Table of Contents, September 2026

FEATURE ARTICLE
How 9/11 Changed Contact Centers
By Brendan Read; Q&A With Advisory Board
The attacks increased business continuity, connectivity, remote work, and security.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The Future of CX
By Donna Fluss
It is AI-orchestrated, not AI-replaced.

BACK OFFICE WFM
Managing the Back Office Workforce
By Brendan Read; Q&A with Tiffany LaReau
How scheduling back office staff impacts contact centers.

WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT
The Hidden Cost of Thoughtload
By Dr. Liane Davey
How it impacts your contact center.

MANAGING THE WORKFORCE
Do Agents Have The Needed Skills and Training?
By Brendan Read; Q&A with Dina Vance
Customer expectations and AI are changing requirements.

WORKFORCE PLANNING
Planning for Chaos?
By Nathan Stearns
There’s a smarter way.

FULFILLMENT CX
How to Prepare for Holiday Fulfillment Challenges Now
By Molly Moore
Quality matters the most this special time of year.

CX TRANSFORMATION
Why Most CX Transformations Quietly Fail
By Michael Bidwell
How to prevent that from happening.

APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING
Why Have a Calendar-First Appointment Platform?
By Harshal Raut, Nitu Jain, and Subbu Sailappan
How experts can effectively connect with customers.