On May 26–29, Lae Ann Guatno, Operations Manager; Joy Gomez, Assistant Operations Manager; John Dig, Operations Manager; and Jessy Rose Marciano, Head of Human Resources, attended the Customer Xperience Association of the Philippines (CXAP) conference in Mactan, Cebu.
With the theme “Reimagining CX, Shaping the World,” the event tackled the integration of the latest technological advancements, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), into modern customer service operations. This aims to elevate the global CX landscape and incorporate newly developed tools to further enhance customer experience.
It is apparent that AI has already become an integral part of day-to-day operational functions. The prevalence of these technological innovations has sparked discussions among sectors across various industries. In the academe, the ethical and moral use of AI is still a subject of debate. In the customer service industry, while the new breakthroughs are welcomed, human integration is still vital to operations.
Joy acknowledges the efficiency that comes with the integration of AI into customer service operations. However, she reiterated that it is not intended to displace humans. “The AI technology eventually makes the operation more efficient. It is not there to replace the people in our industry. It is there to equip them to make them more efficient and [to] reduce repetitive tasks…”
Similarly, Lae believes that human involvement is still vital for every successful operation. “…even with great technologies, human empathy and being genuine is still the heart of customer service. So these advanced technologies should empower our associates.”
It is evident that AI—indeed—brings convenience and accessibility to the customer service industry. However, while it cuts down time and lightens heavy workloads, it can never foster a genuine connection in the same way that humans can. These circumstances necessitate a collaboration between technological advancements and human capabilities. It is imperative for AI and humans to work hand in hand in order to create meaningful results.
ISSI Corp is committed to providing high-quality customer service experience to its clients. At its core, it believes that its people play a crucial role in delivering effective outputs. As one of the conference objectives was to advance the customer experience (CX) industry in the Philippines, the participants reflected on the role they play in improving customer service experience.
“As an Assistant Operations Manager, I make sure that we monitor our monthly performance; [that] metrics are met…I wanted to make sure that at the end of every phone interaction, we have a satisfied customer,” Joy said.
By the same token, as an Operations Manager, Lae reiterated her involvement in overseeing business functions, addressing operational problems, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
“My role as an Operations Manager is to make things easier for our associates and clients. I fix daily problems and collaborate with the team to think of process improvement ideas that can help them provide faster and better service to the customers.” she said.
In every communications, the end goal is always to provide an excellent customer experience. And in order to create meaningful outcomes, collaboration is important. The responsibility is not only limited to associates—each and everyone in the industry plays a respective role. It must always be a shared responsibility to provide proactive, empathetic, and efficient services.
According to Fatimayin (2028), communication is the interaction within a social context between a sender or source and the receiver. While its concept may seem simple at first glance, fully understanding its nuances requires a complex approach. In the industry, effective communication is not just important—it is crucial. Interacting with clients who come from various backgrounds requires a specialized approach. To foster trust with customers, it is imperative to build rapport.
Lae highlighted that interactions with clients do not need to always be transactional.
“It is important to build rapport for us to build a safe space for everyone. It is also important to build genuine connections so that they can feel that we really care and we are not just after the business,” she said.
More than any business transaction, ISSI Corp is committed to fostering genuine relationships with its clients. The organization does not only see clients as business partners—it also sees them as colleagues, friends, and peers. Hence, every operation becomes more meaningful because it is grounded in collaboration, empathy, and authenticity.
The famous quote that says, “No man is an island,” resonates with ISSI Corp, as for the past years, the organization has been practicing a culture of collaboration and teamwork within its community. Aside from building genuine relationships with clients, connection with colleagues is also important.
Lae believes that collaboration has helped her develop new strategies in handling challenges in the workplace.
“Every person has different strategies when handling challenges. So when I collaborate with other managers, I learn new strategic approaches on how I can resolve issues.” she said.
In the same way, Joy agreed that through collaboration, they get to learn from each other, which may help them navigate their responsibilities and become more effective in their roles.
“There are different approaches for different people, so it is really important to have this kind of collaboration with one another because we don’t know everything. We are still learning—we are still in the process of learning new things,” she said.
Collaboration with colleagues does not only improve productivity and efficiency—it also encourages better ideas and strengthens relationships. It creates a sense of unity among the people of an organization, wherein everyone works together toward shared goals.
Most importantly, it creates a safe environment for everyone, allowing them to genuinely support and understand each other. Acknowledging the efforts of each and every person in the company makes people feel valued and appreciated.
In order to achieve continuous and collective growth, knowledge must be passed on. Sharing experiences and skills creates a collaborative environment where everyone has a mindset of helping and uplifting one another.
Moreover, shared learning is also a form of support for career development. It creates an opportunity for people to be equipped for greater responsibilities and career progression. Joy and Lae believe that this is how they can improve the global customer service experience.
“It’s really a continuous coaching…It’s not just about creating a process to improve customer service but also to make them competent to the rising customer service needs globally,” Joy said.
Lae also emphasized the importance of providing the right support to encourage people to be more productive and excel in their respective responsibilities.
“I learned that well-supported associates naturally provide exceptional customer experience, so I plan to [use] people-focused coaching and encourage them to adapt to new technology such as AI for them to remain competent globally.”
To conclude, the conference offered fresh perspectives on the impacts of recent technological advancements in the customer service industry. It also gave them valuable insights into the importance of building strong relationships and fostering collaboration. While these advancements are essential for creating more efficient and convenient workflows, human interaction and connection remain equally important.
ISSI Corp is a business process solutions company that builds complex, high-value operations with precision, speed, and intelligence. Founded in 2010 and based in Manila, we bring 15 years of deep expertise in serving the insurance, SaaS, AI, and IT industries. Our core offerings include ModernCX™(Customer Experience), BackOffice+ (Back Office Support), and ContentGuard (Content Moderation).
Trusted by leading U.S. Life Insurers and managing over 1 million inbound calls annually, we blend seasoned human expertise with AI and digital technology to create revenue-generating customer experiences and operational excellence. ISSI Corp is your strategic partner for customer experience and growth enablement, delivering peace of mind built on trust.
References
Fatmayin, F. (2018). What is Communication? https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337649561_What_is_Communication
