for the sake of automation, the company uses an AI-powered chatbot and intuitive video guides to let drivers self-serve in routine enquiries. This has created the operational capacity to invest in personalized, human support for the more complex interactions.

In this session, Anthony Cashel, Chief Operating Officer at PayByPhone, joins us to walk us through how the global company designs for efficiency AND inclusivity, and to uncover where it's heading next – from speeding up manual refund processing to considering embedding voice AI into IVR so journeys stay accessible.

Attendees will learn:

• The decision-making process for which interactions to automate and which to keep human.
• How to use automation to create opportunities for higher-value, empathetic support.
• Strategies for frictionless service across every channel from app to voice.