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The Kiwi CX Collective
Welcome to the C-Suite Conversations, the official podcast of CCNNZ, created for and by the contact center and customer experience community. Join us as we take a deep dive into the three core pillars of performance in our industry—Product, Process, and People. Each episode features a relaxed, in-person interview with a top-level leader, celebrating their wins, exploring the lessons they've learned, and getting to the heart of what's really working in their operations. This isn't about shiny case studies; it's about real, honest conversations that will help you feel seen, inspired, and better equipped to lead your team.
The Kiwi CX Collective
Turning Complex Insights into Human Outcomes with Anupama Wijesundara - S1EP11
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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
