This award will recognise non-managers working in a frontline role within a contact centre, who has been in post for a minimum of six months and a maximum of 12 months. The judges will be looking for evidence of exceptional vocational competence, achieving great results and making a difference within a short period of time, plus excellent interpersonal skills.

This category is open to non-managers employed in a support role within the contact centre in any function, for example:  IT, Resource planning, administration, operations, logistics, facilities management, human resources, catering. When completing the entry consideration should be given to professionalism, performance, initiative and personal development.  The support person of the year will be a shining example and entries will demonstrate how the contact centre would not the same without this person.

This category is for individuals working at advisor grade in a sales capacity. It is appropriate for agents/advisors who have demonstrated exceptional levels of sales and vocational competence, in either a full or part time capacity. Entrants must demonstrate consistently high performance as an agent/advisor, achieve consistently strong results and make a real difference to their organisation.

Open to individuals who are managing a Complaints Team or function based in a contact centre or as a support function to the contact centre for a minimum of six months, in either a full or part-time capacity. This award will recognise an individual who has shown exceptional leadership, innovation, broad management skills and vocational competence in leading their respective complaints team. The winner of this category will demonstrate how their team supports the contact centre function, develops and demonstrates a positive complaints culture throughout the business, able to share tangible evidence of the improvement to the customer journey from the feedback they and their team gain from the complaints process.  In addition, demonstrate the positive effect and consistently high performance their team delivers throughout the year.  The winner will have successfully implemented innovative strategies that impact positively on the team and have a commitment to the continuous improvement of staff and self.

This award will recognise companies that successfully address ongoing development needs for individuals, departments and whole organisations to see that business needs are met. The judges will be looking for examples of how people development affects the company ethos and how it is embedded in the company culture.

From a support function team based in a contact centre (eg finance, HR, IT), this award will recognise an initiative delivered by teams or departments. The entry needs to outline the process, the driver(s) for implementation, key performance indicators and provide evidence of positive outcomes. It must also include evidence of the impact of the initiative on the objectives and performance of the business.

This category applies to all ‘Frontline Teams’ who sit directly within the contact centre and whose primary role is to engage with customers (B2B or B2C) service or sales. This may include (but not exclusive to) a specialist team such as escalations or a team of advisors within a larger centre, a team looking after a specific account, product or service. Consideration should be given to team spirit, performance against targets and objectives, the team’s biggest achievements in the past 6-12 months, innovation and leadership.

This award recognises how you deliver exceptional levels of service to your customers and should include details of how you measure customer engagement – targets, performance against targets, KPIs, etc. Evidence can also include details of a multi-channel approach eg: via digital, social, voice and web.

This will be presented to a centre that puts its staff at the heart of the operation. The successful centre shows that front line people are the focus of the business. Your entry should include details of: 

• Special initiatives to promote employee engagement
• Health and wellbeing practices 
• Evidence should include photographs, KPIs on performance improvement through engagement, plus sickness and retention rates.

This award recognises how an organisation has embraced and delivered a transformation programme which covers all aspects of the business including managers who have led such transformation, IT programmes, people and processes.

Evidence will be required of:

• The objectives behind the transformation
• How the transformation was planned, implemented and monitored
• Effective use of internal communication channels to inform staff about the transformation programme and its aims
• The positive impact on customers, staff and operational/business performance
• Overall results and how the transformation fits into the long-term future strategy of the business.

This category recognises organisations who have truly invested time and resources into providing an open, supportive and educational environment for their team members who have experienced Mental Health challenges - personally or professionally.  Those who have gone above & beyond to drive Mental Health & Wellbeing initiatives from a human-led perspective - not just a tick box exercise.  The winner will be an organisation that see promoting positive Mental Health as a must - proactively - not just reactively.

This award celebrates  Contact Centres Complaints Handing Teams that deliver an exceptional complaints programme to their respective customers. The programme will demonstrate, how complaints are positively embedded into the culture of the business. It will clearly and tangibly demonstrate one that resolves issues for customers in a timely, satisfactory and empathetic way. In addition,  how the team gains Customer Insight & Feedback for the business, how the business then leverages this information in its pursuit for greater customer understanding. In particular, demonstrating the recommendations for improvement in service, systems and process along with examples of where customer feedback has been used in innovative and advantageous ways. The Complaints Programme should clearly show how it embraces diversity and inclusion  recognising all employees and customers, that they are truly valued, regardless of age, disability, gender assignment, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation, ensuring that  customers feel appreciated, valued and listened to, demonstrating impeccable levels of customer service throughout the complaints journey.

This award recognises contact centres that best attract, select and retain talent.  Centres that can show their recruitment and retention strategies give them an advantage in this highly competitive region whilst helping to uphold a career of choice status for contact centres. The judges will be looking for examples of how your centre’s strategy not only gives a great candidate and new starter experience but ensures that your company’s values, behaviours and visions are reinforced throughout the processes

This exciting category gives an opportunity to demonstrate what training packages are on offer within the contact centre teams. The award is open for any training initiatives offered in-house to any role e.g. Agents, Coaches, Team Leaders, Senior Management, support teams. The winning team must be able to illustrate how your training programme is enhancing a role for the individuals within your centre. The judges will be looking for examples of how the programme has assisted with engagement through the learning and development opportunities available, as well as a focus upon the return on investment to the organisation.

With Training & Development being high on the agenda for any Contact Centre agent this award will be looking for the best induction programme offered for new starters at the beginning of their journey and throughout. The winning programme will demonstrate the investment into the agent population, being able to showcase the implementation of a seamless and welcoming learning environment with a blended approach which considers all types of learners. This category will recognise excellence in Learning and Development opportunities available to engage and inspire the super agents of the future.

Nominated teams will have day to day responsibility for the development and delivery of their non- voice digital activity. The team will be responsible for social media, messaging, video and livechat. The team will be able to demonstrate how they have aligned across customer channels and have a good awareness of the tools and techniques available to maximise this channel. They will be clear on their social media strategy and will be consistently delivering against their measures and organisational objectives.

Open to both in house and outsource contact centres, this category embraces contact centres who have built hybrid working into the 'main frame' of their respective operation who are able to demonstrate that they have
released the potential of hybrid working by creating a positive hybrid working culture within the business.
The programme will reflect the provision of outstanding customer service through its hybrid teams with tangible results reflected in CSAT/NPS and how such teams have positively underpinned the business in terms of the Customer Journey and Customer Satisfaction despite often dealing with unpredictable demand.
Of particular interest will be the  Communications Plan  or infrastructure which is in place to support both the Leaders managing their hybrid teams and the advisors for maximum inclusion, productivity and engagement.
The programme should give tangible evidence of  attracting or developing talent in the hybrid teams, reflecting how  such talent has been attracted outside of the normal geographical recruitment area, showing evidence of how this has had a positive effect on the recruitment strategy within the business.
Managing  Hybrid Teams and what is in place to do so will be of particular interest, how the teams have been empowered to work in their hybrid capacity with the positive impact this has achieved on engagement and retention, releasing the potential of the teams.
Key to any Hybrid Programmes is the Resilience build in terms of IT infrastructure, supporting Compliance and Data Protection as such these factors need to be demonstrated along with the successes achieved by the programme on all operational levels including any efficiency gains for the business.

This category is for an outsourced contact centre with a highly successful business relationship with their client. To be successful in this category you must demonstrate: A clear understanding of your client’s aims and objectives. How you’ve helped them through the effective and professional delivery of a range of services. How you’ve implemented two-way communication channels between the outsourcing front line and client decision makers. Evidence of effective integration, investment in client relationship and transparency.

Please address the following questions/requirements:

• Demonstrate your understanding of your client’s aims and objectives and how you’ve worked together to fulfil these successfully.
• Provide two examples of how you’ve helped them through the effective and professional delivery of a range of services.
• How have you implemented two-way communication channels between the outsourcing front line and client decision makers.
• Provide evidence of effective integration, investment in client relationship and transparency.

This award is attributed to an in-house contact centre that demonstrates leading practice for both staff and customers. The judges will be focusing on two areas:

• How you are an employer of choice? The entry should outline your recruitment strategies, what makes you an employer of choice, your commitment to training and development and how you provide a great physical environment to work in.
• How does your centre underpin the running of the overall business?Please include evidence of how the centre contributes to the wider business, how the centre delivers world class service to its customers and what makes the centre an extraordinary place to work in.