3 out of 4 of European businesses have invested in AI for CX.

75% of business executives are using artificial intelligence for customer experience (AI for CX), but only 20% of business executives rate their own contact centre as delivering industry leading CX, according to latest research by Davies Hickman for Odigo, a leading global provider of Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS) solutions. The findings also reveal European executives see investing in cloud and AI as becoming central to CX strategy.

Providing personalised support as part of an excellent CX is more than ever the goal for all companies. With digital channels now critically important, technology is key to remaining forefront of delivering the best CX.

The results come from the third edition of the research, which surveyed 1,035 business executives across five major European markets. The survey highlights the trends and evolution in the market, which will be published across three eBooks, analysing: How AI is changing European contact centres, the Natural Language Processing (NLP) challenges in the contact centre industry, and ways contact centres can improve CX using AI.

Whereas only 20% think they deliver a great customer experience, the study reveals 79% of businesses would like to offer more support to customers (up from 70% in 2021). Three quarters (75%) said efficiency is optimised when AI supports human agents (up from 69% in 2021). Further, 68% see investing in cloud and AI is becoming central to CX strategy, compared to 62% last year.

In the last few months, European organisations have acted on the need to increase AI deployment in CX. In 2021, 41% of executives said AI was vital and 48% said it was important to the success of their business. Fast forward to 2022, 75% of businesses have now invested in AI for CX and 9 out of 10 say this investment was a success in improving their customer experience. The biggest adopters are Spain (81%) and the UK (76%).

The survey further reveals leaders see a range of benefits from investing in AI, depending on their organisation’s use of the technology. Although improvements in customer experience ranks number one, decreasing operational costs is an added expected benefit. Of those that have invested in AI for CX, 96% plan on investing more in the next two years, of which 42% label it as ‘business critical and vital to the success of our business’.

Even for those who haven’t yes invested in AI, the road ahead is clear. Six out of ten are convinced AI for customer experience will have an important impact to the success of their business and plan to invest in the next two years.

Jean-Denis Garo, Head of Product Marketing, Odigo comments “AI is now recognised as a key component of any digital transformation strategy, especially in the customer experience sector. It helps to open up the organisation and to reinvent business processes. The Davies Hickman 2022 survey reveals how innovation in AI has become mature, actionable with a proven ROI, assisting and empowering agents to better serve their customers.

“The aim of AI is to improve both customers and agents’ experiences. It puts people back at the centre of all businesses, and we firmly believe that the AI revolution should be embraced, not feared.”

Jean-Denis Garo

Head of Product Marketing, Odigo.

Is It Time for a VMware Alternative?

Wind River • 22nd May 2025

Companies have options when it comes to replacing VMware as their cloud platform, to address rising costs, support concerns, and a shrinking partner ecosystem. If you are ready to contemplate a different vendor, here are five reasons why Wind River Cloud Platform should be on your short list of VMware alternatives.

AI Leads as VivaTech Unveils Top 100 Startups

Viva Technology • 14th May 2025

Viva Technology has unveiled the first edition of its “Top 100 Rising European Startups for 2025,” spotlighting the most promising young companies shaping Europe’s tech future. Germany, France, and the UK lead the ranking, which highlights high-growth startups across 13 countries. Artificial intelligence dominates the list, with 15 companies spanning AI agents, models, and infrastructure....

Birmingham Unveils the UK’s Best Emerging HealthTech Advances

Kosta Mavroulakis • 03rd April 2025

The National HealthTech Series hosted its latest event in Birmingham this month, showcasing innovative startups driving advanced health technology, including AI-assisted diagnostics, wearable devices and revolutionary educational tools for healthcare professionals. Health stakeholders drawn from the NHS, universities, industry and front-line patient care met with new and emerging businesses to define the future trajectory of...

Why DEIB is Imperative to Tech’s Future

Hadas Almog from AppsFlyer • 17th March 2025

We’ve been seeing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives being cut time and time again throughout the tech industry. DEIB dedicated roles have been eliminated, employee resource groups have lost funding, and initiatives once considered crucial have been deprioritised in favour of “more immediate business needs.” The justification for these cuts is often the...

The need to eradicate platform dependence

Sue Azari • 10th March 2025

The advertising industry is undergoing a seismic shift. Connected TV (CTV), Retail Media Networks (RMNs), and omnichannel strategies are rapidly redefining how brands engage with consumers. As digital privacy regulations evolve and platform dynamics shift, advertisers must recognise a fundamental truth. You cannot build a sustainable business on borrowed ground. The recent uncertainty surrounding TikTok...