Report finds growing shift to sales through service, increased focus on lifetime value, and broader use of AI to support human-led selling

LONDON, May 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TTEC, a leading global consulting, technology, and managed services company delivering solutions at the intersection of data, AI, and customer experience (CX), today announced the release of new research in collaboration with the European Customer Contact Alliance (ECCA).

The report, “Visionary Voices: How Are European Organisations Changing Their Sales Approach in the Contact Centre?”, examines how contact centre sales strategies are evolving amid shifting customer expectations, changing channel behaviour, and new technology capabilities.

“Across industries, organisations are rethinking how revenue is generated, protected and grown within the contact centre,” said Simon Dillsworth, TTEC senior vice president and head of EMEA, RevGen, and Automotive portfolios. “The shift is not simply about improving sales performance, but about redefining how the full customer lifecycle is managed.”

Key Findings
Outbound selling is becoming less effective across Europe. In the United Kingdom, 48 per cent of people never answer unidentified calls and 33 per cent rarely do. As a result, organisations are shifting toward sales through service, enabling advisers to complete relevant commercial actions during service interactions using real-time data and tools.

At the same time, the contact centre’s commercial role is expanding across the customer lifecycle, with revenue growth increasingly driven by these service-led interactions as digital self-service handles simpler transactions.

AI and data are further transforming selling through real-time assistance, deeper insights, and more proactive engagement, while human-led selling remains essential for complex decisions.

This collaborative report is based on a deep analysis of quantitative industry research combined with focus groups held in March 2026 with contact centre leaders from companies spanning multiple industries and contact centre models, including Air France KLM, Barclaycard, BT Group, DHL, Nespresso, VodafoneThree, Natwest and Volkswagen Group.

Leigh Hopwood, Chair of ECCA, said: "No single market tells the whole story and no single sector has all the answers – but collectively, the viewpoints of the leaders who contributed to this research paint a rich and honest picture of where the art and science of sales within the European contact centre stands today, and where it is headed."

About TTEC
TTEC Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTEC) is a leading global consulting, technology, and managed services company delivering solutions at the intersection of data, AI, and customer experience (CX). Serving iconic and disruptive brands, TTEC's outcome-based solutions span the entire enterprise, touch every virtual interaction channel, and improve each step of the customer journey. Leveraging next-gen digital technology, the Company's TTEC Digital business designs, builds, and operates omnichannel contact centre technology, CRM, AI, and analytics solutions. The Company's operational business delivers AI-enhanced customer engagement, customer acquisition and growth, tech support, back office, and fraud prevention services. Founded in 1982, the Company's employees operate on six continents and bring technology and humanity together to deliver differentiated business results. To learn more, visit us at ttec.com.

Media Contact
Meredith Matthews
Meredith.matthews@ttec.com