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Perspectives on customer experience, service architecture, responsible automation and operational improvement.
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A person choosing between a laptop and a telephone while seeking help.

Customer Experience Strategy

Digital-first, not digital-only

Digital channels solve simple tasks at scale, but human empathy still matters when needs are complex or emotional. CCL positions digital as a first choice—not the only choice.

17 Mar 2026

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A service adviser completing a helpful conversation with a customer.

Service Design

Customer support as an outcome

Under the UK’s Consumer Duty, banks must deliver a good outcome, not just clear a call. Escalating sensitive situations automatically and designing support journeys as value propositions.

15 Mar 2026

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Engineers and operations staff reviewing a service continuity plan.

Operational Performance

Operational resilience: beyond technology

In regulated sectors, regulators expect resilience to cover technology, people and processes. Setting impact tolerances and designing response plans for worst-case scenarios.

12 Mar 2026

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IVR routing and human handoffA diagram showing customer intent, self-service choices and transfer to a person. A clear human-assistance path and readable decision labels; illustrative architecture.CREATIVE COMMUNICATIONS LABCustomer intentChoose supportUseful self-serviceHelp from a personA clear route to a person remains available.Illustrative service model

Contact Centre Architecture

Routing: the invisible customer experience

This hidden engine determines whether customers reach someone who can solve their problem or end up in an endless transfer loop. Strategic lever for CX, not just operational necessity.

10 Mar 2026

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An analyst and service lead reviewing performance information.

Operational Performance

Operational intelligence: using data to drive improvement

Operational intelligence is not a report—it’s a feedback loop. Unifying interaction data, agent performance metrics and business context to drive active service improvement.

08 Mar 2026

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Unified service architectureA diagram connecting customer channels, routing, adviser workspace, CRM and operational insight. Labelled layers, selective orange connectors and generous spacing; real selectable text.CREATIVE COMMUNICATIONS LABVoice & messagingDigital channelsIntent & routingAdviser workspaceCustomer contextOperational insightIllustrative service model

Contact Centre Architecture

Modern contact centre architecture

Evolving from voice-only to omnichannel platforms. Unifying channels, routing and customer data via cloud-native microservices and open APIs.

05 Mar 2026

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A customer using a telephone in a calm everyday setting.

Contact Centre Architecture

IVR design for containment and convenience

Thoughtfully designed IVR can contain routine tasks and improve customer satisfaction. Using natural language understanding to bridge voice and digital channels.

03 Mar 2026

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A customer using mobile messaging while speaking with a service adviser.

Customer Experience Strategy

Messaging-first journeys

Transforming simple SMS into rich, app-like experiences with RCS and WhatsApp. Building trust through verified sender profiles and secure authentication.

01 Mar 2026

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A multidisciplinary group reviewing an AI-assisted service proposal.

AI and Automation

AI governance and trustworthy AI

Building trust into AI systems by ensuring they are valid, reliable, safe, and accountable. Navigating the EU AI Act and NIST frameworks for regulated sectors.

28 Feb 2026

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Professionals reviewing a documented technology assessment.

AI and Automation

EU AI Act readiness

Preparing for the extraterritorial reach of the EU AI Act. Classifying AI systems and implementing risk management for high-risk applications.

25 Feb 2026

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A service adviser considering an assisted recommendation.

Service Design

Designing agent assist for productivity and compliance

Integrating AI tools directly into the agent desktop to retrieve answers and summarise interactions. Prioritising high-confidence prompts and compliance triggers.

22 Feb 2026

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An operations lead comparing process effort with a finance colleague.

Operational Performance

The hidden cost of automation

Building an honest business case for AI. Factoring in compute infrastructure, licensing, monitoring, and the rising cost of resolution for generative AI.

19 Feb 2026

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Customer interaction data modelA diagram linking customer, conversation, interaction, channel and follow-up work. Show only article relationships, clean labels and an explicitly illustrative model.CREATIVE COMMUNICATIONS LABCustomerConversationInteractionFollow-up workChannelIllustrative service model

Operational Performance

Interaction data models: foundations for personalisation

Unifying telephony and digital data into a canonical interaction model. Enabling scalable personalisation and end-to-end journey analytics.

16 Feb 2026

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A participant using accessible technology in a supported research session.

Service Design

Accessible service by design

Ensuring accessibility across all sensory channels. Navigating the European Accessibility Act to improve usability for all customers.

13 Feb 2026

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A person considering an unexpected call on a smartphone.

Customer Experience Strategy

Scam calls and customer trust

Restoring trust in communication systems. Implementing STIR/SHAKEN, branded calling, and verified messaging to combat fraud and spoofing.

10 Feb 2026

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A customer using a telephone keypad during a payment interaction.

Operational Performance

Secure payments over the phone

Maintaining PCI DSS compliance by taking payments out of the audio stream. Implementing DTMF masking and secure digital payment links.

07 Feb 2026

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Procurement, operations and technical colleagues comparing service requirements.

Contact Centre Architecture

Buying CCaaS: modern requirements for contact centre procurement

Moving beyond feature checklists to evaluate cloud architecture, AI governance, and data portability. Future-proofing service operations through strategic selection.

04 Feb 2026

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Engineers and an operations colleague coordinating a service launch.

Customer Experience Strategy

Programme delivery: putting theory into practice

Applying ITIL 4 principles to customer experience initiatives. Focusing on value, iterative progress, and cross-functional collaboration to avoid transformation pitfalls.

01 Feb 2026

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A team reviewing feedback and adjusting a service prototype.

Operational Performance

Continuous optimisation loops

Institutionalising learning and experimentation to keep pace with changing expectations. Using A/B testing and anomaly detection to drive ongoing performance.

28 Jan 2026

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A participant testing a paper service prototype with a facilitator.

AI and Automation

From pilots to production: scaling AI and innovation

Guiding AI projects from proof of concept to full deployment. Addressing orchestration, governance, and trust gaps to ensure scalable innovation.

25 Jan 2026

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