2023 Autumn Community Conference
(Virtual)

Our annual flagship conference for industry professionals

9th - 13th October 2023

Online conference

A virtual week packed full of inspiring speakers 

Our virtual conference agenda will be packed with inspiring keynote speakers, practical and interactive Workshops and Technology Showcases to keep you up to date with the latest trends in technology, and how make the most of your technology stack.
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Agenda

Autumn Community Conference (Virtual)

Monday 9th Oct
Tuesday 10th Oct
Wednesday 11th Oct
Thursday 12th Oct
Friday 13th Oct
Opening Keynote
Keynote
Keynote
Keynote
Keynote
09:30
The Value of Community
In this opening keynote, The Forum team members will discuss the importance of community. They will provide practical advice to help you expand your connections within and beyond your organisation. 45mins

Playbooks & aligning the best next action 
Phil Anderson & guests discuss best practice for playbooks and how to develop this method for strategic and operational effectiveness. 45mins
Next Generation Shrinkage
Dave Vernon is joined by Elliot Farrell from Fresenius Kabi and Dan Hunt from Leeds Bradford Airport as we discuss best practice for shrinkage planning and how to gain a better understanding of the value of time across your organisation. 45mins
Driving improvement and the role you play
Hear from Michelle Rodriguez from Water Plus and James Thompson from FIS to understand how you can deliver improvement for your people, your customers and your organisation. 45mins
Diversity & Inclusivity
New ideas on how we support our neurodiverse colleagues and those with physical challenges to feel comfortable and fully supported in the workplace. Hear from Maxine Myer & Chris Paddon from Northern Rail and Richard Moore at Anglian Water. 45mins
Keynote
Workshop
Workshop
Workshop
Workshop
10:30
Standards Benchmarking
A journey of Improvement. Hear from The AA and Domestic & General who have utilised The Forum's Standards Framework and the benefits this has delivered for their teams, stakeholders and strategic direction. 45mins
Forecasting in a volatile world
There are two types of forecasts; wrong and lucky. Hear from members and The Forum team to understand how we can move beyond forecast accuracy to create and use forecasts in a volatile world. 90mins
Scheduling 
Improve your shift review and continuous improvement of working patterns, by focussing on an holistic view of your workforce strategy with Annie Roe from BGL Insurance and Cat Hayes from Anglian Water. Featuring the newly updated Flexibility toolkit. 90mins
Delivering behavioural change
This workshop will look at how your team influences behavioural change within your operation, and how you can work collaboratively to drive change and improve performance. 90mins
Presentation Skills
In a continuation of our series we present more top tips to help you engage with your stakeholders and ensure that your presentation hits the spot. 90mins

Interactive Keynote
Technology Showcase
Technology Showcase
Endnote
12:30
Generative AI and the Contact Centre Experience
Join Mark Odlin from Davies as he delves into the transformative power of generative AI in the modern contact centre. 45mins
Hear from our partner QStory as they unveil their groundbreaking new feature – Agent Flex. It sets the new industry standard, giving agents unparalleled flexibility to propel the contact centre into a new era of adaptive workforce scheduling. 45mins
Omnichannel Planning in NICE
Graeme and Colin will talk about the differences in requirements for delayed response contacts and how NICE WFM is supporting them. 45mins
Hear from Forum Hero Busola Akinsola, Head of Capacity & Operational Planning at The Open University as she talks about her commitment to learning and continual improving. The Forum will also update you on the latest updates to the Learning Management System and what updates to expect in the next 6-months. 45mins
Technology Showcase
Interactive Keynote
Interactive Keynote
13:30
A showcase of The Forum Learning Management System (LMS) which has been successfully rolled out to many of our members. Learn how different members have approached learning. 45mins
Ed Creasey will present the latest research from Calabrio on the impact of AI on agents of the future, but it’s not what you might anticipate. 45mins

Generative AI
Your trusted co-pilot for transformative customer and employee experiences. 45mins 

Interactive Keynote
Workshop
Interactive Keynote
Workshop
14:30
Reporting and MI
Reporting and Management Information (MI) is a critical step in turning insight into actions. Hear Wayne Kemp and Daniel Senter from Fedex share their top tips for efficient and successful MI. 45mins

Playbooks
Learn how to create, develop and design a best practice playbook, which adapts to changing situations. Hear from different approaches and gain practical insight for instant takeaways. 90mins

AI & Machine Learning
In this keynote we will be hearing from David Bruce and Alfy Reid from NEA Consulting to explore recent developments in AI, how it's being applied, the risks to consider and what the future might look like. 45mins

Real-Time 
Understanding the new generation of Real-Time Analysts, what to focus on and what to "let go" to provide insight that’s in demand. Conformance & Adherence, tracking and improving both, not updating adherence if it's wrong! Hear from Stuart Noone at The AA. 90mins
Coaching with a difference
The Listening Collective provides 'coaching with a difference' to people in Organisations. The difference being that their coaches are also trained psychotherapists. They are offering a limited number of FREE 30 minute confidential coaching sessions throughout the Conference. 
 
Please use this link to book your session.
 
If you want to know more about what they do, you can check them out here. 
Conference Agenda

Community Conference

Monday 9th Oct
09.30
Opening Keynote
The Value of Community
In this opening keynote, The Forum team members will discuss the importance of community. They will provide practical advice to help you expand your connections within and beyond your organisation. 45mins
10.30
Keynote
Standards Benchmarking
A journey of Improvement. Hear from The AA and Domestic & General  who have utilised The Forum's Standards Framework and the benefits this has delivered for their teams, stakeholders and strategic direction. 45mins
12:30
Technology Showcase
Generative AI and the Contact Centre Experience
Join Mark Odlin from Davies as he delves into the transformative power of generative AI in the modern contact centre. 45mins
13:30
Technology Showcase
A showcase of The Forum Learning Management System (LMS) which has been successfully rolled out to many of our members. Learn how different members have approached learning. 45mins
14:30
Interactive Keynote
Reporting and MI
Reporting and Management Information (MI) is a critical step in turning insight into actions. Hear Wayne Kemp and Daniel Senter from Fedex share their top tips for efficient and successful MI. 45mins
Tuesday 10th October
09:30
Keynote
Playbooks & aligning the best next action 
Phil Anderson & guests discuss best practice for playbooks and how to develop this method for strategic and operational effectiveness. 45mins
10:30
Workshop
Forecasting in a volatile world
There are two types of forecasts wrong and lucky. Hear from members and The Forum team to understand how we can move beyond forecast accuracy to create and use forecasts in a volatile world. 90mins
12:30
Technology Showcase
Hear from our partner QStory as they unveil their groundbreaking new feature – Agent Flex. It sets the new industry standard, giving agents unparalleled flexibility to propel the contact centre into a new era of adaptive workforce scheduling. 45mins
13:30
Technology Showcase
Ed Creasey will present the latest research from Calabrio on the impact of AI on agents of the future, but it’s not what you might anticipate. 45mins
14:30
Workshop
Playbooks
Learn how to create, develop and design a best practice playbook, which adapts to changing situations. Hear from different approaches and gain practical insight for instant takeaways. 90mins
Wednesday 11th October
09:30
Keynote
Next Generation Shrinkage
Dave Vernon is joined by Elliot Farrell from Fresenius Kabi and Dan Hunt from Leeds Bradford Airport as we discuss best practice for shrinkage planning and how to gain a better understanding of the value of time across your organisation. 45mins
10:30
Workshop
Scheduling 
Improve your shift review and continuous improvement of working patterns, by focusing on an holistic view of your workforce strategy  with Annie Roe from BGL Insurance and Cat Hayes from Anglian Water. Featuring the new updated Flexibility toolkit. 90mins
12:30
Technology Showcase
Omnichannel Planning in NICE
Graeme and Colin will talk about the differences in requirements for delayed response contacts and how NICE WFM is supporting them. 45mins
13:30
Technology Keynote
Generative AI
Your trusted co-pilot for transformative customer and employee experiences. 45mins
14:30
Interactive Keynote
AI & Machine Learning
In this keynote we will be hearing from David Bruce and Alfy Reid from NEA Consulting  to explore recent developments in AI, how its being applied, the risks to consider and what the future might look like. 45mins
Thursday 12th October
09:30
Keynote
Driving improvement and the role you play
Hear from Michelle Rodriguez from Water Plus and James Thompson from FIS to understand how you can deliver improvement for your people, your customers and your organisation. 45mins
10:30
Workshop
Delivering behavioural change
This workshop will look at how your team influences behavioural change within your operation, and how you can work collaboratively to drive change and improve performance. 90mins
14:30
Workshop
Real-Time 
Understanding the new generation of Real-Time Analysts, what to focus on and what to "let go" to provide insight that’s in demand. Conformance & Adherence, tracking and improving both, not updating adherence if its wrong! Hear from Stuart Noone at The AA. 90mins
Friday 13th October
09:30
Keynote
Diversity & Inclusivity
New ideas on how we support our neurodiverse colleagues and those with physical challenges to feel comfortable and fully supported in the workplace. Hear from Maxine Myer & Chris Paddon from Northern Rail and Richard Moore at Anglian Water. 45mins
10:30
Workshop
Presentation Skills
In a continuation of our series we present more top tips to help you engage with your stakeholders and ensure that your presentation hits the spot. 90mins
12:30
Endnote
Hear from Forum Hero Busola Akinsola, Head of Capacity & Operational Planning at The Open University as she talks about her commitment to learning and continual improving. The Forum will also update you on the latest updates to the Learning Management System and what updates to expect in the next 6-months. 45mins
The Listening Collective
Coaching with a difference
The Listening Collective provides 'coaching with a difference' to people in Organisations. The difference being that their coaches are also trained psychotherapists. They are offering a limited number of FREE 30 minute confidential coaching sessions throughout the Conference. 
 
Please use this link to book your session.
 
If you want to know more about what they do, you can check them out here. 

Speakers

Busola Akinsola
Head of Capacity & Operational Planning 
The Open University
Phil Anderson
Executive Director
The Forum
Mike Blewitt
Head of Contact Centre Resource Planning
Domestic & General
David Bruce
Founder
NEA Consultancy Ltd
Alison Conaghan
Specialist
The Forum
Ed Creasey
Director of Pre-Sales International
Calabrio
Elliot Farrell
Resource & Capacity Planning Manager
Fresenius Kabi
Colin Field
WFO Solutions Consultant
NICE Systems
Graeme Gabriel
WFO Solutions Consultant
NICE Systems
Cat Hayes
Resource Planning & Delivery Team Leader
Anglian Water
Dan Hunt
Operations Engineer
Leeds Bradford Airport
Simone James
Scheduling and Real-Time Lead
The AA
Wayne Kemp
Manager - Workforce Management and Analytics
Fedex
Mark Odlin
Senior Consultant
Davies
Richard Moore
Enterprise Analytics Leader
Anglian Water
Maxine Myers
Accessibility Improvement Manager
Northern Rail
Stuart Noone
Customer Operations Real Time Manager
The AA
Chris Paddon
Customer Experience Manager
Northern Rail
David Preece
Solution Consultant
QStory
Chris Rainsforth
Director
The Forum
Alfy Reid
Associate Data Scientist 
NEA Consulting
Ian Robertson
Specialist
The Forum
Michelle Rodriguez
Quality Assurance Manager
Water Plus
Annie Roe
Tactical Planning Manager
BGL Insurance
Daniel Senter
Senior Analyst
Fedex
Vijai Shankar
Vice President of Product Marketing
Uniphore
James Thompson
Statistician-Data Analyst Specialist
FIS
Dave Vernon
Director
The Forum
Donna Whyman
Specialist
The Forum

Prices & Booking

Places are free to members using member places in line with the level of membership. Extra places for each event can be purchased at £625 +VAT for in-person and £295 +VAT for virtual.

All paid for places must be settled before the conference begins. A credit card guarantee can be used to hold a place. All bookings are subject to The Forum's normal terms which can be read here. Cancellation does not automatically mean an invoice is no longer payable.

Register Now

Fill in your details to register for the 2023 Community conferences or email events@theforum.social.