In this episode, Martin is joined by Barry Cooper — Head of Conversions at Smart Currency Exchange, long-time member of the contact centre community, and all-round legend of the Team Leader Community. What started as a five-star review left on a podcast five years ago has turned into a genuine friendship, and now something even bigger.

Barry joins to announce the launch of his brand-new podcast: ASA – Average Speed of Answer, a Get Out of Wrap production. Unlike most contact centre content, ASA is dedicated entirely to the people behind the headsets — customer service advisors, sales agents, and anyone on the frontline talking to customers every day. Barry wants to hear their stories, their first-day nerves, their career journeys, and what the job really feels like from the inside.

Martin and Barry also reflect on the power of community, the confidence it takes to put yourself out there, and why the contact centre industry deserves more people who champion it from the ground up.

ASA – Average Speed of Answer launches on 22nd April 2026, every Wednesday.

Chapter Listing:

00:00 – Welcome & introducing Barry "Popup Pirate" Cooper 03:30 – The origin of the Popup Pirate nickname 07:00 – How community builds confidence: speaking at events and showing up 13:00 – How a single podcast review started a five-year friendship 19:00 – Why the contact centre industry needs more voices 23:30 – Announcing ASA – Average Speed of Answer: what it is and who it's for 28:00 – The first episodes: first-day stories, KPIs, and life behind the headsets 32:00 – Launch date, how to get involved, and how to leave a review