Code of Conduct

CCAIA Membership Code of Conduct

Effective Date: January 1, 2026

Approved By: CCAIA Steering Committee

1. Purpose & Mission

The Contact Center AI Association (CCAIA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating Customer Experience (CX) practitioners on the responsible and effective use of AI. Our mission is to build a community of trust, open exchange, and "practitioner-first" learning.

To maintain the integrity of our community, this Code of Conduct outlines the rights and responsibilities of all members, including Steering Committee members, general practitioners, and vendor partners. By joining the CCAIA, you agree to uphold these standards.

2. General Professional Etiquette

The CCAIA is a professional environment. All members are expected to conduct themselves with integrity and courtesy.

  • Respect & Inclusion: We treat all members with respect, regardless of their role, company size, or background. Harassment, discrimination, or intimidation of any kind is strictly prohibited.

  • Open Exchange: We foster a safe space for learning. Members should feel free to ask questions, share challenges, and admit knowledge gaps without fear of ridicule.

  • Confidentiality: To encourage candor, specific comments made during closed-door roundtables or private member sessions should not be attributed to specific individuals or companies outside of that setting without express permission.

3. Commercial Activity & Sales Etiquette

A core value of the CCAIA is providing an educational environment free from aggressive commercial pressure. While we value the expertise of our vendor partners, the CCAIA is not a sales channel.

A. The "Education First" Standard

The primary goal of all CCAIA interactions is education, not transaction. Members representing technology vendors or service providers must prioritize adding value through expertise rather than pitching products.

B. Permissible Activities ("Green Light")

  • Relationship Building: Exchanging contact information or LinkedIn connections after a mutually engaging, voluntary conversation.

  • Subject Matter Expertise: Answering a member's question with deep industry knowledge, trends, or best practices (e.g., "In our experience, we see X working well...").

  • Requested Follow-up: Sending product information, pricing, or scheduling a demo only if a practitioner member has explicitly requested it.

  • Official Sponsorship: Promoting services within designated sponsor channels (e.g., sponsor tables, approved email newsletters) as defined by the Board of Directors.

C. Prohibited Activities ("Red Light")

  • Unsolicited Pitching: Initiating a conversation with a "hard sell," product pitch, or demo request during educational sessions, dinners, or community roundtables.

  • List Mining: Using the member directory, event attendance lists, or Slack/community channels to send unsolicited cold emails, marketing blasts, or meeting requests.

  • The "Trojan Horse": Pretending to offer unbiased educational advice that is actually a disguised sales pitch for a specific proprietary tool.

  • Aggressive Pursuit: Continued contact (email, phone, social media) after a member has indicated they are not interested.

4. Antitrust & Competition Compliance

As an association of professionals who may be competitors, the CCAIA strictly adheres to antitrust laws. To protect the association and its members, the following topics are strictly prohibited during all CCAIA activities:

  • Price Fixing: Discussions of current or future pricing, fees, profit margins, or commercial terms.

  • Market Allocation: Discussions regarding dividing territories, customers, or markets.

  • Boycotts: Agreements or discussions to boycott or refuse to deal with any supplier, competitor, or customer.

5. Enforcement

The CCAIA Steering Committee is responsible for interpreting and enforcing this Code of Conduct.

  • Reporting Violations: Members who believe this Code has been violated—specifically regarding unwanted sales pressure or harassment—should report the incident to a member of the Steering Committee or the Chairman.

  • Review Process: All reports will be reviewed confidentially by the Steering Committee.

  • Consequences: Violations of this Code may result in:

    1. Warning: A private, formal warning from the Committee.

    2. Suspension: Temporary removal from speaking opportunities, committees, or events.

    3. Termination: Revocation of membership (without refund) for repeated or egregious offenses.