What a ride. Two full days at the Call & Contact Centre Expo in London—two days of buzzing conversations, sharp insights, and that unmistakable feeling that something big is shifting in our industry.
Walking the floor, meeting partners, customers, and CX enthusiasts from all corners of the UK at our booth, one thing hit me immediately: organisations are ready for a new era of customer experience. Not someday. Not next year. Now.
And honestly? The excitement was contagious.
AI Everywhere — and people are genuinely excited this time
I’ve been to enough events to know when a trend is just hype. This wasn’t that.
Over both days, AI wasn’t just the shiny object everyone talked about—it was the practical tool people wanted to understand and implement. The conversations were refreshingly real:
“How do we make our agents faster?”
“Can AI help us predict what customers need?”
“Can we automate the boring stuff without losing the human touch?”
And the answer? Absolutely. Real-time assistance, automated workflows, predictive insights—these aren’t future ideas anymore. They’re here, and they’re making contact centres smarter, calmer, and more efficient.
What I loved most was the attitude: curious, open-minded, but grounded. People want AI that solves real problems, not something that creates new ones. And that’s exactly where Intermedia shines—AI that feels natural, helpful, and human-focused.
One unified platform — finally, the simplicity everyone is begging for
This was probably the biggest theme across the two days. Everyone—and I mean everyone—is tired of juggling disconnected systems.
“Why do we have six different tools just to serve one customer?”
“We spend more time switching screens than actually helping people.”
I heard this more than once, and honestly, I feel the pain. The dream is simple: One platform. One flow. One source of truth. A place where communications, analytics, routing, AI, and customer history (CRMs) all work together—instead of against each other.
And when people saw how unified CX can actually simplify their entire operation? You could see the relief on their faces. This trend is no longer optional. It’s becoming the defining characteristic of high-performing contact centres of all sizes. And organisations want trusted partners to help them get there.
Cloud-native: the new baseline (and finally, everyone agrees)
Another clear signal from both days: cloud-native CX is now mainstream. No convincing needed. No debate. Just nods of agreement.
SMBs want powerful tools without complexity. Enterprises want scalability that doesn’t slow them down. Everyone wants security, flexibility, and easy innovation.
And cloud-native platforms deliver exactly that. It’s fast. It’s reliable. It grows with you. No fuss, no fragile legacy tech—just clean, modern infrastructure.
But the best part? The people. Always.
Even with all the tech on display, the real magic of those two days was the people. The chats. The laughs. The candid feedback. The “Hey! Good to see you again!” moments.
There’s something incredibly energising about being surrounded by people who genuinely care about better customer experiences—not just the technology behind them. The CX community is collaborative, sharp, and wonderfully human. And reconnecting with this community reminded me why I love this industry.
Looking ahead: More intelligence. More simplicity. More human CX.
Leaving the Expo, one message stuck with me:
We’re entering a new chapter—one shaped by AI, cloud-native platforms, unified ecosystems, and a strong desire for simplicity that empowers people.
The organisations that embrace this shift now will be the ones creating customer experiences that feel effortless—and unforgettable. At Intermedia, we’re excited to help make that happen. With tools that empower, partnerships that guide, and technology that stays out of the way and lets people shine.
The future of CX? It’s intelligent, connected, and human. And after two incredible days in London, I’m more optimistic than ever.
Ronald Schapendonk
Ronald is the Director Field Marketing for Intermedia's EMEA region. Based in Amsterdam, Ronald brings a dynamic and results-driven approach to UCaaS adoption in the B-to-B sphere with over 25+ years successful marketing and sales leadership in competitive global tech industries.
December 1, 2025
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