Keeping Customer Experience Human: Our Perspective on the Keep Call Centers in America Act .
The recently introduced Keep Call Centers in America Act has sparked a conversation about where customer service should live, how it should be delivered, and what role technology, especially AI, should play in the process. At its core, the legislation aims to bring transparency to customer interactions and protect American jobs. These are goals worth supporting. But as with any sweeping proposal, the details matter.
From our perspective at Tactis, the debate is bigger than agent location. It is about how we preserve empathy, enable innovation, and deliver outcomes that truly matter to people who reach out for help.
What the Act Gets Right and What It Risks Overlooking
It is true that customers want to know who is on the other end of the line. There is comfort in speaking with someone who likely understands your challenge, whether it is a flood in your town, a delay in local services, or simply the pace of daily life in America. That sense of shared context builds trust. Legislation that prioritizes this is aiming at something important.
But geography is not the only factor in customer experience. People do not just want to know where an agent is sitting. They want to feel heard. They want speed, accuracy, and empathy. Overly rigid disclosure or transfer requirements, if not crafted carefully, risk adding friction to the very interactions they are meant to improve.
The bill also introduces questions about AI. Would assistive tools that help neutralize accents or provide agents with real-time guidance be considered non-compliant? Would organizations hesitate to use technologies that improve efficiency and empathy for fear of running afoul of unclear definitions? That uncertainty could hold the industry back at a moment when responsible AI is transforming how we serve customers.
A Human-First, AI-Enhanced Future
It is worth noting that the current administration has shown strong support for using AI to improve government services and citizen experience. Agencies are being encouraged to responsibly adopt automation and machine learning, not shy away from them. That alignment matters because the future of CX is not about choosing between people and technology. It is about designing solutions where each makes the other stronger.
At Tactis, we believe AI should augment, not replace. Our contact center agents use tools that help them resolve issues faster, anticipate needs more accurately, and spend more time listening with empathy. AI does not take away the human touch. It enables it.
Why We Have Always Chosen a U.S.-First Model
For us, this conversation is not new. From the start, Tactis has been an onshore-first organization. That has not always been the easiest path. In an industry where offshore operations often promise lower costs and faster scaling, we have chosen a harder road.
Why? Because we believe it matters. It matters to the people we connect with every day, and it matters to the communities where we live and work.
As a HUBZone-certified small business, we intentionally bring jobs to communities that are underutilized. That means when you call into one of our centers, you are likely talking to someone who not only understands your issue but also represents the resilience and diversity of America. These jobs do not just answer phones. They create opportunity where it is needed most.
That combination of local empathy and community impact is something no offshore model can replicate.
What Businesses Should Do Now
Even as legislation evolves, there are steps organizations can take to prepare and lead:
- Stay informed. The bill is still in its early stages. Anticipate potential requirements, but do not overcorrect before language is finalized.
- Audit your CX journey. Map where new disclosure or transfer requirements could create friction and design customer-friendly solutions in advance.
- Double down on empathy. Customers care most about being understood. Ensure your agents have both the training and the context to deliver that.
- Adopt AI responsibly. Use AI to empower agents, not replace them. Tools like real-time coaching and predictive analytics can make the human connection stronger.
- Choose partners with experience. Providers who have successfully run large, regulated, onshore operations, for clients like the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Census Bureau, know how to balance compliance, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
The Path Forward
The Keep Call Centers in America Act surfaces an important truth: customer experience is national infrastructure. How we connect with citizens, patients, customers, and members reflects who we are as a country. Protecting jobs and ensuring transparency are noble aims. But the real measure of success is not whether a call is answered in America. It is whether the person on the other end feels heard.
That is the philosophy that drives us at Tactis. We believe the future of CX is human-first, AI-enabled, and trust-driven. And while taking a U.S.-first approach has not always been the easy choice, it has always been the right one for our clients, for their customers, and for the communities that need a lift.