UK Customer Experience Awards 2017

The UK Customer Experience Awards arrived at Wembley Stadium for this years judging and presentations.

Although the venue and use of the executive boxes meant for the judges and finalists we were spread around this impressive stadium and ground and for someone who is not a hard-core sports fan, having this as the view and backdrop for the finalist presentations made for an even more,  dramatic, fitting setting for what turned out to be some really hard fought categories.

We have been involved with judging these awards for five years now and it is still utterly amazing to see the passion and heart that go in to the programmes which are happening all the time.  One thing is for certain – Change is constant!.

For the first time, this year saw a full day of judging, with each panel of judges taking on two categories and 9-10 presentations throughout the day, with a break for lunch provided in the Atrium and the awards being presented in to the night with a black tie event.

Although there are a number of industry specific categories, you can see from the choice of categories(32 in total), the complexity and number of elements that go into making a successful Customer Experience delivery and transformation.  Some organisations presented this company wide, with an array of joined up initiatives, but for others, it was a platform to showcase small, specific teams, or support areas, which had delivered real results which had delivered customer, employee and company success, despite significant challenges around them.

After the judging, a brief rest before the black tie event and on to the awards evening, with a disco to follow.  The evening was hosted by writer and broadcaster Jeremy Nicholas 

On to the awards and the winners were:

Best financial services – insurance services – Direct Line Group

Contact centre – large – Sky in partnership with FirstSource

Contact centre – small – Optivo

Hospitality, leisure and travel – Red Funnel in partnership with Brand Biology

International business – CPM Barcelona

Technology & telecoms – Finastra

Transport & logistics – Bidfood

Utilities – Octopus Energy

Best customer experience training company – Brand Biology

Best customer experience training initiative – Direct Line Group in partnership with Blue Sky

Business change – Business Stream in partnership with Cap Gemini

Business transformation – BT

Customer at the heart of everything (financial services) – Skipton Building Society – Bury Branch

Customer at the heart of everything (employee training and development) – The Holly Private Hospital

Customer at the heart of everything (listening to the customer) – Barclays CI

Customer at the heart of everything (use of technology) – The Share Centre

Customer centric culture (employee driven transformation) – Capital One

Customer centric culture (insight and feedback) – Business Stream

Digital CX innovation – London Midland in partnership with VCCP, Whoosh and icomera

Employee engagement (learning, development and engagement) – The Holly Private Hospital

Employee engagement (return on investment) – StaySure

Engaging customer online – FoundIt! on behalf of Amara

Insight and feedback – Business Stream

Insight and feedback (financial services) – Direct Line Group

New/improved product – Direct Line Group

Return on CX – BT

Use of social media – Scottish Water

CX professional of the year – Firstsource Solutions UK Ltd

CX professional woman of the year – Sparks Grove UK

CX team of the year (customer engagement) – Scottish Water

CX team of the year – (financial services) – Capital One

Many congratulations to all the winners!