Doing more with less. That's what Klasey Gage, vice president of client service of contact center solutions provider Echopass predicts will be part of contact center strategy in 2009.

Gage says that contact centers will provide more service using technology and fewer people. Employing strategies like skills-based routing, leveraging the IVR to service customers, and using better reporting and adherence will fuel this trend. Also, providing agents with accurate information will keep call transfers down and customer satisfaction up.

"With these economic times, customer service is even more critical," Gage says. "New customers are going to be hard to come by so it's important to provide a great experience and use word of mouth."