2023 Customer Strategy & Planning Conference
(Virtual)

Our annual flagship conference for industry professionals

15th - 19th May 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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Conference Agenda

Customer Strategy & Planning (Virtual)

Monday 15th May
Tuesday 16th May
Wednesday 17th May
Thursday 18th May
Friday 19th May
Opening Keynote
Keynote
Keynote
Keynote
Keynote
09:30
Strength in Numbers Hear from The Forum team on this year's theme - Strength in Numbers, The Value of Community and what this personally means to them. This though provoking session will frame the week of learning that will be available through the rest of the Virtual Conference and challenge you to own your learning for the week. 45mins


Shaping the Future
Learn about the risks of setting unrealistic targets, the challenges of adjusting expectations, and strategies for long-term success in scenario analysis. 
45mins
How to Futureproof your Business
Multi-award winning Louise Smith, Head of Forecasting & Planning at Jet2 will be talking about their approach to be being ready for whatever happens. How has an organisation has navigated through the Covid pandemic and continued to thrive to become the UK’s largest tour operator. Investing in technology and people to become a role model organisation
. 45mins
Playbooks & the Value of Time 
Learn how operational playbooks prepare us, so we’re poised to take the best actions, accelerating decisions and tracking learning. Introducing the 5 playbook dimensions which help us evolve a joined-up view of how operations work. Not only helping us to plan for uncertainty but help us identify new opportunities.
45mins
Customer Service is a changing landscape, what do you need to do to ensure you’re prepared. from Jo Causon, CEO of the Institute of Customer Service. 45mins
Keynote
Workshop
Workshop
Workshop
Workshop
10:30
Release the Potential in Technology
How to release the potential in technology to make it work for your customers and colleagues and Jim Davies, ex Gartner Analyst, now Chief Experience Officer at Calabrio will talks us through the natural evolution of employee management. 
45mins
Forecasting & Predictive Analysis
Prepare for the future with data-led decision making. Hear from members on how to broaden the scope of forecasting to drive decision making in planning, improvement, leadership and quality roles. Understand the importance of predicting outcomes for measuring success. 90mins


Flexible Working & Personal Choice
What’s the worst that could happen? Attendees, working in planning roles or managing change, will hear ideas on overcoming fears and taking the right action. The focus will be on flexible working and personal choice options, discussing how to introduce them successfully. 
90mins

Identifying the Best Next Action
Learn to identify the right actions using playbooks, create a prioritisation matrix, and make action-led reports and dashboards. Ideal for those in reporting, MI, Insight, or performance management. 
90mins

Presentation Skills
Learn how to use different media effectively and improve your communication with free AI tools. Interactive session includes member insights.
90mins

Technology Showcase
Interactive Keynote
Endnote
12:30
WEM and wellbeing, understanding AX during operational change
Join Sabio's expert team to discover the power of their new and cutting-edge wellbeing technology, integrated into the agent desktop and WEM capabilities. This innovative approach provide a systematic view of the impact of the workplace on the employee, as well as practical guidance to promote success. 
45mins
One Workforce. The Future of Customer Contact? Join this fascinating session with Verint as we explore how to engage customers in the right way at the right time by removing role and people silos to increase capacity, flexibility, and agility. 45mins
Personal Development
Hear from TSB who have have utilised The Forums's Learning Academy to help develop and grow their teams skills over the last 12 months and how this is going to continue through 2023. Understand techniques they have used to gain buy in and embed a learning ethos.
45mins
Technology Showcase
Technology Showcase
Technology Showcase
13:15
Powering Game Changing Contact Centres. QStory will be showing you how to use next level automation to supercharge agent engagement and unlock maximum performance.  45mins
Forecasting and AI working together to drive Accuracy. Join Colin and Graeme from NICE as they will  be demonstrating the role of data and AI in the forecasting process, and how it drives improved accuracy. 45mins

2023 Workforce & Global Operation Leader Insights. Centrical recently surveyed over 500 global enterprise operations leaders across industries about the current state of workforce engagement management and how their leadership initiatives tie to company growth goals. The results were astounding! 45mins

Interactive Keynote
Interactive Keynote
Interactive Keynote
Interactive Keynote
14:15
Field & Branch Planning
Showcasing member stories in Field and Branch planning focussing on the challenges that are faced in these environments and how these members have overcome these. Featuring organisations such as Lloyds Banking Group and Fresenius Kabi45mins
Hear from The Forum or our members on Planning Best Practice45mins


THIS LIVE SESSION HAS BEEN POSTPONED BUT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON-DEMAND AT A LATER DATE.
Skills for the Future
Explore how technology and AI will impact information presentation, and the skills required by analysts. Discussing with insight professionals, we'll identify strategies to prepare for upcoming changes
45mins


The Value of Improvement 
Exploring benefits of quality, coaching, learning and development, insight, planning and knowledge management, and measuring their value for customers, organisations, and people. Hear from Claire Varle, FIS and Kim Baker, L&Q and join the discussion on measuring the benefits of our work
45mins


Interactive Keynote
Interactive Keynote
Interactive Keynote
Workshop
15:15
Real-Time and Next Generation Productivity
Hear from Anglian Water, Sainsbury's and Virgin Media on how they are working to ensure efficiency while focussing on engagement and wellbeing. 45mins
Does AI really have a place in Quality Assurance? Join Chris Rainsforth and Chris Mounce from EvaluAgent for a discussion on the ever increasing presence of AI and the place it has in Quality Assurance. 45mins

Back Office & Digital  continues to evolve as a key area of focus for us as planners and business leaders. Hear from some of our members on their journey and pick up some practical tips from colleagues on planning and driving improvements these areas. 45mins
Reshaping the Improvement Framework
Enhance quality, coaching, learning and development, and knowledge management. Combine efforts for maximum impact. Professionals from different areas will recognise similarities, define a framework, and create a community for improvement. 90mins
Conference Agenda

Customer Strategy and Planning Connections

Monday 15th May
9.30
Opening Keynote
Hear from The Forum team on this year's theme - Strength in Numbers. 45mins
10.30
Keynote
Release the Potential in Technology
How to release the potential in technology to make it work for your customers and colleagues and Jim Davies, ex Gartner Analyst, now Chief Experience Officer at Calabrio will talks us through the natural evolution of employee management. 45mins
12:30
Technology Showcase
Hear from our partner Sabio as they share new ideas. 45mins
13:15
Technology Showcase
Hear from our partner QStory as they share new ideas. 45mins
14:15
Keynote
Field & Branch Planning
Showcasing member stories in Field and Branch planning focussing on the challenges that are faced in these enviroments and how these members have overcome these. Featuring organisations such as Lloyds Banking Group, Fresenius Kabi and Sky.  45mins
15:15
Keynote
Real-Time and Next Generation Productivity
Hear from Anglian Water and Virgin Media on how they are working to ensure efficiency while focussing on engagement and wellbeing. 45mins
Tuesday 16th May
9.30
Keynote
Shaping the Future
Learn about the risks of setting unrealistic targets, the challenges of adjusting expectations, and strategies for long-term success in scenario analysis.  45mins
10:30
Workshop
Forecasting & Predictive Analysis
Prepare for the future with data-led decision making. Hear from members on how to broaden the scope of forecasting to drive decision making in planning, improvement, leadership and quality roles. Understand the importance of predicting outcomes for measuring success. 90mins
12:30
Technology Showcase
Hear from our partner Centrical as they share new ideas. 45mins
13:15
Technology Showcase
Hear from our partner NICE as they share new ideas. 45mins
14:15
Interactive Keynote
Planning Best Practice
Hear from The Forum or our members on this key topic. 45mins
15:15
Interactive Keynote
AI in the Contact Centre 
Join Chris Rainsforth and the team from Evaluagent for a discussion on ChatGBT and how this can be used to improve your QA processes. 45mins
Wednesday 17th May
9.30
Keynote
How to Future-proof your Business
Hear from The Forum or our members on this key topic. 45mins
10:30
Workshop
Flexible Working & Personal Choice
What’s the worst that could happen? Attendees, working in planning roles or managing change, will hear from members on overcoming fears and taking the right action. The focus will be on flexible working, discussing how to introduce it successfully. 90mins
12:30
Interactive Keynote
One Workforce. The Future of Customer Contact?
Join this fascinating session with Verint as we explore how to engage customers in the right way at the right time by removing role and people silos to increase capacity, flexibility, and agility. 45mins
14:15
Interactive Keynote
Skills for the Future
Hear from The Forum or our members on this key topic. 45mins
15:15
Interactive Keynote
Back Office & Digital continues to evolve as a key area of focus for us as planners and business leaders. Hear from some of our members on their journey and pick up some practical tips from colleagues on planning and driving improvements these areas. 45mins
Thursday 18th May
9.30
Keynote
Hear from The Forum or our members on Playbooks & the Value of Time. 45mins
10:30
Workshop
Identifying the Best Next Action
Learn to identify the right actions using playbooks, create a prioritisation matrix, and make action-led reports and dashboards. Ideal for those in reporting, MI, Insight, or performance management. 90mins
14:15
Interactive Keynote
Hear from The Forum or our members on The Value of Improvement. 45mins
15:15
Workshop
Reshaping the Improvement Framework
Enhance quality, coaching, learning and development, and knowledge management. Combine efforts for maximum impact. Professionals from different areas will recognise similarities, define a framework, and create a community for improvement. 90mins
Friday 19th May
09.30
Keynote
Customer Service is a changing landscape, what do you need to do to ensure you’re prepared. from Jo Causon, CEO of the Institute of Customer Service. 45mins
10:30
Workshop
Presentation Skills
Learn how to use different media effectively and improve your communication with free AI tools. Interactive session includes member insights. 90mins
12:30
Endnote
Personal Development
Hear from member organisations including TSB and Legal & General who have have utilised The Forum's Learning Academy to help develop and grow their teams skills over the last 12 months and how this is going to continue through 2023. Understand techniques they have used to gain buy in and embed a learning ethos. 45mins

Speakers

Phil Anderson
Director
The Forum
Dr Phoebe Asquith
Research Psychologist & Senior Business Consultant
Sabio
Kim Baker
Head of Operational Support Services
L&Q
Esther Blakelock
Quality Manager
Northumbrian Water
Jo Causon
CEO
Institute of Customer Service
Ian Chappell
Senior Solutions Consultant
Centrical
Alison Conaghan
Specialist
The Forum
Mel Daley
Resource Planning and Delivery Team Leader
Anglian Water
Jim Davies
Chief Experience Officer
Calabrio
William Dobie
Quality & Compliance Reporting Analyst
Anglian Water
Colin Field
WFO Solutions Consultant
NICE Systems UK Ltd
Graeme Gabriel
WFO Solutions Consultant
NICE Systems UK Ltd
Danny Gunn
Head of Operational Planning
Studio Retail
Faye Herring
WFM Manager
Virgin Media
Nadja Janjic
Sabio Centre of Excellence - Demo Engineer
Sabio
Zoe Kitching
Operational Training Manager
Novuna Consumer Finance
Zoff Makda
Head of Operational Planning
Legal & General
Chris Mounce
Quality and Coaching Specialist
Evaluagent
Lorna Norris
Senior Manager, Strategic Governance
Compare The Market
David Preece
Solution Consultant
QStory
Chris Rainsforth
Director
The Forum
Ian Robertson
Specialist
The Forum
Louise Smith
Head of Forecasting, Planning & MI- Customer Contact
Jet2
Claire Varle
CI Team Lead
FIS
Maritza Soto Vasquez
Data & Insight Analyst 
Legal & General
Dave Vernon
Director
The Forum
Donna Whyman
Specialist
The Forum
Nigel Winship
Head of Wellness
Sabio

Prices & Booking

Places are free to members using member places in line with the level of membership. 1 place purchased within a membership gives you a place at both the virtual and face-to-face event. Extra places for each event can be purchased at £625 +VAT for face-to-face 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 Customer Strategy & Planning conferences and Awards celebration or email events@theforum.social.