CustomerHD, a BPO headquartered in Raleigh, NC, now uses Valence on the customer support program it runs for a smart home brand. In a July 2026 production pilot, every CustomerHD agent surveyed said Valence Agent Assist helped them resolve calls faster and noticeably reduced mental fatigue on complex calls.

The results show how real-time emotion AI is changing agent support in the contact center. Contact centers have traditionally measured success by handle time, resolution, and CSAT, but those metrics overlook what complex calls cost the agent: listening closely, typing notes, troubleshooting, and capturing every name, number, and email address correctly the first time. On CustomerHD's smart home support program, that load is heaviest on long, technical calls, places where accuracy and tone matter most.

CustomerHD deployed Agent Assist with six agents on live support calls. Agent Assist reads emotion from the caller's voice itself, not just the transcript, and pairs those emotion cues with live call analysis and next-step guidance, all inside the Amazon Connect workspace agents already use.

The agents felt the difference. Every agent surveyed rated Valence 4 or 5 out of 5 for helping them resolve calls faster. Every one reported a noticeable drop in mental fatigue on complex calls, and 2/3 gave that drop the top score. Usage stuck, too: 2/3 now use Valence on 50 to 80% of their daily interactions, and 2/3 said their job would be harder without it.

Live call analysis was the standout, named the most valuable feature by every agent surveyed. On calls dense with names, account numbers, and email addresses, agents check the live transcript instead of asking callers to repeat themselves. That keeps the call moving and keeps the agent's attention on the person, not the keyboard, while emotion cues help them adjust their tone before frustration builds.

As Jon Keane, CustomerHD's Co-Founder and CEO, explains:

"The reason our clients want to stay with people is because of emotion, building empathy. It's really fascinating that Valence is able to use technology to help us understand that emotion. That's really unusual and really innovative."

The team also saw an opportunity for new hires. Next-step guidance acts as real-time guardrails while new agents learn the program's processes, so good habits form from day one. For a BPO that scales with seasonal waves of new hires, that means faster ramp with less side-by-side coaching. Across production contact center deployments, Valence customers see 10 to 30% lower average handle time.

The bottom line: difficult calls will always be difficult, but they don't have to be draining as well. For CustomerHD, emotion AI is not about replacing agents. It's about giving them a real-time read on each caller, so they spend less energy keeping up and more on the person on the line.