Welcome back to "Ask Aspect," a series that dives into insights from our workforce experts. Our team brings expertise beyond just building workforce management software, with specialists in customer success, marketing, and more, all focused on delivering powerful business outcomes and exceptional experiences.
In our previous installments, we explored creating exceptional customer experiences with Director of Enterprise Accounts, Dan Zuckerman and discussed brand building with Director of Brand Marketing, Gillian Grefé.
Today, we're chatting with Kelly Maiden, VP of Marketing, about staying relevant in today's digital landscape by building trust and delivering real value. With over 15 years of marketing leadership experience across CX, telecommunications, and other sectors, Kelly is guiding Aspect to position itself as a strategic partner that solves concrete workforce challenges instead of merely chasing industry buzzwords.
Q: In today's rapidly changing digital landscape, what does it take for a technology brand like Aspect to stay relevant and valuable in such a fast-changing world?
Staying relevant in today’s market comes down to two things: trust and value. I believe people don’t buy products - they buy solutions to their problems. That means our job is to deliver insights and value that help people overcome their challenges and ultimately deliver greater value back to their business.
This reality is exactly what drives us at Aspect to bring our people to the forefront of our brand. Workforce leaders want a partner who speaks their language and understands their challenges - someone who helps them see around corners rather than just react to what’s already happened.
Instead of chasing the latest buzzword, we stay true to our core competency in workforce technology, investing deeply in understanding what our customers actually need to succeed. This way, we position ourselves as strategic partners who solve real problems for real people, building the kind of trust and delivering the measurable value that keeps us relevant in an ever-changing market.
Q: How is Aspect's marketing approach adapting to meet the evolving needs of contact centers?
Contact center leaders are being hit from every angle - rising customer expectations, shrinking budgets, and a wave of AI-driven noise that makes every vendor sound the same. Our approach is to cut through that with clarity and credibility.
Instead of repeating feature lists, we lead with real outcomes: reducing agent turnover, improving forecasting accuracy, and lowering operational costs. And we amplify customer stories that prove those results in practice. When buyers hear how their peers solved the exact challenges they’re facing, it builds immediate trust.
By combining authority with authenticity, our marketing shows leaders that Aspect isn’t just another vendor making claims - we’re a trusted advisor and a partner who helps them solve real problems and realize immediate value from their investment.
Q: What can workforce leaders learn from how their peers are using workforce technology to solve today’s challenges?
Some of the most valuable insights don’t come from vendors, they come from peers. That’s why we elevate customer voices. When a workforce leader hears how another organization reduced turnover, improved scheduling accuracy, or boosted engagement, it gives them a roadmap they can use.
For us, customer feedback helps shape our direction. It shapes how we tell stories and where we invest, but more importantly, it creates a community of shared learning. Workforce leaders get to see what works in the real world, not just in a product demo.
Q: With so many options on the market, how can buyers cut through the noise and choose the right workforce technology partner?
The workforce technology market is crowded, and most providers sound the same. The risk is that buyers can end up chasing buzzwords instead of solving their core challenges. The best way to cut through is to focus on three things:
- Outcomes, not features. Ask: will this solution help us improve productivity, reduce costs, or retain our people?
- Proven expertise. Look for a partner with the experience to back up their claims, not just the latest pitch.
- Clarity and trust. If a vendor can’t explain in simple terms how they’ll deliver value, it’s probably not the right fit.
This is where Aspect stands out. We combine decades of workforce expertise with a modern vision for where workforce technology is heading. We simplify complexity, focus on measurable results, and act as a partner buyers can trust to deliver.
Q: How do you envision Aspect's brand evolving to stay relevant with emerging technologies like AI and changing customer expectations?
AI is changing everything, but our brand isn’t about hyping the technology. It’s about showing customers how to use it to get better outcomes. We see the Aspect brand evolving as the leader in workforce intelligence — combining human expertise with AI insights to help organizations get more value out of their people. That means staying true to our DNA in workforce management, while leading the conversation on how to work smarter, more efficiently, and with greater impact.
Q: What techniques or approaches have you found most effective for sparking creativity within the Aspect marketing team?
I believe creativity is like a muscle - you have to use it or lose it. We keep it alive by focusing on real customer problems and telling people-first stories. I like to use the “goosebump test”. If an idea doesn’t make you feel something, it’s not ready.
I trust the team to run, but I also encourage them to step away from the laptop, break the pattern, and make space for ideas. And we embrace a bit of discomfort, because if the work feels too safe, it probably won’t stand out.
Ready to dive deeper into Kelly's valuable perspectives and strategic approaches? Listen to Futureworks podcast episode number 7 where Kelly explores trust-building, effective storytelling, and the creative process that drives successful marketing strategies in today's digital landscape.
Listen now: Check out our full conversation with Kelly on "Trust, Storytelling, and the Creative Process with Kelly Maiden" to discover how to apply these insights to your organization's workforce challenges.
