Get Out of Wrap - Contact Centre Chat

Hosted by Martin Teasdale

Business Management

Website RSS feed

Episodes

265

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-GB

About the show

There are 6,000 contact centres in the UK - this is the 1st podcast dedicated to the world of the contact centre. Perhaps still an industry with a negative perception externally, the reality is very different & very positive. This is a podcast all about best practice in Contact Centres &what vibrant, vital, diverse, exciting engagement places they really are. I’ll be chatting to people who know their stuff and are doing great things. This podcast is independent and a proud supporter of Action Aid UK .

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 12, 2026Episode 2631 hr 3 min

#263 - Danny Wardell of Alvaria CX

Get Out of Wrap | Episode #263 – Danny Wardell, VP EMEA GTM at Alvaria CXFrom filing in a damp cellar at a solicitor's office to VP at one of the contact center industry's most recognised brands, Danny Wardell's journey is anything but ordinary.In this episode, Martin sits down with Danny to explore the grit, setbacks, and hard-won lessons behind a career built from a working-class background in West Yorkshire. They cover early jobs that shaped his relentless work ethic, the rejection that lit a fire under him, what it really costs to succeed in sales, and why returning to carry a bag after a decade of leadership was the best move he ever made.They also get into the AI hype problem facing the contact center industry, why proactive outbound is the most underused superpower in CX, and the human moments where no technology should ever replace a person.Honest, grounded, and genuinely entertaining and this is part one of two.

May 15, 2026Episode 26254 min

#262 - Teams, Trust, and BOSS Culture

In this episode I am joined once again by the brilliant Lee Houghton for a conversation that gets to the heart of what makes a team a real team, and what gets in the way.They explore why "team" is consistently the number one thing people say brings them happiness at work, the difference between a group that works and one that truly performs, and why artificial harmony might be the biggest silent killer of team culture.From belonging and connection to healthy conflict, watermelon reporting, and the danger of mistaking agreement for high performance, this episode is packed with honest reflections, practical insights, and more than a few great stories.Lee also introduces his BOSS framework — Behaviours Observed Set Standards — and why, as leaders, everything we do (and don't do) is setting the standard for those around us.If you lead a team, are part of one, or simply care about creating environments where people can do their best work, this one's for you.

May 8, 2026Episode 26152 min

#261 - Don't kick the hive with Jamie Corbett

In this episode I sat down with Jamie Corbett, Head of Operations at Advantis Credit, for a conversation that's as honest as it is inspiring. Jamie's story starts on the building sites, a plumber by trade who accidentally stumbled into a contact centre when he needed holiday money and ends (for now) at the top of operations. But it's the messy, human middle that makes this episode unmissable.Jamie opens up about bombing on the phones, the hippie colleague who changed his entire outlook with a Dale Carnegie quote, and the Excel V-lookup that quietly launched his career. He talks about what it really means to build psychological safety for a team, why he created a secret project called "Project Artemis” to solve a wrap time problem, and the brutal setback that turned out to be the making of him.If you've ever questioned whether you're ready for the next step, taken a leap that didn't land, or wondered what separates good leaders from great ones, this one's for you.Topics covered: contact centre culture, emotional intelligence, early leadership lessons, dealing with failure, self-development, and why the best leadership lesson is learning it's never about you.From Plumber to Contact CentreLearning the Hard Way on the PhonesThe Vinny Effect: Lessons That LastStepping Into LeadershipBuilding the Bad Apple TeamCreating Psychological SafetyThe Setback That Changed Everything• Jamie 2.0: From Me to We

May 1, 2026Episode 26041 min

#260 - Where is the AI bandwagon heading ? With Lee Houghton

Martin sits down with Lee Houghton, the UK's National Coach of the Year and founder of Get Knowledge, for a wide-ranging, honest conversation about artificial intelligence and what it's doing to us as humans.Fresh from the Forum Conference, both self-confessed AI enthusiasts wrestle with a genuine tension: they love how AI has transformed their solo businesses, but they're worried about what we might be quietly giving away in the process. Are we outsourcing our creativity, our curiosity, and our human connection along with our admin?From SatNav and checkbooks to ChatGPT and Claude, Martin and Lee explore how technology has always reshaped behaviour and ask whether this time it's different. Lee shares his fear that we're slowly "practicing being human" less and less, while Martin wonders whether AI could actually create space for the things that make us irreplaceable: lived experience, genuine connection, and the kind of nuance no prompt can fully capture.They also touch on inclusion and exclusion in the AI age, what organisational structures might look like in the future, and inevitably, the looming spectre of Tottenham's relegation.Warm, funny, and thought-provoking……this one's got real heart.Topics covered:The "AI is as bad as it's ever going to be" mindset shiftOutsourcing thinking vs. outsourcing the humanHead, hands & heart — what AI can and can't replaceInclusion gaps in an AI-accelerated worldWhy your actual intention behind using AI matters

April 24, 2026Episode 25943 min

#259 - R.E.N the AI coach in the room - fixing burnout before it's too late. With Maria McCann & Kathryn Simons-Porter

What if every contact centre agent and team leader had access to an on-demand AI coach — right in the moment they needed it most?In this episode of Get Out of Wrap, Martin is joined by Kathryn Simons-Porter, founder of Flourish Business Consulting, and Maria McCann of NES Wave, for a genuinely groundbreaking live experiment.They introduce R.E.N (Reset. Engage. Navigate.) — an AI coaching tool built specifically for contact centre teams. Grounded in emotional intelligence, transactional analysis, and the GROW coaching model, R.E.N is designed to give frontline agents and team leaders real-time support, guidance, and resilience — without waiting for a manager to be free.The stats are hard to ignore: absence rates in contact centres are running at three times the business average, 83% of agents say their mental health is being affected, and difficult conversations are being avoided every single day. R.E.N was built to change that.Watch live as Maria coaches R.E.N through a real workplace scenario — a manager overriding an agent's decision — and see how it navigates the conversation with calm, clarity, and emotional intelligence.This is contact centre wellbeing, reimagined.🎙️ Guests: Kathryn Simons-Porter (Flourish Business Consulting) & Maria McCann (NEOS Wave) 📬 Get involved: Connect with Kathryn on LinkedIn or email kathryn.simons-porter@flourishbusinessconsulting.co.uk

April 3, 2026Episode 25832 min

#258 Introducing a new contact centre podcast - 'ASA - Average Speed of Answer' by Barry Cooper

In this episode, Martin is joined by Barry Cooper — Head of Conversions at Smart Currency Exchange, long-time member of the contact centre community, and all-round legend of the Team Leader Community. What started as a five-star review left on a podcast five years ago has turned into a genuine friendship, and now something even bigger.Barry joins to announce the launch of his brand-new podcast: ASA – Average Speed of Answer, a Get Out of Wrap production. Unlike most contact centre content, ASA is dedicated entirely to the people behind the headsets — customer service advisors, sales agents, and anyone on the frontline talking to customers every day. Barry wants to hear their stories, their first-day nerves, their career journeys, and what the job really feels like from the inside.Martin and Barry also reflect on the power of community, the confidence it takes to put yourself out there, and why the contact centre industry deserves more people who champion it from the ground up.ASA – Average Speed of Answer launches on 22nd April 2026, every Wednesday.Chapter Listing:00:00 – Welcome & introducing Barry "Popup Pirate" Cooper 03:30 – The origin of the Popup Pirate nickname 07:00 – How community builds confidence: speaking at events and showing up 13:00 – How a single podcast review started a five-year friendship 19:00 – Why the contact centre industry needs more voices 23:30 – Announcing ASA – Average Speed of Answer: what it is and who it's for 28:00 – The first episodes: first-day stories, KPIs, and life behind the headsets 32:00 – Launch date, how to get involved, and how to leave a review

March 27, 2026Episode 25750 min

#257 - Lisa Dolan - Happy employees = Better business

What does it really take to build a workplace where people thrive? Lisa Dolan, Regional VP of Employee Experience at Teleperformance, has spent over a decade proving that happy employees aren't just a nice-to-have — they're your biggest competitive advantage.In this episode, Martin is joined by Lisa to explore her fascinating career journey — from frontline agent to leading employee experience across a 25,000-person region spanning the UK, Ireland, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana.They cover:Why Lisa never expected to find her calling in employee experience — and how a "corner of the desk" role changed everythingThe power of truly listening to employees (and why closing the feedback loop is critical)How TP is investing in emotional intelligence with EI coaching, brain profiling, and "leading with heart"Communicating across five generations — from a 17-year-old to an 84-year-old — in the same workforceThe creation of TP Women, tackling the leadership gender gap, and the upcoming Empower Her development programWhy AI and automation are actually making human connection more important — not lessHow Lisa saved 40 hours a week using Microsoft Copilot (and what she does with that time instead)Whether you're a team leader, an HR professional, or someone who cares about building better workplaces, Lisa's energy, practical wisdom, and genuine passion for people will leave you inspired.Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.

March 20, 2026Episode 25653 min

#256 - Is Voice dying ? the data says not. ft. Steve Morrell of Contact Babel

Is Voice Dying? The Data Says Not. ft. Steve Morrell of Contact BabelIn this episode, Martin is joined by Steve Morrell, founder of Contact Babel and author of the UK Contact Centre Decision Makers' Guide — now in its 23rd year. Steve brings a historian's eye to the industry, grounding the conversation in real data rather than hype.They dig into some of the most striking trends from this year's report, including why average speed to answer has ballooned from around 16 seconds in 2004 to over two minutes today — and why it shows no signs of dropping. Steve explains how longer, more complex calls are placing a greater cognitive and emotional burden on agents, and why the industry may be sleepwalking into a burnout crisis.The headline finding? Voice is very much alive. Despite years of predictions that digital channels would take over, live telephony still accounts for around 63% of all inbound interactions — a figure that has barely shifted. Steve shares data on why customers continue to reach for the phone, especially for urgent, complex, or emotionally charged issues, and what it means for businesses rolling out AI-powered self-service.The episode closes with a practical take on AI adoption: where to start, what to avoid, and why the biggest risk isn't moving too slowly — it's deploying customer-facing AI before it's ready.The UK Contact Centre Decision Makers' Guide is available free at contactbabel.com.

February 26, 2026Episode 25547 min

#255 - Boost are in & Team Leaders are centre stage !

Boost are in and Team Leaders are centre stage.In this GOOW TV special, Martin announces Boost as the official in-person training partner of The Team Leader Community.But the real focus? The future of the Team Leader.With AI reshaping contact centres, advisors handling more complex conversations, and vulnerability becoming a core capability, the pressure on Team Leaders has never been greater.Nicola and Emily from Boost discuss:Why Team Leaders must become strategic coordinatorsCoaching as a core leadership skillManaging vulnerability, both in customers and colleaguesThe risk of burnout in a complexity-driven worldWhy in-person learning still mattersThis isn’t theory. It’s grounded, practical and built on real contact centre experience.If you’re serious about frontline performance in 2026 and beyond then this is one to listen to.

February 20, 2026Episode 25449 min

#254 - National Coach of the Year - Lee Houghton

Lee Houghton didn’t think he would win.He didn’t hype it up.He didn’t tell many people.He protected himself from disappointment.And then he was crowned National Coach of the Year.In this episode, Lee shares:The self-doubt behind the nominationThe psychology of protecting ourselves from failureWhat the award really meant to himWhy he believes “better is always different”And how leaders can move from instruction to true coachingWe explore:The power of silenceWhy “why” questions can be dangerousHow to create genuine human connectionWhy leaders should speak lastAnd how to build high-performing teams through connection and curiosityIt’s thoughtful.It’s emotional.It’s practical.And we discover he used to DJ in a monkey costume.....listen for the name alone !Leadership… but human.