Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q1 2025, the company's revenue was $534 million, a decrease of 7.4% from $577 million in the prior year, but exceeded the forecasted plan [16] - Adjusted EBITDA increased to $56 million, representing 10.6% of revenue, compared to $55 million or 9.5% in the prior year [16] - Operating income rose to $41 million, or 7.8% of revenue, up from $38 million or 6.6% in the prior year [16] - Earnings per share decreased to $0.28 from $0.27 in the prior year [16] - Free cash flow improved to $16 million from a negative $29 million in the prior year [22] Business Segment Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the Digital segment, Q1 revenue was $108 million, down 3.6% year-over-year, but grew 2.8% excluding one-time product sales [17] - Recurring managed service offerings in Digital increased by 2.7%, representing approximately 66% of total revenue [17] - In the Engage segment, revenue decreased by 8.3% to $426 million, but operating income remained flat at $29 million, with a 70 basis point improvement as a percentage of revenue [20] - The Engage backlog was $1.59 billion, or 101% of the 2025 revenue guidance, up from 94% in the same period of 2024 [21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The last twelve month revenue retention rate for Engage was 88%, down from 94% in the prior year, but adjusted for a large client loss, it was 93% [22] - Digital's first quarter operating income was $12 million, or 11.2% of revenue, compared to $9 million or 8.3% in the prior year [18] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on three priorities: increasing diversification across clients and solutions, transforming experiences through digital innovation, and strengthening financial performance [4] - The strategy includes co-investing and collaborating with hyperscalers to build AI-enabled capabilities [4][9] - The company aims to enhance operational excellence and agility while managing costs effectively [26] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that clients are adopting a cautious approach due to economic uncertainties, impacting their investment decisions [2][31] - Despite the cautious environment, the company is encouraged by new client acquisitions and growth in existing client relationships [2][5] - The outlook for the second half of 2025 remains cautious due to potential macroeconomic impacts on client demand [25][26] Other Important Information - The company has made significant investments in proprietary technology and has a strong track record in customer experience (CX) technology [3][12] - The normalized tax rate increased to 37.9% in Q1 2025 from 32.7% in the prior year, primarily due to a valuation allowance against US pretax losses [25] Q&A Session Summary Question: Client adoption challenges - Management indicated that clients are excited about new technologies but are hesitant due to reliability concerns and economic uncertainties impacting their CapEx spending [31][32] Question: Differentiation from peers - The company believes it can differentiate itself through extensive experience and strong relationships with hyperscalers, focusing on digital CX transformation [39][41] Question: Cost optimization efforts - Management confirmed ongoing cost optimization efforts and emphasized the importance of balancing cost savings with investments in technology and AI [46][72] Question: Demand environment and contract sizes - Management noted that while there is a strong pipeline, contract sizes are starting smaller, reflecting caution in the market [78][79] Question: Pricing pressures - Management acknowledged competitive pricing pressures but expressed confidence in maintaining discipline in pricing strategies [82][84]