When the Hong Kong Contact Centre Association (HKCCA) sends its Gold Award winners on their “Winners Going Places” programme, the goal is simple: learn from peers, exchange ideas, and strengthen the global contact centre community.
During March, Auckland had the privilege of hosting this year’s delegation.
Their time in New Zealand was short — but it was rich, open and deeply impactful.
The day began at Auckland Transport, hosted by Henry Gray, where the delegation was welcomed with warm hospitality — including a thoughtful Māori welcome that set the tone for the day. From there, the group continued to Watercare, hosted by Gail Meintjies and Deepak Kumar, before concluding the visits at 2degrees, hosted by Syed Shaji.
Three organisations.
Three very different environments.
Three distinct journeys in their digital evolution.
Some of the centres we visited are extensive users of technology and automation, while others are earlier in their digital transformation journeys. Yet what stood out was not the difference in maturity — it was the willingness to share openly.
Teams spoke candidly about:
- How they test before they launch
- How they learn from mistakes
- How they listen carefully to customers
- How operational structures evolve over time
The conversations were real, practical and generous.
Delegates compared organisational models, explored journey maps, and reflected on how the insights could apply within their own environments. There was thoughtful introspection and more than a few paradigm shifts along the way.
But perhaps the most powerful lesson was this:
Despite the differences in scale, industry and technology, every contact centre represented in the room was solving the same fundamental challenges.
They all had to balance Product (technology), Process (SOPs) and People.
The complexity may vary.
The scale may differ.
But the core challenge remains the same.
And that is exactly why initiatives like Winners Going Places matter so much.
In just a short time, lasting relationships were formed, ideas were exchanged, and perspectives were broadened.
Our guests may only have spent a few days in Aotearoa — but their time here was well spent.
And judging by the conversations that continued long after the site visits ended, the impact of this exchange will be felt long after the flights home.
