Nick Jiwa - CustomerServ - We Need To Focus On People In CX
CX Files
Nick Jiwa is the founder and president of CustomerServ. He is based in Houston, Texas, USA. In this episode Nick talks to Peter Ryan about the importance of people in CX - in particular in BPOs. He asks why people have always been central to the customer experience, but now it sounds like everyone is just focused on AI and automation? It's time to refocus on people and culture because this is how brands connect with customers and this leads to the success they need - extra revenue, loyalty, retention etc... The Call Center – Still a People Business (Nick Jiwa - Aug 12, 2025) ...
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Leigh Hopwood - CCMA - 25 Years Of The ECCCSAs
CX Files
Leigh Hopwood is CEO of the CCMA (Contact Centre Management Association) and Chair of the European Customer Contact Alliance. She is based in London, UK. Peter Ryan called Leigh to talk about the European Contact Center and Customer Service Awards (ECCCSAs), which celebrate their 25th anniversary on November 25th, 2025. It sounds like an Iron Maiden song. On the 25th of November in the year 2025 the ECCCSAs will be 25... Leigh talks about the judging process and the value of the awards to the growth of the wider industry in addition to talking about the logistics of arranging such a...
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Gerry Brown - The Customer Lifeguard - CX Is Changing Fast
CX Files
Gerry Brown is known as the customer lifeguard. His ambition is to save the world from poor customer service. Gerry is Canadian and based in the south of the UK. Gerry has written a book titled 'When a customer wins, nobody loses.' He has a podcast and he is a regular speaker and adviser, regularly hosting CX workshops. Mark called Gerry to ask about his book and the post-pandemic CX environment. In particular how can BPOs get more closely aligned with the needs of customers when AI is changing the entire industry? Summary : Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the evolving...
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Paul O'Hara - TP - AI Won’t End BPO - It’ll Supercharge It
CX Files
Paul O'Hara is the Executive Vice President of Business Development at TP EMEA. He is based in the Tyneside area of North-East England. Paul recently published an article on Customer Think magazine titled "AI Won't End BPO - It'll Supercharge It." Mark called Paul to ask Paul about the article. What was Paul trying to say? How does he believe that AI and human-focused customer service can be blended? How can smarter more value-driven CX be planned using AI? Paul outlined many of these ideas in his article, but Mark questioned him further on the reasons he felt the need to talk about AI in this...
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Elona Ymeri - Assist Digital - Albania & The Value Of Smaller BPO Locations
CX Files
Elona Ymeri is the service delivery manager at Assist Digital. She is based in Tirana, Albania. Elona spoke to Mark Hillary about the role of smaller BPO destinations. What can they offer that is harder to find from the big locations? Is the continued influence of AI and other automation technology reducing the need to consider working in locations where large numbers of agents can be found? Elona talked about Albania within this context, but also explored beyond Albania alone to consider other locations in Europe that might have an interesting and innovative new approach to BPO. ----...
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Joanne Morrison - Outmarket - Modern Marketing For CX Brands
CX Files
Joanne Morrison is the founder of Outmarket. She is based in Toronto, Canada. Outmarket is a specialist marketing agency that is focused on BPO and CX companies. Telling potential customers about your services has always been important, but as BPO gets more complex, more international, and AI changes how marketing can function, it is more important than ever to get great advice. Peter Ryan called Joanne to talk about these changes and her advice for marketing in CX in the 2020s. SUMMARY: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the challenges and mistakes in BPO marketing with Joanne Morrison,...
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Miguel Familia - Wise BPO - A CX Visionary In the Dominican Republic
CX Files
Miguel Familia is the CEO and co-founder of Wise BPO. He is based between the Dominican Republic and St. Petersburg, Florida, USA. Miguel has a long history in CX, but one year ago he decided to create a new BPO brand - serving clients from the Dominican Republic. Peter called Miguel to learn about his story of creating a new CX brand, his background in this industry, the advantages of the DR, and his vision for the future of CX. SUMMARY: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan introduce Miguel Familia, CEO and co-founder of Wise BPO in the Dominican Republic. Miguel shares his journey from starting in...
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Discussion: CX In Georgia 🇬🇪
CX Files
This week we have a group of CX and BPO experts who recently visited Georgia. This nation of 3.6m people is positioned on the Black Sea, at the intersection of Europe and Asia, and is working hard to position itself as an attractive destination for CX and BPO sourcing. Peter Ryan talked to people who travelled with him to visit Georgia this year to explore questions such as the ease of doing business there, the opportunity for multilingual CX, and how Georgia is attracting more digital and high-tech talent. Featured in the discussion: Elona Ymeri Service Delivery Manager, Assist Digital...
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Traci Freeman - Connecting Africa For Global Business Services
CX Files
Traci Freeman holds a number of roles, including as the managing member of Believe Consulting, but in this conversation we focused on her role as a partner of the Africa Federation of GBS Associations. This federation is aimed at unlocking Africa’s potential in the BPO, CX and ITO sectors. Enhancing Africa’s standing as a hub for innovation, knowledge exchange, and technological advancement, promoting partnerships, youth employment, and digital enablement while driving best practices and standards. Mark Hillary called Traci at her base in Johnannesburg, South Africa to talk about the work...
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Kwame Agyei - Appoynt - From Accra with Service: How Ghana Is Powering SMB CX
CX Files
Kwame Agyei is the founder and CEO of Appoynt. He is based in London, UK with operations in Ghana. In this conversation with Peter Ryan, Kwame tells the story of how and why he founded Appoynt during the Covid pandemic and the opportunity for more businesses to work with partners in Ghana. --- SUMMARY Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the growth of BPO services in Ghana, highlighting Kwame Agyei's venture, Appoynt. Kwame, an accountant by background, founded Appoynt during the COVID-19 pandemic to leverage Ghana's talent and regional advantages. The company specializes in back-office...
info_outlineNick Jiwa is the founder and president of CustomerServ. He is based in Houston, Texas, USA.
In this episode Nick talks to Peter Ryan about the importance of people in CX - in particular in BPOs. He asks why people have always been central to the customer experience, but now it sounds like everyone is just focused on AI and automation?
It's time to refocus on people and culture because this is how brands connect with customers and this leads to the success they need - extra revenue, loyalty, retention etc...
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickjiwa/
The Call Center – Still a People Business (Nick Jiwa - Aug 12, 2025)
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/call-center-still-people-business-nick-jiwa-sn5lf/
Summary:
Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the importance of human interaction in customer experience (CX) with Nick Jiwa, founder of CustomerServ. Jiwa emphasizes that despite technological advancements, CX remains a people-centric industry. He criticizes large BPOs for prioritizing tech over people, noting that many have an identity crisis. Jiwa highlights the resilience of the call center industry, projecting its growth from $300 billion to $500 billion by 2030. He argues that AI will enhance, not replace, human roles, particularly in emotional and complex interactions. The conversation underscores the need for a refocus on people, culture, and leadership in CX.