In the rush to implement the "latest and greatest" AI tools, many organisations are accidentally investing $1,000 to fix a $100 problem—or worse, a problem that doesn't actually exist for their frontline.

In this episode of The Kiwi CX Collective, we sit down with Anupama Wijesundara, a Data and Insights Leader who brings a rare blend of analytical rigor and purpose-driven leadership. With a background in frontline social work and experience managing high-pressure operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, Anu doesn't just see data points; he sees the kaimahi (staff) and whānau (families) they represent.

Anu joins us to share his research on breaking down the "data silos" that hold organisations back and why successful digital transformation starts with a "Pause, Touch, Engage" approach rather than a top-down mandate.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Business Problem First Rule: Why you must identify the bottleneck before you pick the tool to avoid rolling out solutions nobody wants.
• Breaking the Silos: Lessons from Anu’s Master’s research on how legacy systems and heavy customisations act as barriers to true AI innovation.
• Impact vs. Performance: Why traditional metrics like AHT (Average Handling Time) fail to measure the real-world change being made in the community.
• The AI "Garbage In, Garbage Out" Trap: The risks of training models on poor data and the governance needed to create "safe spaces" for team experimentation.
• Cultural Integration: Anu’s journey from Sri Lanka to Aotearoa and why technology can’t fix a lack of cultural framework or shared vision.
• The Power of the Water Cooler: Why informal conversations often reveal the insights that dashboards miss.

About Our Guest:

Anupama Wijesundara is a Data & Insights Leader with over a decade of experience turning complex data into practical, human-centric outcomes. he is a specialist in reshaping service delivery for community-facing organisations and an advocate for using data as a tool for empowerment and advocacy.

Connect with Anu:
LinkedIn: Anupama Wijesundara

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Is your customer experience strategy all data and no heart? In an era where AI automation and complex processes dominate the boardroom, many organisations are finding that their engagement is falling flat. This episode explores why the most powerful tool for 2026 isn't a new piece of software—it’s the critical thinking and storytelling that only humans can provide.

On The Kiwi CX Collective, we sit down with Liz Pinfold Reed, a global CX strategist and founder of Good CX. Liz has shaped customer journeys across five continents for brands like BMW, Visa, and Dove. She shares her unique philosophy on how to move past "Maserati-speed" technology to find the human truths that actually drive loyalty and trust.

In this conversation, we cover:

• The CX Equation: Why focusing on one "special person" and every tiny micro-moment is the biological imperative for brand survival.
• E + R = O: A masterclass in the framework where the Event plus the Reaction equals the Outcome, and how leaders can shape the customer's nervous system.
• The 2026 Pencil: Why the most important AI tool is actually a pencil—symbolising the need for deep thinking and "ideation" before implementation.
• Polyvagal Theory in Leadership: How understanding the "play zone" and psychological safety allows teams to innovate without fear.
• Vibe Coding: How intergenerational collaboration and "going strong and wrong" helps leaders spot blind spots and scale empathy in a digital world.

This episode is essential for CX strategists, business founders, and leaders who want to ensure their technology serves their people—not the other way around.

Guest: Liz Pinfold Reed, Founder of Good CX

Connect with Liz:
Website: Good CX
LinkedIn: Liz Pinfold Reed

Keywords: CX Strategy, AI, Human-Centred Design, Polyvagal Theory, Leadership, Storytelling, Customer Journey, Innovation, New Zealand Business, Psychological Safety.

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“People don’t want to know how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

In the high-pressure world of Auckland Transport, where service is measured in real-time by thousands of daily commuters, Henry Gray (Head of Customer Care) believes that the true heart of CX isn’t found in a script, but in the Samoan principle of tautua—the belief that the pathway to leadership is through service.

On this episode of The Kiwi CX Collective, Henry shares his 25-year journey from a frontline CSR to a boardroom leader. He challenges the industry to move beyond "desensitised" service and instead embrace manaakitanga, creating a culture where staff feel protected and customers feel heard.

What we explore in this episode:

• Operational Innovation: How Auckland Transport achieved a 25% reduction in call volumes by simply giving customers more control through "Live Departures" and IVR technology.
• The 30% Stress Tax: A deep dive into the alarming reality that many agents carry 30% of their work stress home, and why leaders must move from one-off training "events" towards long-term wellbeing programmes.
• Predictive Engagement: Why using data to proactively reach out to customers makes them three times less likely to call back for the same issue.
• Aggregation of Marginal Gains: The discipline of getting 1% better every day and understanding that while success is a habit, failure can be one too.
• The "Untangibles" of Leadership: Why tone, humility, and EQ are the true markers of a world-class team, even in an AI-driven world.

Henry’s message is a powerful reminder that leadership is a "privileged responsibility." If you aren't leading with a genuine desire to uplift your people and your community, you are missing the most vital part of the job.

Guest: Henry Gray, Head of Customer Care at Auckland Transport

Connect with Henry:
LinkedIn: Henry Gray

Keywords: Leadership, CX, Manaakitanga, Auckland Transport, Contact Centre, Servant Leadership, Staff Wellbeing, Predictive Engagement, Operational Excellence, Tautua, New Zealand Business.

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Are your teams truly supported, or are they just keeping up appearances? Many leaders focus on hitting targets without understanding the human experiences behind them, leaving staff stressed, disconnected, and unsure of their impact. This episode explores how a coaching-led approach can transform leadership from transactional to genuinely empowering.

On The Kiwi CX Collective, we speak with Gail Meintjeis, a leadership and coaching specialist, and former contact centre leader renowned for building resilient, high-performing teams. Gail shares practical strategies to help leaders create psychologically safe environments, foster self-awareness, and guide their teams to grow with confidence.

In this conversation, we cover:

• Coaching that transforms: How structured, intentional conversations give people space to think, reflect, and find their own solutions.
• The hidden costs of pressure: Why teams without support can fall into reactive behaviour, stress loops, and reduced empathy.
• Leadership as facilitation: How moving from directive problem-solving to coaching cultivates clarity, capability, and self-trust.
• Seeing the full picture: Gail explains why understanding the human side of performance ensures communication flows from leadership to every team member.

This episode is perfect for leaders, coaches, and CX professionals wanting to develop teams in a way that’s grounded, intentional, and deeply human.

Guest: Gail Meintjeis, Leadership & Coaching Specialist

Connect with Gail:
LinkedIn: Gail Meintjeis

Keywords: Leadership, Coaching, CX, Team Development, Emotional Intelligence, Psychological Safety, Growth Mindset, Resilience, Human-Centred Leadership, Empathy

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We often chase automation without a map, resulting in disjointed customer service and agent exhaustion. What if we adopted a scientific framework to measure, improve, and harmonize over 800 operational factors? This is the essential shift needed to move from chaotic processes to cohesive, customer-centric service.

Joining us on The Kiwi CX Collective is Deepak Severtham, an international specialist in CX Strategy and Digital Transformation. Deepak defined industry standards as the architect of Snapshotz (used by 4,000 global centers) and RemotAbility. He operates from the conviction that frontline well-being must be prioritized to genuinely achieve customer transformation.

We analyze the major industry shifts and tackle crucial questions facing modern CX leadership:

• CX Mastery: Requires a scientific structure assessing all 12 Functional Building Blocks, incorporating new essential competencies.
• Flawed AI: Causes emotional labour and becomes an intrusive disruption, undermining agent well-being without input.
• Data Strategy: Essential because 'data' is the fuel for AI; mandatory to qualify and utilize the new 'data lakes.'
• Leadership: Leaders must shift from 'order takers' to proactive strategists, aligning cross-functional teams behind a single mission.
• Leadership Gift: Enabling leaders to visualize the 'full dance floor' of all interconnected variables for cohesive organizational communication.

This episode is essential listening for CX strategists, business leaders, and those responsible for talent development, offering clear guidance on achieving service maturity that is both scientific and deeply humane.

Guest: Deepak Selvaratnam, Global Customer Service Strategist (Creator of Snapshotz)

Connect with Deepak:
LinkedIn: Deepak Selvaratnam
Website: Snapshotz

Keywords: CX, Customer Experience, Contact Centres, Deepak Selvaratnam, Snapshotz, Remote Ability, AI, Automation, Data Strategy, Mental Health, Emotional Labour, 12 Building Blocks, CCNNZ, Leadership, Digital Transformation.

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When customer aggression is rising and peak season pressure is on, the standard response is to focus on metrics and "be tough." But what if the secret to a high-performing team isn't about hardening up, but about "staying soft"? This conversation explores how compassionate, people-first leadership is the key to building resilient, positive, and genuinely effective teams.

This is the core philosophy of Angela Canton, Regional Customer Experience Manager at New Zealand Couriers, who joins The Kiwi CX Collective. She shares her incredible journey—from a self-described "terrified introvert" at Inland Revenue to leading high-stakes teams at Hato Hone St. John, to delivering on the promise at New Zealand Couriers. Angela explains her "people-first" mindset and how she builds a strong, supportive culture in the face of digital change and rising customer entitlement.

We explore why "Quality" is a more vital metric than AHT and the practical strategies for building a truly human-centric team:

• The "Human X-Factor": Why did Angela personally review 500 CVs without AI, and what was she looking for?
• Coaching "Digital Natives": How do you "go gently" and empower a generation that is hesitant to use the voice channel?
• Leading Through Pressure: What is the "oxygen mask" strategy, and how does it help team leaders survive peak season?
• Protecting Your People: How can you use de-escalation training and technology (like profanity filters) to protect agents from a rise in customer aggression and incivility?
• Angela's "Magic Wand Wish": What is the one thing she believes would fix customer experience from the ground up?

This is an essential listen for any contact centre team leader, operations manager, or CX executive who wants to build a truly positive and high-performing team. If you're looking for practical strategies to navigate pressure, champion compassion, and build a culture where people feel safe and valued, this episode is for you.

Guest: Angela Canton, Regional Customer Experience Manager at New Zealand Couriers

Connect with Angela:
LinkedIn: Angela Canton

Keywords: Contact Centre Leadership, Customer Experience (CX), Team Culture, Psychological Safety, Employee Engagement, Compassionate Leadership, Coaching, Digital Natives, De-escalation, Resilience, New Zealand Business, CX Leadership, Agent Experience (AX), NZ Couriers.

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Is your organization's rush to adopt AI actually creating a worse experience for your customers? With a shocking 80% of AI projects failing to deliver, many companies are caught in a "drive to the bottom," cutting costs while sacrificing the genuine human empathy that builds loyalty. This episode tackles that technology trap head-on, offering a new, human-centred playbook for blending automation with authenticity.

In this episode of The Kiwi CX Collective, we sit down with Richard Winterburn, a 30-year contact centre veteran and CCNNZ Committee Member. Drawing from a career that spans 90s call centres to consulting for Buckingham Palace, Richard brings a rare and powerful perspective to the AI debate. He champions a philosophy where technology is a tool to empower people, not a replacement for them.

We discuss why so many tech projects fail and explore the critical strategies for building a CX ecosystem that truly works:

• What is "Agentic AI"? Richard breaks down this new wave of technology, explaining the "train vs. car" analogy and why 63% of customers already prefer it for certain tasks.
• Can AI ever really be empathetic? We challenge the hype and discuss why AI is still a decade away from replicating true human connection, and where that human touch remains non-negotiable.
• How does AI empower agents? Learn how tools like call summarization are moving beyond simple "time-savers" to actively improve the agent experience and capture richer data.
• How do you build a culture that supports innovation? We explore the critical need for a "failure tolerant" workplace and why the "one perfect vendor" myth is so damaging.
• What is the "Win-Win-Win"? Richard shares his framework for focusing not just on your company and your customer, but on your customer's customer to find true success.

This is a must-listen for contact centre leaders, CX strategists, and operations managers who want to move beyond the AI hype. If you want a practical blueprint for navigating new technology, getting your team on board, and building an experience that delivers both efficiency and empathy, this episode is for you.

Guest: Richard Winterburn, CCNNZ Committee Member & Founder at DigEcom

Connect with Richard:
Linkedin: Richard Winterburn
Website: digecom.co.nz

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Agentic AI, Customer Experience (CX), Contact Centre, Human Empathy, Agent Experience (AX), Call Summarization, Offshoring, CX Leadership, CCNZ, New Zealand Business, CX Strategy, Technology Implementation, CX Metrics.

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What if the biggest obstacle to delivering a world-class customer experience isn't your technology or your budget, but the very structure of your organization? All too often, well-meaning departments work in isolation, unintentionally creating friction and frustration for the very customers they're trying to serve. This episode tackles that hidden threat head-on, offering a new playbook where CX is treated not as a departmental task, but as a company-wide team sport.

In this episode of The Kiwi CX Collective, we sit down with Melanie Disse, a seasoned CX consultant, speaker, and the founder of Melanie Disse Consulting. Drawing from over a decade of experience and her background in competitive team sports like outrigger canoeing, Melanie has a unique perspective on organizational excellence. She now helps businesses break down internal walls and build a unified strategy where every single employee is responsible for delivering on the brand promise.

We discuss why the biggest threat to your customer relationships isn't your competitors but your own internal structure, and explore the key pillars of building a collaborative culture:

• What does "CX is a team sport" actually mean? Melanie explains why customer experience is a collective effort and how every department, from finance to IT, impacts the end customer.
• Why is C-suite buy-in non-negotiable? We explore the critical need for an executive-level CX leader who can establish governance, drive accountability, and get everyone paddling in the same direction.
• How do you make company values actionable? Melanie shares her principles for "operationalizing" values, moving them from a poster on the wall into the daily work and decisions of every team.
• Are traditional metrics holding you back? We challenge the value of metrics like Average Handle Time and discuss how to choose measurements that truly reflect the quality of your customer's experience.
  
  
• Who is responsible for fixing problems? Learn how a mature Voice of Customer (VoC) program can channel feedback directly to the teams that broke the experience, empowering them to fix the root cause.
• What does the future of CX look like? We discuss the evolving nature of the discipline and the trends, including AI, that leaders need to watch.
  This is a must-listen for executives, department heads, and CX professionals who are tired of putting out fires and want a blueprint for building a truly cohesive, proactive, and customer-centric organization from the top down.

Guest: Melanie Disse, Founder & Principal Consultant at Melanie Disse Consulting
Connect with Melanie:

• LinkedIn: Melanie Disse
• Website: https://www.melaniedisseconsulting.com/

Keywords: CX, Customer Experience, Team Sport, Silos, Leadership, CX Strategy, Company Culture, Voice of Customer (VoC), Customer-Centricity, Contact Centers, Melanie Disse, New Zealand Business, Organizational Alignment.

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