The Managing Director of NICE CXone for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), Rod Lester, is steering a revolution in customer experience.
With 300 organisations in the region using the platform and two new clients onboarding every three weeks, NICE CXone is proving itself as a frontrunner in the realm of AI-powered customer engagement.
"NICE CXone is the world's leading cloud-native customer experience platform," Lester said.
Over 25,000 organisations globally rely on the company's AI-powered self-service and agent-assisted software to deliver frictionless customer experiences.
Rapid Growth in ANZ
The adoption of NICE CXone has been particularly robust in ANZ. "At the beginning of the pandemic, we had five customers in the region," Lester explained. "That number has grown significantly because of our end-to-end customer experience approach."
Lester highlighted New Zealand's role in driving this growth.
"New Zealanders are amazing innovators," he said. "They adapt quickly, take risks, and embrace technology, which has been crucial to our success there."
He pointed to a major NZ insurance company as an example, saying, "They transformed their contact centre from legacy technology to a modernised cloud contact centre using nearly all our capabilities."
"The entire process was completed in just seven months."
Commited to Innovation
NICE CXone's success stems from its commitment to innovation, reinvesting 17% of its revenue into enhancing platform capabilities. "Four times a year, we release new features that customers can leverage immediately," Lester said.
Among the standout innovations is Auto Summarisation, which Lester described as "the fastest adopted technology in our history."
The solution reduces average handle times by approximately two minutes per call and improves customer satisfaction.
"Agents can focus on actively listening to customers instead of taking notes during calls," he explained. "This unexpected benefit has led to a significant uptick in customer satisfaction."
Another key feature is Enlighten Copilot, a generative AI tool that assists agents in real-time by suggesting next-best actions or responses.
"It's all about making agents more effective and improving the customer experience," Lester said.
Enhancing the Agent Experience
NICE CXone's commitment to empowering agents goes beyond technology.
"Our goal is to create a better overall customer and agent experience," Lester said.
He emphasised the importance of meeting and exceeding expectations, adding, "When challenges arise, we jump on them quickly and rectify them."
"This responsiveness has been our secret sauce for growth."
A Global Presence with Local Expertise
Globally, NICE employs over 8,000 people, with 115 based in ANZ.
"We're continuing to invest in local talent to support our growing customer base," Lester said.
The company's global spread includes teams in the US, UK, Europe, and service centres in the Philippines and Mumbai. "We also have development capabilities in Eastern Europe," Lester added, emphasising the importance of investing in regions that adopt their technology.
Leading the Market with CXone
The CXone platform is recognised as the leading cloud contact centre platform globally. Lester attributed this to a combination of innovation, a strong partner ecosystem, and a customer-first approach.
"We work with a range of partners in ANZ, from those with deep systems integration skills to those offering trans-Tasman support," he explained.
"This ensures customers have tailored solutions that meet their unique needs."
Trends Shaping the Future
Looking ahead, Lester identified AI and omnichannel capabilities as critical to delivering exceptional customer experiences. He highlighted the rise of digital fluency across demographics, accelerated by the pandemic.
"Five years ago, many Baby Boomers weren't digitally fluent," Lester said. "Now, even older demographics demand digital interaction options. Organisations must meet these expectations."
Reflections and Success Stories
Lester expressed pride in NICE CXone's role in transforming businesses. "Auto Summarisation is a game-changer," he said.
"It's a solution every organisation needs to stay competitive."
He also reflected on the pandemic's impact, quoting philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. COVID was a negative event, but it taught us to adapt and move faster than ever before."
For Lester, maintaining humility and customer focus remains paramount.
"We want to be the kind of organisation people want to work with," he said.
"Sometimes, it's that extra effort that makes all the difference."
"Overall, we're excited about the future and our role in shaping the customer experience landscape," Lester concluded.
