CDM Direct has spent more than two decades elevating what outsourced customer service can be. Born from the insights-driven environment of TKW Research, the company saw early signs of a growing challenge in the Australian market: organisations were struggling to deliver high-quality customer service with a local feel due to rising labour costs, staffing shortages, and the limitations of legacy technology.
CDM responded by creating a co-sourcing model built on nearshore teams in New Zealand and Fiji, offering cultural alignment, familiar voices, and genuine partnership to rival traditional outsourcing.
But as the business matured, it became clear that achieving a new standard of customer experience required a platform sophisticated enough to match their ambition. Their CRM, telephony, and knowledge systems had all served a purpose, but operating in silos meant reporting was not real-time, costs were unpredictable, and workflows could not achieve the speed or quality CDM envisioned.
To deliver faster handling times, greater transparency, and near-frictionless customer experiences, CDM needed a unified, AI-driven platform built for modern service delivery.
A next-generation vision powered by Zoom Contact Center
CDM Direct selected Zoom CX as the foundation for its next chapter — a platform designed to help humans be more human. The shift represented a major step forward in capabilities, especially in the realm of AI.
And while modernising technology is exciting, for some team members, the introduction of AI raised understandable concerns. Kris Ram, CEO of CDM Direct, addressed this head-on with a powerful metaphor. He gathered the team and showed them an image of Marvel’s Iron Man. “When Tony Stark puts on the suit,” he explained, “he becomes capable of extraordinary things, not because the suit replaces him, but because it enhances him.”
“That’s what we want for you. We want you to feel like super agents. Zoom CX helps CDM provide the Iron Man suit for our agents.”
The message landed. Agents who once feared AI might replace them quickly saw instead how it could alleviate stress, reduce errors, and help them be more effective.
Building super agents with AI Expert Assist
CDM’s agents handle complex, often emotional situations, from insurance claims to roadside assistance, where empathy is vital. Zoom AI Expert Assist helps agents stay fully present with customers while removing much of the cognitive burden that traditionally slows down call resolution.
Zoom Contact Center with AI Expert Assist now supports CDM’s agents by:
- Reducing initial data collection from 120 seconds to just 10–20 seconds by capturing caller details automatically during the IVR (Interactive Voice Response) phase.
- Surfacing the most relevant knowledge articles, troubleshooting steps, or remedies by intelligently analysing conversations for issues raised in real-time.
- Supporting the reduction of average call handling times by around 30% through efficiencies that include the ability to transfer seamlessly to experts without requiring a callback.
- Streamlining after-call work with automated call summaries.
- Displaying real-time sentiment indicators, helps agents adjust their approach and deliver more empathetic service.
A proof-of-concept with a high-end Italian coffee machine brand demonstrated just how transformative this can be.
“Normally, when a customer calls for help, you’d need the manual printed in front of you. But Zoom AI Expert Assist listened for the model number and the issue, then guided the agent on exactly what to advise next, even if they’d never touched that machine before. Traditionally, you’d either hit Control-F in a PDF or rely on memory, which takes time. This changed the game completely,” says Kris.
Transparency that transforms client relationships
Before Zoom, one of CDM’s most persistent challenges was providing clients with real-time operational visibility. Reporting delays made it difficult to make fast decisions about staffing, an essential requirement in environments where maintaining service levels is critical.
Zoom CX fundamentally changed this dynamic.
“Zoom’s ‘divisions’ feature has been a game changer for us. I can create a completely separate, secure view of a client’s data and give them real-time access. It’s transformed the transparency we can offer and skyrocketed trust.”
This transparency:
- Reduces concerns about data manipulation
- Addresses the classic outsourcing fear of losing control
- Enables rapid, evidence-based decisions about staffing and resourcing.
- Increases client confidence and strengthens relationships.
Kris provides one example that illustrates the impact of real-time decision-making:
“Usually, adjusting headcount is delayed because of manual reporting. A client might say: ‘We told CDM to run our centre with 10 people and keep response times under 10 seconds. If that’s not possible, we need to add two more.’ With Zoom Contact Center, we can act instantly. Those two agents already know how to use Zoom, they have CRM-integrated information, and with AI Expert Assist, they’re productive from day one - no ramp-up. Any agent can move anywhere, whereas traditional call centres can only redeploy people who already know the client’s brand. Zoom removes that limitation entirely.”
Operational efficiency and real cost savings
One major advantage of Zoom’s unified platform —spanning voice, email, digital channels, CRM integrations, and AI — is that it has enabled CDM Direct to reduce tech silos. Agents no longer jump between windows or search PDFs for answers. Instead, the system retrieves customer information rapidly and presents recommended next steps.
Combined with the labour advantages of operating in Fiji and the efficiency gains from AI-supported workflows, CDM estimates 20–25% cost savings compared to its legacy environment.
“We weren’t very price-competitive before, but now with Zoom Contact Center we have a much more manageable cost structure, which means we can compete effectively. Plus, we can now offer AI-enabled services, predictive dialling, real-time reporting, and more to our clients, giving them a far stronger return on investment,” says Kris.
A platform that evolves with the business
A major reason CDM chose Zoom was its pace of innovation. Maintaining a significant R&D investment, Zoom CX’s roadmap aligns with CDM’s ambition to stay ahead of industry transformation. Upcoming innovations, such as AI-powered translation, promise further improvements across CDM’s multi-language operations in Southeast Asia.
Shaping the future of customer experience
For CDM Direct, the future of CX is defined by:
- AI-enhanced agents designed to support deeper human connection
- Real-time transparency that strengthens trust and accelerates decisions
- Unified operations that reduce organisational silos
- Agile technology that evolves as customer expectations rise
“A call centre shouldn’t be a silo. Whether it’s outsourced or in-house, every part of the organisation needs to be connected - Customer Service, Finance, Tech - with a common goal. With the whole organisation connected through Zoom, from the back office to the frontline, we make decisions much faster.”
Ultimately, Zoom is more than a platform for CDM Direct; it’s the engine powering a bold reimagining of modern customer service.
Together, CDM and Zoom are demonstrating that the best contact centres don’t replace people with AI. They empower them, turning them into superheroes.
