Craig Oldham sat down with Jim Ayobe, Chief Customer Officer at E-Tech, and Frank Mona, CRO and Executive Advisor at Mahdlo Executive Advisors, for an eye-opening discussion about the real-world impact of AI in contact centers—and how to get it right.
This wasn't just another tech chat. It was a deep dive into what’s broken, what’s possible, and what’s already working when it comes to contact center operations and BPO (Business Process Outsourcing). Whether you’re a CEO thinking about scaling or a leader wrestling with customer service inefficiencies, this conversation brought the heat.
Why Contact Centers Matter More Than You Think
Craig kicked things off by highlighting a truth every executive needs to hear: your contact center can either be a cost sink or a strategic weapon. It’s not just a line item—it’s a critical part of your customer experience and brand reputation. And today, with AI, automation, and offshore options on the table, the stakes are higher than ever.
AI Isn’t a Magic Wand—It’s a Tool (If You Use It Right)
Jim Ayobe, with over 35 years of contact center experience, didn’t mince words:
“People think AI will replace humans in contact centers. That’s bull. AI enhances humans—it doesn’t replace them.”
Frank Mona echoed this, adding that organizations often jump into automation without clean processes or reliable data. The result? Automation that makes things worse instead of better.
Three Pillars of Effective Contact Center AI
Frank broke it down into three essential components for AI success:
Clean Knowledge Management
Your agents can't deliver consistent experiences if your knowledge base is outdated or disorganized.
Agent Assist Tools
AI should empower agents in real-time, helping them respond faster and more accurately.
Intelligent Automation
Self-service bots are fine—if they can resolve issues or quickly escalate to a live person when needed.
Jim added a critical layer: validate before you automate. Many processes that seem efficient on paper don’t reflect what your best agents actually do. His advice? Use real call data—not just training manuals—to build AI tools that reflect reality.
From Coach to Super-Coach: Transforming the Role of Contact Center Leaders
At E-Tech, supervisors aren’t called supervisors—they’re coaches. The company’s approach is to make data actionable, allowing coaches to spend more time actually developing people instead of digging through spreadsheets.
“We tell leaders who to coach, what to coach, and how to coach—based on analysis of hundreds of calls, not just a few,” Jim explained.
The result? Agents get better faster, and the customer experience improves dramatically.
Real Results: A $2.9 Million Win
Jim shared a compelling case study:
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7% reduction in average handle time
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24% decrease in hold time
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22% fewer call transfers
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53% improvement in quality scores
These improvements saved the client nearly $2.9 million in six months—without replacing any of their current systems. In fact, Jim’s team used the client’s existing tech stack more effectively than the client ever had.
A Partnership That’s Built to Stick (Without Locking You In)
What makes this story even more exciting is the partnership between Matalo and E-Tech. Together, they’ve created a turnkey solution for contact center transformation:
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One provider
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One bill
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One point of accountability (Sorry, Frank!)
Even better? It comes with a 60-day out clause—a rare show of confidence in an industry that usually demands long-term commitments.
Offshore Isn’t a Compromise—It’s a Competitive Advantage
Jim and Frank were also crystal clear about offshoring. With highly educated and passionate teams in places like India, the Philippines, and Colombia, many offshore agents treat the job as a career—not just a paycheck.
“In the U.S., it’s often just a job. Offshore, it’s a profession—and the performance shows it.”
What You Can Expect
Frank summarized the joint offering as a three-phase journey:
Assessment – Identify gaps, inefficiencies, and opportunities.
Implementation – Leverage E-Tech’s technology and expertise to fix what’s broken.
Ongoing Support – Continuous improvement with senior leaders (like Frank himself) riding shotgun.
This isn’t tech for tech’s sake—it’s transformation led by people who’ve lived and led inside contact centers.
Ready to Transform Your Contact Center?
If you're serious about improving your contact center experience—and want real, measurable ROI—this solution is worth a look.
Visit Mahdlo Executive Advisors to learn more about the Contact Center Operations Assessment.
Final Thoughts
This conversation made one thing abundantly clear: The future of contact centers isn’t AI versus people. It’s AI + people + process—and when those three work in harmony, the results speak for themselves.
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