Contact-center work has never been simple. Today, it is more demanding than ever: customers expect fast, accurate answers, while agents must handle rising information complexity, emotional pressure, and often rude or even aggressive interactions. In this environment, every second counts – and every interruption adds friction.

A recent independent field study by the University of St. Gallen shows how Spitch’s AI Agent Assist can make a measurable difference exactly where contact-center teams need support most: during live, high-pressure conversations.

Real-time support, without putting customers on hold

Spitch Agent Assist listens to the ongoing call, retrieves relevant information from a company-specific knowledge base, and surfaces the right guidance directly inside the agent workspace – in real time. The result is simple but powerful: agents no longer need to pause the conversation, search across systems, or place the customer on hold to find the answer. For routine calls, this means faster responses and smoother conversations. For difficult calls, it means something even more valuable: a cognitive handhold when the interaction starts to slip.

According to the University of St. Gallen study, agents described the solution as helping them “grab the thread back” when pressure rises. Instead of splitting attention between searching for facts and managing a tense conversation, they can stay focused on the customer while the AI takes on the factual load.

A buffer against pressure in difficult interactions

The study confirms what many contact-center leaders already know: customer incivility is not an exception – it is part of the job. Rude, dismissive, or aggressive behavior increases cognitive strain, slows response times, and contributes to burnout over time.

Spitch Agent Assist helps create a cognitive buffer. When the factual side of the conversation is supported in real time, agents have more capacity to remain calm, confident, and in control. Importantly, the research shows that the greatest benefit appears in difficult calls – exactly when the agent’s mental load is highest.

In controlled studies, AI assistance improved task performance under angry customer conditions and reduced cognitive load. Physiological measures also confirmed the effect: the AI support lowered indicators of mental strain during challenging calls. In short, when pressure increases, Spitch helps agents stay sharper.

Especially valuable for onboarding and new hires

One of the strongest findings from the field study was the impact on newer agents. Early in their tenure, agents face their most stressful calls with the least experience to rely on. That makes the first months especially challenging.

Spitch Agent Assist can accelerate confidence and performance during onboarding by putting the right information directly in front of new hires when they need it most. But the study also makes an important point: accuracy matters. Because inexperienced agents are less likely to catch incorrect suggestions, the assistant must be powered by a company-specific knowledge base and governed carefully.

That’s where Spitch stands apart. Spitch’s Knowledge Agent, which is part of the Collaborative Agentic AI Platform, helps ensure the assistance is tailored to the organization’s own processes, products, and service rules.

Designed for real workflows, not distractions

The University of St. Gallen study also highlights an important usability insight: agents do not want a tool that overwhelms them. They want a small, persistent cue with the essential facts, expandable only when needed, and dismissible when not relevant.

That aligns with Spitch’s product philosophy: support must fit naturally into the agent’s workflow. During calm calls, the assistant should stay light and efficient. During difficult conversations, it should step up with concise, actionable guidance – without adding noise or forcing agents to stop and type. This balance is critical. On hard calls, too much text becomes another burden. Spitch Agent Assist is designed to reduce load, not create it.

Why this matters for contact centers

The research points to four clear operational benefits:

• Efficiency on routine calls – faster answers, fewer holds, smoother handling
• Stability on difficult calls – lower cognitive load and more confident agents
• Stronger onboarding support – especially valuable for new hires
• Better outcomes with the right knowledge base – specific, accurate, company-owned content is essential

For contact centers seeking to improve service quality while protecting agent well-being, the collaborative AI advantage is clear: assistance works best when it helps agents do what only humans can do – listen, empathize, and resolve complex situations – while automating the factual search behind the scenes.

The bottom line

The University of St. Gallen field study confirms what Spitch Agent Assist was built to do: help agents perform better under pressure, stay composed in hard conversations, and respond faster without breaking the flow of the call. In a contact-center world where every interaction matters, Spitch gives teams the support they need to handle the hard calls with confidence.

Learn how Spitch Agent Assist can help your team stay calm, fast, and effective – even on the toughest calls.