Why New Zealand for Australian Customer Service
Onshore quality without the onshore price - from a partner across the Tasman
Closer than offshore, cheaper than onshore
New Zealand gives Australian companies customer service that feels local - the same language, culture and expectations, in a near-identical time zone - usually at a lower cost than an Australian-onshore team, and without the quality, churn and training problems that come with offshoring.
Telnet has run contact centres from New Zealand for 35+ years. We have brought contact centres back from the Philippines for Z Energy and Caltex, and run fault lines for New Zealand's largest electricity and gas distributor since 1999.
For Australian programmes, we can deliver from New Zealand, with Australian-based agents, or with a blend of both - all on one platform.
Time difference
Ahead of the east coast
Cost reduction
Z Energy, after leaving offshore
Agent training
Down from 5 weeks offshore
Data hosting
Infrastructure in Australia
Five reasons Australian companies look across the Tasman
Customers feel understood
New Zealand agents share Australia's language, humour and consumer expectations. They understand Australian places, brands and ways of speaking, so calls are shorter and customers don't have to repeat themselves.
A time zone that works with you
New Zealand is two to three hours ahead of the east coast. Your partner is awake when you are, and New Zealand agents can cover early mornings while Australian agents cover the evening.
Lower cost than onshore
Labour costs are lower in New Zealand, and our pay-per-interaction model means you pay for work handled rather than idle seats - bringing onshore-quality service closer to offshore prices.
None of the offshore problems
When Z Energy moved its contact centre from the Philippines to Telnet, training time dropped from 5 weeks to 3 days and costs fell by more than half. Experienced agents who stay are cheaper than constant re-hiring.
Your data stays close
Our contact centre infrastructure is hosted on AWS in Australia, customer data is handled only by onshore teams in Australia and New Zealand, and we work within the Australian Privacy Act 1988.
Australian agents when you need them
If a programme needs Australians on the phone, we hire Australian-based agents who work on the same platform as our New Zealand team - or blend the two for longer hours and surge cover.
New Zealand vs Australian onshore vs offshore
| New Zealand (Telnet) | Australian onshore | Offshore | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cultural fit | Very close | Native | Often a gap |
| Time zone | 2-3 hours ahead | Same | Often 2+ hours behind |
| Cost | Lower than onshore | Highest | Lowest headline rate |
| Agent training and churn | Short training, experienced team | Varies | Longer training, higher churn |
| Data handling | Hosted in Australia, onshore teams | Onshore | Handled in a third country |
New Zealand contact centres for Australian companies: common questions
Why would an Australian company use a New Zealand call centre?
New Zealand agents share Australia’s language, culture and consumer expectations, work in a time zone two to three hours ahead of the east coast, and usually cost less than an Australian-onshore team. It gives Australian companies most of the benefits of onshore customer service at a price closer to offshoring, without the quality and churn problems that often come with offshore centres.
Will Australian customers notice they are talking to someone in New Zealand?
Rarely, and it is seldom a concern when they do. New Zealand agents understand Australian products, places and ways of speaking, and are trained on your processes and systems. If you need every call answered by an Australian, Telnet also hires Australian-based agents, and can blend the two teams.
Is customer data kept in Australia when the agents are in New Zealand?
Telnet’s contact centre infrastructure is hosted on AWS in Australia, and customer data is handled only by our onshore teams in Australia and New Zealand. We work within the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and each client’s own data-handling requirements.
How does the time difference work?
New Zealand is two hours ahead of Sydney and Melbourne for most of the year, and three hours ahead of Brisbane during daylight saving. That makes it easy to cover early mornings, and blending New Zealand and Australian agents extends your hours without paying for night shifts in one location.
Is a New Zealand contact centre cheaper than an Australian one?
Usually, yes. Labour costs are lower in New Zealand, and Telnet uses a blended, pay-per-interaction model rather than charging for dedicated seats, so you pay for the work handled rather than idle time. Talk to us for a quote based on your volumes.
See what a New Zealand team could do for you
Read more about call centre outsourcing for Australian companies or our utility call centre for Australia. Call +61 7 3105 0365, send us a message, or find us at Level 6, 316 Adelaide Street, Brisbane QLD 4000.
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