Message the show!

Greg Reffner joins Irina on WFM Unfiltered with a refreshingly blunt take on what really goes on behind the scenes of B2B vendor-client relationships. With years of experience navigating the high-stakes world of tech sales and customer success, Greg shares war stories that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about vendor partnerships. If you've ever sat in a meeting nodding along while a vendor promises the moon, this episode will hit uncomfortably close to home - in the best way.

From the red flags customers ignore (until it’s too late), to the uncomfortable truths vendors are too scared to say out loud, this episode dives into the cracks where broken implementations, failed partnerships, and buyer’s remorse hide. Greg doesn’t just talk about the problems—he pulls them apart. You'll hear about the RFP disaster that nearly derailed a government deal, how loyalty in vendor relationships is more myth than reality, and why change management often fails before it even begins.

Irina and Greg also get into the people side of tech delivery—exploring how the wrong team structure can sabotage your success and what it actually means to be “data-driven” in people management. There’s plenty here for WFM leaders, CX heads, procurement pros, and anyone responsible for transformation initiatives to take away—and a few reality checks for vendors too.

This is an honest, challenging, and incredibly insightful episode that will arm you with the kind of real-world knowledge that doesn't come from polished case studies or sales decks.

Subscribe to the channel so you don’t miss episodes like this: https://www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Podcast email: [email protected]
• Podcast Directory listings: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
• YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Support the show

Thanks for listening.

If you'd like to contact me about the show, you can email me HERE.

If you have questions about working with me on WFM projects and Consulting, you can find The RightWFM website HERE.

Please remember to subscribe and leave a review of you've enjoyed the show!

Message the show!

What happens when you stop pretending and start leading? In this week's episode of WFM Unfiltered, Irina sits down with Danny Green—a former contact centre sales pro turned respected operations and leadership expert. His career didn’t start with a polished plan. It started in the trenches, facing real problems and learning from hard-won experience.

From sales floors to 24/7 global operations, Danny’s journey is packed with insights that challenge how we think about leadership, coaching, and personal growth. He shares the awkward truth about interview anxiety, the evolution of recruiting processes, and what truly builds leadership credibility (spoiler: it’s not a shiny title).

We dive deep into how Danny’s approach to authentic leadership has helped teams navigate time constraints, coaching gaps, and performance pressures—while still keeping work-life balance a non-negotiable. His perspective on listening, trust-building, and skills development makes this episode a masterclass in leading with impact, without the ego.

If you’ve ever felt like you needed to “fake it” to lead effectively—this one’s for you. Because as Danny proves, the most powerful leaders are the ones who show up as themselves.

Subscribe to never miss an episode: www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Podcast email: [email protected]
• Podcast Directory listings: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
• YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Thanks for listening.

If you'd like to contact me about the show, you can email me HERE.

If you have questions about working with me on WFM projects and Consulting, you can find The RightWFM website HERE.

Please remember to subscribe and leave a review of you've enjoyed the show!

Message the show!

What if the secret to a thriving contact centre career wasn’t in your CV, but in your mindset? In this episode of WFM Unfiltered, Irina sits down with Nenad Lukikj, a self-made leader who went from humble beginnings to reshaping the way we think about workforce management, innovation, and personal growth. Nenad’s story isn’t your usual LinkedIn highlight reel—it’s full of real risks, unorthodox choices, and a relentless commitment to doing things differently.

From discovering the hidden potential of command centres to using wild interview techniques that flip hiring on its head, Nenad has made a habit of challenging norms—and winning. But he doesn’t just break the rules. He builds new frameworks for success. Whether it's about leveraging data for CX insights, pushing back on outdated cultural norms, or owning a tech platform without a tech background, he brings a fresh, fearless perspective to every conversation.

This isn’t just career advice. It’s a blueprint for leading with courage, embracing discomfort, and unlocking your own untapped potential. Irina and Nenad dig into the mental models and decisions that shaped his path—and reveal how YOU can use the same strategies to level up in WFM, leadership, and life.

Whether you're in ops, tech, CX, or planning, this is the episode you didn't know you needed. Watch until the end for some of the most actionable, honest advice on career progression and strategic networking you’ll hear this year.

Subscribe for more episodes that challenge the status quo and share real, unfiltered industry truths: https://www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Podcast email: [email protected]
• Podcast Directory: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
• YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Thanks for listening.

If you'd like to contact me about the show, you can email me HERE.

If you have questions about working with me on WFM projects and Consulting, you can find The RightWFM website HERE.

Please remember to subscribe and leave a review of you've enjoyed the show!

Message the show!

From flipping burgers to flipping the script on outbound sales - Garry Gormley’s journey is anything but average. In this episode of WFM Unfiltered, Irina sits down with the founder of FAB Solutions to dissect what makes outbound tick, why most organisations do it so badly, and what leadership really means in the contact centre trenches.

Garry doesn’t hold back. With experience spanning thousands of calls, teams, and metrics, he pulls the curtain back on the sales strategies that work - and the ones that quietly tank performance. You’ll hear how big brands are still clinging to broken models, forcing inbound agents to fail at outbound, and relying on metrics that mean nothing to customers or teams.

From resource planning sins to the uncomfortable truths about agent burnout, this episode takes no prisoners. Irina and Garry debate the 40-hour workweek, dig into the myths of blended models, and expose how bad data is killing your sales funnel from the inside.

But it’s not just a takedown - it’s a how-to. You’ll walk away with a blueprint for real change: smarter planning, sharper customer targeting, and a more human contact centre culture. Whether you run a team, lead a sales strategy, or just want to get your agents off the hamster wheel, you’ll want to hear this one.

Subscribe for more uncensored truth at www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Podcast email: [email protected]
• Podcast Directory listings: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share

YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1 

Thanks for listening.

If you'd like to contact me about the show, you can email me HERE.

If you have questions about working with me on WFM projects and Consulting, you can find The RightWFM website HERE.

Please remember to subscribe and leave a review of you've enjoyed the show!

Message the show!

Aaron Wojtak joins Irina on WFM Unfiltered for a brutally honest dive into what’s really happening at the intersection of real-time analytics, agent performance, and leadership in contact centres. With a background that spans frontline agent roles to strategic workforce planning, Aaron brings a grounded, no-nonsense perspective that cuts through the noise of corporate fluff

This episode challenges the traditional “command and control” culture still lurking in too many operations teams. From burnout to broken feedback loops, Aaron exposes the root causes of performance issues and advocates for a healthier, more collaborative approach. It’s not about policing agents or pushing dashboards - it’s about unlocking human potential and making metrics meaningful again.

You’ll hear Aaron and Irina tackle hot-button topics like the misuse of AHT, the illusion of quality vs speed, and how leaders waste time in the name of control. But this conversation doesn’t just criticise - it offers real solutions. Expect actionable insights on mentorship, skill progression, and how to break down the silos that sabotage so many WFM functions.

This episode is a must-watch for anyone tired of surface-level workforce chatter and hungry for the truth about what works. Whether you’re a real-time analyst, team lead, or strategic leader, there’s gold here for every level. Aaron doesn’t hold back, and neither do we.

Watch now and find out why the best WFM leaders are the ones who started on the phones.

Subscribe for more: https://www.youtube.com/@wfmunfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Podcast email: [email protected]
• Podcast Directory listings: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
• YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Thanks for listening.

If you'd like to contact me about the show, you can email me HERE.

If you have questions about working with me on WFM projects and Consulting, you can find The RightWFM website HERE.

Please remember to subscribe and leave a review of you've enjoyed the show!

Message the show!

WFM is dead. At least, that's what Jimmy Hosang thinks - well, the tools, anyway. In this explosive conversation, Jimmy joins Irina on WFM Unfiltered to challenge everything we think we know about workforce management technology. Forget dashboards and legacy software; the AI revolution is already rewriting the rules of contact centre planning, and Jimmy doesn’t hold back.

From his unique perspective as a tech entrepreneur with WFM roots, Jimmy exposes how AI isn’t just disrupting processes - it’s replacing them. He talks openly about what planners need to survive in this new world, why most software vendors are selling snake oil, and how humans still have the edge - but only if we evolve.

You’ll learn why Excel’s days are finally numbered, what it really means when someone says “AI,” and why most operations teams are sleepwalking into a legal and compliance disaster. Jimmy breaks it down in plain English, and Irina isn’t afraid to push back. They dive into the difference between true automation and fake AI, unpack performance management in the age of machine learning, and share real stories of transformation and turmoil.

If you’re in workforce planning, leadership, or on the tech side of CX - this is your wake-up call. Come for the hot takes, stay for the survival strategies.

Follow the show to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing industry.
 Subscribe now: https://www.youtube.com/@wfmunfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Podcast email: [email protected]
• Podcast Directory: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
• YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Thanks for listening.

If you'd like to contact me about the show, you can email me HERE.

If you have questions about working with me on WFM projects and Consulting, you can find The RightWFM website HERE.

Please remember to subscribe and leave a review of you've enjoyed the show!

Message the show!

Why do WFM teams constantly feel like they’re missing the mark—even when the numbers add up? In this episode of WFM Unfiltered, Irina sits down with Zakaria Berrada, the Head of WFM for Global Strategic Accounts at Foundever, who brings over two decades of leadership in planning, forecasting, and operational strategy. His insights aren’t just from the textbook—they’re from the trenches.

Zakaria opens up about his career shift from finance into WFM, and why understanding people—not just numbers—is the key to getting it right. From aligning strategy with actual performance, to the silent battles between operations and planning teams, this episode gets under the hood of how most contact centres are set up to fail.

If you’ve ever found yourself in a leadership meeting where the finger-pointing starts when the metrics drop, Zakaria’s insights will hit hard. He shares stories of misaligned targets, management teams at war with their own planners, and the kind of small changes that drive long-term success. This isn’t theory—this is real WFM, with real impact.

And for those battling burnout from unrealistic expectations, Zakaria offers a new way forward. One where trust becomes the metric that really matters. A must-watch for anyone tired of chasing numbers while ignoring the humans behind them.

Subscribe to catch more brutally honest conversations at https://www.youtube.com/@wfmunfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Podcast email: [email protected]
• Podcast Directory listings: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
• YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1
• Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zak-zakaria-berrada

Thanks for listening.

If you'd like to contact me about the show, you can email me HERE.

If you have questions about working with me on WFM projects and Consulting, you can find The RightWFM website HERE.

Please remember to subscribe and leave a review of you've enjoyed the show!

Message the show!

What happens when you strip the buzzwords out of CX and just focus on the people? In this episode of WFM Unfiltered, Irina sits down with Charlie Adams — customer experience director, author of It’s Just People, and a man who’s seen the contact centre industry from the inside out. From smashing AI myths to confronting uncomfortable truths about management and data, this one’s a no-fluff, all-reality masterclass in how not to screw up your customer experience.

Charlie’s worked across BPOs, startups, and global operations, and brings a refreshingly simple message: humans matter. Whether it’s how AI is being badly implemented, or how contact centres are sitting on a goldmine of underused data, Charlie pulls no punches. You’ll hear how poor scope creep kills projects, why leadership needs more backbone, and how TikTok unexpectedly made him rethink how leaders connect with their teams.

This episode is a must-watch if you’re in CX, workforce planning, contact centre strategy, or just sick of buying shiny tools that don’t deliver. Charlie’s approach is blunt but brilliant — expect uncomfortable truths and unexpected laughs. If you've ever said, “Why isn’t this working?” — this conversation will give you the answers.

Watch now and rewire how you think about transformation, leadership, and the real role of humans in an increasingly tech-first industry.

Subscribe to catch new episodes weekly at 11am CET:
 https://www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Podcast email: [email protected]
• Podcast Directory: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
• Guest LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/charleshsadams

Thanks for listening.

If you'd like to contact me about the show, you can email me HERE.

If you have questions about working with me on WFM projects and Consulting, you can find The RightWFM website HERE.

Please remember to subscribe and leave a review of you've enjoyed the show!

Message the show!

This episode of WFM Unfiltered goes deep into the heart of every planner’s frustration — why no one listens to the WFM team. And to help us unpack that truth, Irina is joined by Jason Bartram, a global workforce planning leader at eBay, with decades of frontline experience in turning chaos into strategy.

Jason doesn’t just talk about planning; he talks about what it takes to make it matter. From the importance of defining clear responsibilities to the power of trust-based leadership, he walks through the hidden habits that separate good operations from great ones. He drops truth bombs about the limits of data, the myths around “perfect planning,” and why too many contact centres still run in a constant state of fire-fighting.

But this episode isn’t just about problems — it’s full of solutions. Learn how to build influence across silos, use AI without losing your human edge, and drive change that actually sticks. Jason’s perspective is refreshingly direct, disarmingly honest, and deeply rooted in real-world results.

For any workforce planner, team lead, or operations leader wondering why their voice isn’t being heard — this is the episode you need. It’s practical. It’s punchy. And it might just shift how you show up at work.

Subscribe to catch all episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Podcast email: [email protected]
• Podcast Directory listings: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
• YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Thanks for listening.

If you'd like to contact me about the show, you can email me HERE.

If you have questions about working with me on WFM projects and Consulting, you can find The RightWFM website HERE.

Please remember to subscribe and leave a review of you've enjoyed the show!

Message the show!

Transformation. 

Everyone talks about it, but very few get it right. In this episode of WFM Unfiltered, Irina sits down with Gregorio Uglioni - also known as the CX Goalkeeper - to dismantle the corporate myths around change, strategy, and customer experience. With a rich background in healthcare transformation and a passion for customer-led innovation, Greg shares war stories from the frontline of business change that’ll make you question everything you think you know about CX and strategy execution.

From the fear of change that paralyzes organisations, to the exploding expectations of customers across digital channels, Greg breaks down why transformation is no longer a luxury - it's survival. But don’t worry, this isn't just theory. With over 20 years in the game and experience leading award-winning initiatives, Greg brings receipts. If you've ever seen a beautifully crafted strategy deck crash and burn when it hits the real world - this one’s for you.

Irina and Greg take on some sacred cows - like whether layoffs can be a good thing, how AI can (and absolutely cannot) replace human expertise, and why most companies confuse “culture” with “free coffee.” They also dive into the five pillars of transformation, exploring what truly drives sustainable change from the ground up, and what consultants need to bring to the table if they want to add real value - not just buzzwords.

You’ll also hear real customer stories, a surprising healthcare transformation success, and a challenge to CX professionals everywhere: simplify, or get left behind. Whether you're a CX lead, WFM pro, or transformation consultant, this conversation will shift how you approach change in your own business.

Subscribe for more brutally honest conversations about workforce, strategy, and the future of work:
https://www.youtube.com/@wfmunfiltered?sub_confirmation=1
Show Links:
•RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
•Email: [email protected]
•Podcast email: [email protected]
•Podcast Directory listings: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
•YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Thanks for listening.

If you'd like to contact me about the show, you can email me HERE.

If you have questions about working with me on WFM projects and Consulting, you can find The RightWFM website HERE.

Please remember to subscribe and leave a review of you've enjoyed the show!