The Customer engagement forum 2025.
19-21-February 2026 | The Hilton, Taupō
Image: Great Lake Taupō
Our goals for the forum.
To bring together top-performing customer focused advisers for a collaborative experience that:
- Shares best practices and real-world learnings.
- Listens directly to customer expectations and feedback.
- Facilitates open discussion on what’s working and what’s challenging in today’s environment.
- Co-designs new strategies and engagement plans to take back to your businesses.
- Equips you to be business-ready and future-fit with exceptional customer engagement strategies.
- Develops a blueprint for customer engagement that lifts the standard across the industry.
The industry will benefit from our learnings and your expertise in customer engagement, so let’s work together and help elevate your customer engagement strategies and those in the industry. Let’s spark the future of advice and keep growing together.
Business session highlights.
Day-1: Learning for you and learning from you.
Our first session is all about sharing new learnings and insights, where we focus on:
- Our latest NPS findings and take you through the benefits of our dashboard.
- Recently commissioned sector insights research.
- The behavioural economics behind customer decision making and how it can help create more effective and impactful engagement.
- How we can use this to develop even better engagement strategies
Another session will be a workshop that shines a light on your experiences and knowledge regarding customer engagement best practice.
It’s designed to identify what’s working and what’s not to enable relevant focus for day-2 where we deep dive into engagement strategies and planning.
Day-2: Evaluate and elevate engagement.
We will start with breakout sessions where we map an ideal engagement plan using the knowledge we have learned and shared on day-1. We will also identify what a future fit engagement blueprint should look like.
This will culminate in a considered action plan with clear priorities and steps we can take now, and in the future, to spark meaningful cut through and bridge the engagement gap.
Your facilitator and speakers.
Our forum brings together a talented line-up of speakers, featuring industry-leaders in customer behaviour and engagement. Drawing on recent sector research and the latest insights from behavioural economics, they will share compelling findings and proven best practices to help you connect more effectively with your customers.
And with our expert facilitator guiding each session, you’ll benefit from a collaborative environment designed to inspire, educate, and empower, ensuring you leave equipped with actionable ideas and a renewed focus on meaningful engagement.
Your facilitator Kerry is the Managing Director of Influence Consulting, a corporate training company specialising in influencing skills, particularly for professional and financial services firms. Over the past 25-years, he has been facilitating and coaching in this area, building strong relationships with major clients across the Asia–Pacific region. His background is in corporate law and business roles at Exxon Mobil.
Kerry Kirton - Influence Consulting
Your speakers.
Eric Chapuy
Often known as the Crazy Frenchman or 00 Data, Eric is a seasoned data analyst with 18-years of experience specialising in customer insights.
His career spans 8-years in market research and 10-years in in‑house analytics roles across multiple industries in NZ, giving him a deep, practical understanding of survey methodology and the dynamics of customer behaviour.
For the past 3-years, Eric has been a driving force at Fidelity Life, bringing his passion for continuous improvement and customer‑centric thinking into every project. He believes in the power of listening to what customers have to say. Constructive feedback, in his view, is not criticism but fuel for growth.
Lee McCauley - Tick Consulting
Lee McCauley is the founder and director of New Zealand's leading specialist behavioural insights firm Tick Consulting. He brings over a decade of experience delivering behavioural insights projects with dozens of New Zealand's top public and private sector organisations.
He has presented at two Financial Services Council annual conferences and his work on financial behaviour includes a report for the Financial Markets Authority on Kiwisaver switching behaviour in COVID-19. Before moving into consulting, Lee worked in public policy and international relations at NZ Treasury and the NZ and UK Ministries of Defence.
Mark Vincett - Sapien
Mark Vincett is Research and Strategy Director and Co-founder of Sapien, where he helps organisations better understand customer behaviour and decision-making using behavioural science and evidence-led insight.
With extensive experience across a range of markets, Mark has worked with leadership teams across a range of sectors to uncover the motivations that sit behind their customers’ choices — translating insight into practical opportunities for growth.
Drawing on extensive experience across a range of markets and sectors, from utilities and services to fmcg and retail, he brings a fresh perspective to each sector while utilizing proven frameworks and evidence based solutions.
What's in store each day.
Day-1 (Thursday 19-Feb)
| Morning | Flights from AKL to Taupo & Rotorua; Transfer to Hilton |
| Lunch | 12:00–13:00 Buffet lunch at hotel (working lunch) Partners at leisure |
| Afternoon | 13:00–16:50 Business Session – The Terraces Afternoon Tea/Coffee Partners at leisure |
| Pre-dinner | 16:50–18:00 Free time |
| Dinner | 18:00–22:00 Casual dinner onsite Cellar Lounge: Walk-in Fork Approx. 100 pax |
| Overnight | Hilton – Taupo |
Day-2 (Friday 20-Feb)
| Breakfast | At hotel |
| Morning | 08:00–11:00 Group activities: Opt 1: Golf (tee off from 8am) Opt 2: Lake cruise (9–11am) Transfers to and from venue/site |
| Lunch | 12:00–13:00 Buffet lunch at hotel (working lunch) Partners at leisure |
| Afternoon | 13:00–16:30 Business Session – The Terraces Afternoon Tea/Coffee Partners at leisure |
| Pre-dinner | 16:30–18:00 Free time to get ready for Recognition dinner |
| Dinner | 18:00–23:00 18:00–18:30 – Transfer to Ohakuri Rise 18:30–22:30 – Recognition Dinner (semi-formal seated dinner with alternate plating) A word from our CEO, Campbell Mitchell Music and dancing with local band The Blind Venetians 22:30–23:00 – Transfer back to Hilton |
| Overnight | Hilton – Taupo |
Day-3 (Saturday 21-Feb)
| Breakfast | At hotel |
| Morning | Transfer to airport Flights to AKL & returning locations |
| Lunch | 12:00–13:00 Lunch at hotel provided for those departing on later flights |
| Afternoon | Transfer to airport Flights to AKL & returning locations |
NB: This is the current agenda but times and itinerary may change and will be updated closer to the forum.
Activity selection.
We have 2 activities on offer for the morning of day-2 designed to get you out in the fresh air and enjoy what Taupō has to offer. To help us plan a seamless experience, please fill out the attached form indicating your preference.
Please note we are limited to 40 players for golf and will be on a first in first served basis.
Register your activity.
Where you're staying.
The Taupō Hilton offers stunning lake views, spacious rooms, and premium amenities including a heated outdoor pool, fitness centre, and onsite dining options. Enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi, onsite spa treatments*, and relaxing common areas perfect for downtime between sessions.
*Any additional activities or incidentals not included in the itinerary and terms and conditions will need to be self-funded.
Things to do in Taupō.
There are plenty of activities on offer to make the most of your free time and the amazing surroundings in Taupō if you choose to stay longer or your partners want to explore the area during the business sessions.
- Visit the famous Huka Falls
- Relax in natural hot springs
- Explore local art galleries and boutique shops
- Try trout fishing or enjoy water sports
- Walk or cycle the Great Lake Trail
Photo credit: Great Lake Taupō Destination
What to expect at the forum.
See some of the customer focused and forward-thinking business sessions we have planned where you can expect insightful content, interactive workshops, and ample networking opportunities to connect with like-minded advisers and our wider leadership team.
Watch the video for some of what our attendees have to look forward to.