WFM Unfiltered | Workforce Management Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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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: Irina@rightwfm.com
• Podcast email: WFMUnfiltered@gmail.com
• 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!

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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: Irina@rightwfm.com
• Podcast email: WFMUnfiltered@gmail.com
• 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!

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Where does Workforce Management actually belong inside a company? If you've ever felt like WFM is misunderstood, underused, or straight-up misplaced within your organization, you're not alone. In this episode of WFM Unfiltered, Irina is joined by Pier, a lifelong contact center and workforce leader who brings serious insight and lived experience from every level of the industry – from agent to director, and everything in between.

Pier breaks down the real-life implications of placing WFM under HR vs Ops – and why neither option may be right. He shares his unique view of WFM as an internal consultancy function, revealing how reframing the role of WFM can unlock real business value. Think more influence, better partnerships, and less chaos in daily operations. You'll hear how strategic planning, forecasting, and ownership of performance outcomes can transform WFM from 'spreadsheet central' to true business partner.

If you’ve ever been frustrated by clueless stakeholders, turf wars over decision-making, or the constant tension between day-to-day firefighting and big-picture planning — this is the episode that’ll hit home. Pier also unpacks lessons from a case study where he radically restructured contact center roles, proving that focus beats multitasking every time.

Whether you're leading a WFM team, sitting in Ops or HR, or just want to understand how to make WFM work better, don’t miss this one. It's packed with practical takeaways, mindset shifts, and strategies for influence.

Subscribe for more straight-talking WFM conversations at: https://www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:
•RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
•Email: Irina@rightwfm.com
•Podcast email: WFMUnfiltered@gmail.com
•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!

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om both sides of the table — as someone who’s hired for WFM roles and as someone who’s had to fight for credibility without formal credentials. He and Irina debate whether certificates really prove capability, why vendors may be part of the problem, and how the obsession with system knowledge is holding back operational growth.

Expect frustration, a few uncomfortable truths, and a whole lot of clarity. Whether you’re hiring for WFM, trying to land your next role, or just wondering why your job posts keep attracting the wrong people — this episode is for you.

Search WFM Unfiltered on YouTube and subscribe to never miss an episode:
www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:
RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
Email: Irina@rightwfm.com
Podcast email: WFMUnfiltered@gmail.com
Podcast Directory listings: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

 #WFM #WorkforceManagement #WFMHiring #RecruitmentTruths #WFMReality #NoFilterHiring

Follow WFM Unfiltered to find out more on:
Workforce management transformation consultant
WFM strategy implementation
Contact center workforce optimization
WFM process improvement
Workforce planning and forecasting
WFM technology integration
Operational efficiency in workforce management
WFM solutions for scaling businesses
RightWFM consulting services
Irina Mateeva workforce management expert
WFM Unfiltered podcast host
Workforce management best practices
WFM for high-pressure industries
Workforce management process design
WFM systems implementation
Hiring strategy for workforce teams
Breaking into WFM without certification
Fixing broken recruitment in contact centres

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!

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We don’t usually do reruns… but this one? It earned it.

WFM Unfiltered is proud to bring back one of our most popular episodes — with a sharper look and better sound — because Adriana Olteanu dropped insight that’s just too good to get buried in the archives.

Adriana leads forecasting and capacity planning at Groupon, and in this conversation, she and Irina get real about the uphill battle WFM professionals face when senior leadership won’t listen. From building a bulletproof capacity plan to translating data into decisions that drive the business forward, Adriana lays out what it actually takes to make WFM strategic — not just tolerated.

You’ll hear how to turn weekly checks into trust-building tools, how to sell capacity planning to managers who think they don’t need it, and why every line item — from phone line hours to team meetings — costs more than you think. This episode isn’t just practical. It’s permission to push back when your data says you're right.

If you missed it the first time, don’t miss it again. And if you caught it before? It’s worth the repeat.

Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/@wfmunfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
• Email: Irina@rightwfm.com
• Podcast email: WFMUnfiltered@gmail.com
• Podcast Directory: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
• Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-olteanu-3612a247

#WFM #WorkforceManagement #CapacityPlanning #ForecastingExcellence #OperationalEfficiency #ContactCenterStrategy

Follow WFM Unfiltered to find out more on:
Workforce management transformation consultant
WFM strategy implementation
Contact center workforce optimization
WFM process improvement
Workforce planning and forecasting
WFM technology integration
Operational efficiency in workforce management
WFM solutions for scaling businesses
RightWFM consulting services
Irina Mateeva workforce management expert
WFM Unfiltered podcast host
Workforce management best practices
WFM for high-pressure industries
Workforce management process design
WFM systems implementation
Capacity planning strategies in contact centres
Overcoming pushback from senior stakeholders
Making workforce data meaningful for decision-makers

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!

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Is your product manager helping—or holding you hostage?

This week on WFM Unfiltered, Irina brings on Rich O’Farrell, a seasoned contact centre insider turned Product Director, to finally answer the burning question: are product managers the enemy? From call centre agent to the head of WFM product strategy at Verint, Rich has seen it all. And now he’s spilling the internal truths that most vendors hope you never find out.

This episode is a full-throttle breakdown of what really happens behind roadmap promises, AI features nobody asked for, and those “we’re listening” portals that feel more like suggestion graveyards. Rich isn’t here to play corporate nice. He’s here to tell you how product decisions get made, who actually pulls the strings, and why being ignored post-contract is just part of the game.

You’ll hear the blunt truth about why new features don’t work the way you’d expect, why legacy systems behave like confused robots, and why your urgent user feedback might sit in a queue behind some executive’s shiny new AI fantasy. And yes—we talk about forecasting, accuracy myths, headcount confusion, and why engineers sometimes build things they don’t understand (or use).

For anyone who’s ever asked “Why the hell does this tool do that?”—this episode is for you.

Subscribe to WFM Unfiltered on YouTube:
 https://www.youtube.com/@wfmunfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
• Email: Irina@rightwfm.com
• Podcast email: WFMUnfiltered@gmail.com
• Podcast Directory: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
• Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-o-farrell-ineverlookatfloor

#ProductManagement, #ForecastingFails, #AIBusted, #VendorReality, #CallCenterTech

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!

Implementations suck. You know it. We know it. Adam Saad really knows it. And he’s not here to sugar-coat a damn thing.

In this episode of WFM Unfiltered, Irina teams up with Adam—Founder of Tech Stack Advising and host of the Scaling Out Loud podcast—to dismantle the illusion of smooth software implementations. From toxic vendor relationships to overpriced consultants and ghosting sales teams, Adam exposes the patterns that derail tech rollouts before the first config screen even loads.

You'll find out why most vendors set false expectations from day one, how implementation teams show up with zero context, and why companies are still hiring junior engineers, slapping “consultant” on their email sigs, and billing like pros. Oh, and Adam’s got a few words about broken pricing models and million-dollar answers. Let’s just say this one isn’t HR-approved.

We also dive into the real fix: setting honest KPIs, hiring based on experience (not branding), and forcing vendors to prove their promises up front—not “somewhere on the roadmap.” It’s raw, it’s practical, and it might save your next rollout.

If you’ve ever suffered through an implementation that left you questioning your life choices, this episode is your therapy.

Subscribe to WFM Unfiltered on YouTube:
 https://www.youtube.com/@wfmunfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
• Email: Irina@rightwfm.com
• Podcast email: WFMUnfiltered@gmail.com
• Podcast Directory: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
• Guest Website: https://techstackadvising.com
• Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-saad-mba/

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!

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Is your BPO partner a strategic asset—or an operational liability? In this explosive episode of WFM Unfiltered, Irina pulls no punches and brings in transformation heavyweight Dan Piper to dissect the real state of Business Process Outsourcing in today’s contact centre chaos.

Dan’s 20-year career in operations and BPOs—from team manager to Global VP of Continuous Improvement—makes him uniquely qualified to expose what works, what doesn’t, and what’s quietly killing performance behind the scenes. From scaling lies to recruitment delays, offshore horror stories to crumbling leadership pipelines—nothing is off-limits.

You’ll hear exactly why some clients unknowingly set their BPOs up to fail, and how legacy inefficiencies get baked into outsourcing relationships. We challenge the obsession with language skills, break down why flexible shift expectations are fantasy, and shine a spotlight on the industry-wide attrition crisis that no one wants to talk about.

And of course, we tackle the biggest elephant in the room—why so many ops leaders throw the mess downhill for WFM and recruitment to fix, instead of taking ownership themselves. Spoiler alert: it’s not a tech problem, it’s a leadership problem.

If you’re a senior manager, ops lead, or WFM pro working with BPOs (or thinking about it), this episode might sting—but it’s the wake-up call your strategy needs.

Subscribe to WFM Unfiltered on YouTube to get the real talk no one else will give you:
www.youtube.com/@wfmunfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com

Email: Irina@rightwfm.com

Podcast email: WFMUnfiltered@gmail.com

Podcast Directory: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share

Guest Website: www.setekh.co.uk

Guest LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/piperdaniel

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!

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What does the law say about AI? And more importantly, what should we be asking? In this episode of WFM Unfiltered, Irina sits down with John Walter — lawyer, tech innovator, and founder of ProxyLink — to dissect the growing tension between artificial intelligence and legal boundaries in the contact center space.

From transitioning out of the legal field and diving into customer support, John’s path has been anything but typical. His frustration with how AI is being rolled out (and oversold) in CX platforms led him to create ProxyLink: a solution bridging secure communication between AI agents and humans. But this episode isn’t a product pitch — it’s a provocative conversation about rights, risks, and the very real legal traps many businesses are sleepwalking into.

You’ll hear surprising insights into how bots could affect liability during emergency calls, why consumers need advocates in the AI space, and how human-first design might be the only path forward. Expect practical advice on regulation, actionable tips for CX leaders navigating automation, and some spicy truths about “AI” apps that aren’t really AI at all.

If you're a decision-maker in customer service, CX, legal, or tech — this is your wake-up call. Get ready for a conversation that challenges buzzwords and exposes the legal blindspots no one is talking about.

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

Show Links:

RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com
Email: Irina@rightwfm.com
Podcast email: WFMUnfiltered@gmail.com
Podcast Directory listings: www.wfmunfiltered.buzzsprout.com/share
YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@WFMUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1
Guest LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jowalter
CCAIA: www.ccaia.org
ProxyLink: www.proxylink.co

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!

The battle between remote work, hybrid models, and full office life rages on—and we’re diving straight into the fire. In this episode of WFM Unfiltered, Adrian Hawes joins Irina to dissect the realities, myths, and consequences of remote work in the contact center industry. Is working from home still the productivity dream we thought it was, or has it created bigger problems than we expected?

Adrian shares his expert insights on the evolution of work-from-home policies, the impact on team collaboration and company culture, and why some businesses are forcing employees back to the office. We’ll also explore the generational divide in workplace expectations, the mental health implications of isolation, and the harsh commercial realities that companies have to face when balancing remote flexibility with business needs.

But here’s the kicker—have service levels actually suffered due to remote work, or is that just corporate propaganda? Adrian doesn’t hold back as we dig into the customer experience decline, the training challenges of a distributed workforce, and whether employees are really as productive at home as they claim to be.

This episode is a wake-up call for leaders, employees, and WFM professionals navigating the future of work. Whether you’re a die-hard remote advocate or a return-to-office enforcer, you need to hear this debate. Subscribe now and join the conversation!

🔔 Subscribe to WFM Unfiltered: https://www.youtube.com/@wfmunfiltered?sub_confirmation=1

Show Links:

• Adrian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianhawes/

• RightWFM website: www.rightwfm.com

• Email: Irina@rightwfm.com

• Podcast email: WFMUnfiltered@gmail.com

• 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!