Dina Vance, Senior Vice President from Ulysses Learning, takes on our reader’s question this month. She offers several observations and best practices that are commonly overlooked in contact centers across the US. According to Dina, these are among the top of those best practices that can transform your contact center into a customer experience-focused operation that gets high marks.
NOTE: We’re looking for more of your challenges. Email your contact center-related questions to: ChallengeSolved@ulysseslearning.com
Q: Now that AI is taking over our workplace, how do we differentiate our service?
Our featured expert for this month’s question is:
Dina Vance
Senior Vice President, Managing Director of North American Operations
A: The human element. Don’t worry, bots can’t replace your people. Artificial intelligence can definitely help take you to the next level of service, but only if you remember that it will take live agents truly connecting with your customers to create exceptional service.
Rapid advances in technology are fundamentally reshaping the customer experience. Across industries, companies are investing heavily in AI, automation, chatbots, and data analytics. The goal is clear: reduce friction, accelerate service, and deliver highly personalized experiences at scale. And it’s working! AI is already transforming how we engage with customers in meaningful ways.
At Ulysses Learning, we have long been champions of smart technology, helping organizations deploy AI tools that streamline workflows, enhance decision-making, and anticipate customer needs. The data speaks for itself:
AI-powered chatbots now resolve 55–65% of customer inquiries without human intervention.
65% of contact center leaders report improved team efficiency after integrating AI.
55–80% of agents say AI tools have improved their productivity and helped reduce burnout.
Sentiment analysis can now identify at-risk customers with up to 89% accuracy, enabling proactive support.
These exciting benchmarks prove that AI is more than a passing trend—it is a powerful force driving smarter, more responsive customer service.
Amid all this progress, one truth remains: technology may elevate the experience, yet human connection defines it.
I was reminded of this during a recent personal experience. I was booking airline tickets for a family vacation with United Airlines, a fairly routine task. A representative helped me begin the process of securing four tickets. Things were progressing slowly, as expected. Then, mid-call, two tickets were successfully booked. But for the remaining two, the price suddenly surged by several hundred dollars—while we were still speaking.
Naturally, I asked about the change. The representative, seemingly indifferent, told me there was nothing he could do and offered to transfer me to a supervisor. Then, the call dropped. No resolution. No follow-up. No accountability.
What followed was not a failure of technology—it was a failure of connection. The process was functional and likely followed protocol, but it lacked something essential: empathy, ownership, and care. Regardless of how intelligent an AI system may be, the feeling I was left with when that line went silent seemed irreparable.
But then something else happened.
I called back and connected with a supervisor named Carol. From the outset, her approach was different. She listened with intention. She acknowledged the issue and the frustration I felt. Without using scripts or policy, she took responsibility, and more importantly, she treated me like a person—not a booking ID.
Carol more than solved the problem. She restored trust.
And in that moment, I was reminded: the best service comes from people who care.
I later learned that United’s core values emphasize “Delivering exceptional care—with empathy, compassion, and respect—tailored to each individual.” Carol lived that mission. She embodied the kind of service we all aspire to provide.
Today’s customer experience AI landscape offers speed, scale, and intelligence. Anticipating needs, automating responses, and surface insights with incredible precision. However it may never fully replicate human empathy. It cannot hear the hesitation in a customer’s voice or offer genuine reassurance when something goes wrong.
The most effective service models are incorporating AI and people, blending the best of both. AI should empower human agents—not replace them. It should handle the predictable so humans can focus on the personal. And when it’s done right, the result is efficiency and loyalty.
At Ulysses Learning, we believe this is the future: AI-enhanced service delivered with human heart. Our mission is to help organizations strike that balance ensuring every conversation, whether powered by data or driven by empathy, leaves the customer feeling seen, heard, and valued.
Because long after I forget the price of those tickets, I’ll remember how Carol made me feel. And that’s what customer experience is all about.
As we continue to embrace the power of AI and digital tools, let’s stay focused on what truly sets exceptional service apart: the human connection. I invite you to reflect on how your organization is balancing technology with empathy—and to invest in both.
Let’s build customer experiences that are efficient, and deeply personal. Because in a world driven by automation, it’s the human moments that customers remember.
Ready to elevate your service strategy? Let’s start the conversation.
My best,
Dina
About Dina Vance
Senior Vice President, Managing Director of North American Operations at Ulysses Learning
In her current capacity with Ulysses Learning, Dina is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company and also serves as the chief client relationship executive, working with Fortune 100 clients and other progressive organizations to redefine the way customers are cared for. Under her leadership, Ulysses has been recognized for its work in transforming customer service, sales and coaching cultures through the development of emotional intelligence or “EQ,” enabling reps to confidently, consistently and expertly handle each customer interaction. The company has focused expertise in serving the healthcare, insurance, utilities, and financial services industries.
Before joining Ulysses in 2001, Dina was responsible for the ground-level startup of two contact centers to serve bankers including Fortune 100 clients First Chicago, Harris Bank, American Express and Citibank. This led to her role as call center lead consultant and division manager for an international learning organization prior to Ulysses. Outside of work Dina is actively involved in local volunteerism and enjoys cooking, gardening and nature walks.
Dina can be reached on LinkedIn or at dvance@ulysseslearning.com; for more details on Ulysses Learning visit www.ulysseslearning.com
Challenge Solved! Is sponsored by:
Ulysses Learning was founded in 1995 as a joint venture with Northwestern University’s world-renowned Learning Sciences department. Since then, Ulysses’ continued focus on research and development has earned it prestigious awards and recognition and, most importantly, the respect from its clients who rely on Ulysses for innovative performance improvement solutions that change with their rapidly developing and evolving environments.
Contact centers achieve profound business results ahead of schedule with Ulysses Learnings’ artful blend of patented simulation-based e-learning, facilitated exercises, coaching, and technology-driven tools, that redefine the way customers are cared for and transform customer service, sales, and coaching cultures. Ulysses has one of the only training systems proven to build EQ with its proprietary Framework with Freedom© approach, enabling reps to develop skills to empathize with others, build stronger customer bonds, and improve team dynamics with confidence, consistency, and excellence.
Ulysses Learning is a multi-year recipient of the Gold Stevie© Award for the best contact center customer service training.
Begin your contact center transformation now. Phone 800-662-4066 or visit www.ulysseslearning.com to get started.
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