From our recent Kiwi CX Collective Podcast Episode with Angela Canton, Regional Customer Experience Manager at New Zealand Couriers
How to Build Resilience, Coach ‘Digital Natives,’ and Lead With Heart In A High-Pressure World
The promise of a modern contact centre is a positive, high-performing team. The reality, for many, is a “boiler room” where agents are squeezed between rising customer entitlement and a relentless focus on call times. This leads to burnout, high turnover, and a “tough” culture that’s cracking under the strain, especially during peak season.
This leaves leaders asking a critical question: In a world of high pressure, how do we build genuine resilience and protect our people without sacrificing performance?
In this episode of the Kiwi CX Collective, we get a masterclass in a different kind of strength from Angela Canton. 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 brings an essential, people-first roadmap for leading with heart.
What You’ll Hear:
Why “Staying Soft” is a Leadership Superpower: Angela shares her core philosophy: in a high-pressure world, the most powerful response isn’t to be “tough.” It’s to be authentic, vulnerable, and lead with compassion to build genuine psychological safety.
The “Human X-Factor” Finding Gold in 500 CVs: In a world of automated hiring, Angela explains why she personally reviewed 500 CVs without AI. She details what she was looking for that technology can’t find and why the “magic” of contact centres is still about “people talking to people.”
Coaching the “Digital Native” Workforce: What do you do when new hires are great at digital but fear the voice channel? Angela shares her practical, “gentle” strategies for building their confidence, practicing de-escalation, and gamifying learning to meet them where they are.
Quality Over AHT: The Metric That Actually Matters: We challenge the industry’s obsession with Average Handle Time. Angela explains why quality is the lead metric, and how focusing on it first naturally creates a more efficient and competent team—the time savings just “come along with it.”
The “Oxygen Mask” Strategy for Leaders: Team leaders are the “people conduit” for the frontline. We explore vital, practical strategies for supporting your leaders during peak season, ensuring they “put their own oxygen mask on first” so they can effectively support their teams.
This conversation is a powerful guide to leading with humanity. It’s about building a culture where compassion isn’t a weakness, but your team’s greatest strength.
Watch the full episode for a blueprint on building a more resilient, positive, and genuinely human-centred contact centre.
Watch the full episode now:
Connect with our Guest:
- Angela Canton: Regional Customer Experience Manager at New Zealand Couriers
- LinkedIn: Angela Canton
