2025 Best Practice Guide
Raising Standards

2025 Spring Customer Strategy & Planning Conference
(Virtual)

Learn WHY we need to keep “Raising Standards in Customer Operations" 

24th - 28th March 2025

Online conference

A virtual week packed full of inspiring speakers 

Our flagship Conference, this highly rated event is far more than just a conference. Designed specifically to focus on the hot topics within the industry and thought leadership whilst also delivering practical skills with new ways of thinking that will enhance you as a person.
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Outline Agenda

Customer Strategy & Planning (Virtual)

Monday 24th Mar
Tuesday 25th Mar
Wednesday 26th Mar
Thursday 27th Mar
Friday 28th Mar
09:30
Opening Keynote
Keynote
Keynote
Keynote
Keynote
Raising Standards
Why a sustainable cycle of improvement is critical for individual, team and organisational success. 45mins
Future Customer Experience & Operational Improvement
With all the talk of the contact centre of the future, what does that actually mean? Do we even know what the future will look like?
45mins
Insight Keynote: Cycle & Steps to Explainability 
Using the Insight Cycle and 4-stages of Insight to share knowledge and engage the organisation. 45mins
25 Years of Raising Standards in Resource Planning and the future opportunity. 45mins

25 Years of Innovation & Transformation
Learn from the Innovation & Transformation Awards. 45mins

10:30
Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion
Membership – The Value of a Professional Community
Talking with various member organisations and discussing how they get value from being part of a professional community and the items that gives them the most value for their teams, organisation and personally. 45mins
The Future Role of the Team Leader
What does the role of the Team Leader look like in the future, where do we need to invest and how can we make sure everyone feels supported? Martin Teasdale chats with Team Leaders. 45mins
Machine Learning & AI
Learn how machine learning and AI is being used to advance action. 45mins
Forecasting
In this session we will be talking to Philip Stubbs, Partner at Atlantic Insight and co-winner of the 2024 VN1 forecasting competition who will be sharing tips and techniques and exploring the topic of Forecast Value Added. 45mins
Telling a Story with Numbers
Hear from organisations who have transformed their approach to reporting and meetings. 45mins
12:30
Technology Showcase
Technology Showcase
Technology Showcase
Hear from our partner Business Systems as they share new ideas. 45mins
Hear from our partner Verint as they share new ideas. 45mins
Hear from our partner Calabrio as they share new ideas. 45mins
13:30
Panel Discussion
Keynote
Keynote
Panel Discussion
Endnote
Benchmarking
Understanding the true value of benchmarking and how to use comparisons to drive improvement. 45mins
Fix it or Face it: Contact Centre Complaints 
Complaints are an unavoidable reality; we can address issues to reduce problems and understand root cause, but we need to excel in managing the inevitable complaints that will arise. 45mins
Using Insight to Influence
The value of insight comes from the action taken and decisions made. In this session we will be sharing influencing techniques to overcome inertia and ensure that your insight delivers value. 45mins
Raising Standards with Shift Reviews
Developing a future proof strategy to drive learning and lead flexibility. 45mins
Raising Standards
Closing the week with practical tips on how to use learning to drive action and raise standards. 45mins
14:30
Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion
Keynote
The Learning Pyramid
Mandatory to Exploratory learning made easy. 45mins

Data Governance 
Hear how NHS Business Services Authority and Anglian Water approach data governance. 45mins
The Purpose of Real-Time
Understanding the foundations to Best Practice and Future opportunity. 45mins
15:30
Panel Discussion

Multi-Channel Planning 
The panel will discuss the challenges they encounter planning for channels such as Back Office, Webchat and Asynchronous Chat and how they have overcome them plus their top tips for planning effectively.
45mins
Conference Agenda

Customer Strategy and Planning

Monday 24th March
09.30
Opening Keynote
Raising Standards
Why a sustainable cycle of improvement is critical for individual, team and organisational success. 45mins
10.30
Panel Discussion
Membership  – The Value of a Professional Community
Talking with various member organisations and discussing how they get value from being part of a professional community and the items that gives them the most value for their teams, organisation and personally. 45mins
12:30
Technology Showcase
Hear from our partner Business Systems as they share new ideas. 45mins
13:30
Panel Discussion
Benchmarking
Understanding the true value of benchmarking and how to use comparisons to drive improvement. 45mins
Tuesday 25th March
09.30
Keynote
Future Customer Experience & Operational Improvement
With all the talk of the contact centre of the future, what does that actually mean? Do we even know what the future will look like? 45mins
10:30
Panel Discussion
The Future Role of the Team Leader
What does the role of the Team Leader look like in the future, where do we need to invest and how can we make sure everyone feels supported? Martin Teasdale chats with Team Leaders. 45mins
13:30
Keynote
Fix it or Face it: Contact Centre Complaints 
Complaints are an unavoidable reality; we can address issues to reduce problems and understand root cause, but we need to excel in managing the inevitable complaints that will arise. 45mins
14:30
Panel Discussion
The Learning Pyramid
Mandatory to Exploratory learning made easy. 45mins
Wednesday 26th March
09.30
Keynote
Cycle & Steps to Explainability 
Using the Insight Cycle and 4-stages of Insight to share knowledge and engage the organisation. 45mins
10:30
Panel Discussion
Machine Learning & AI
Learn how machine learning and AI is being used to advance action. 45mins
12:30
Technology Showcase
Hear from our partner Verint as they share new ideas.  45mins
13:30
Keynote
Using Insight to Influence
The value of insight comes from the action taken and decisions made. In this session we will be sharing influencing techniques to overcome inertia and ensure that your insight delivers value. 45mins
14:30
Panel Discussion
Data Governance 
Hear how NHS Business Services Authority and Anglian Water approach data governance. 45mins
Thursday 27th March
09.30
Keynote
25 Years of Raising Standards in Resource Planning and the future opportunity. 45mins
10:30
Panel Discussion
Forecasting
In this session we will be talking to Philip Stubbs, Partner at Atlantic Insight and co-winner of the 2024 VN1 forecasting competition who will be sharing tips and techniques and exploring the topic of Forecast Value Added. 45mins
12:30
Technology Showcase
Hear from our partner Calabrio as they share new ideas.  45mins
13:30
Panel Discussion
Raising Standards with Shift Reviews
Developing a future proof strategy to drive learning and lead flexibility. 45mins
14:30
Keynote
The Purpose of Real-Time
Understanding the foundations to Best Practice and Future opportunity. 45mins
15:30
Panel Discussion
Multi-Channel Planning
The panel will discuss the challenges they encounter planning for channels such as Back Office, Webchat and Asynchronous Chat and how they have overcome them plus their top tips for planning effectively. 45mins
Friday 28th March
09.30
Keynote
25 Years of Innovation & Transformation
Learn from the Innovation & Transformation Awards. 45mins
10:30
Panel Discussion
Telling a Story with Numbers
Hear from organisations who have transformed their approach to reporting and meetings. 45mins
13:30
Endnote
Raising Standards
Closing the week with practical tips on how to use learning to drive action and raise standards. 45mins

Speakers

Jen Allen
Senior Planning Manager
Sky UK
Phil Anderson
CEO
The Forum
Stephen Banim
Senior Workforce Management Analyst
indeed
Ian Birch
WFM Operations Manager
HGS UK
Alison Conaghan
Specialist
The Forum
Luke Cuthbertson
Practice Lead - Speech and Conversational Analytics
FourNet
Amy Hill
Capacity Planning Manager
Assurant
Lynette Martin
Head of Planning
Capita Regulated Services
David McGuire
Head of Workforce Planning & Operational Insights
AXA Direct & Partnership
Sandip Patel
Senior CX Insight Analyst
FourNet
Donna Rae
Resource Planning Manager
NATS Aviation & Aerospace
Chris Rainsforth
Director
The Forum
Ian Robertson
Specialist
The Forum
Philip Stubbs
Partner
Atlantic Insight
Martin Teasdale
Founder
Get Out of Wrap
Dave Vernon
Director
The Forum
Donna Whyman
Specialist
The Forum
Scott Wilton
Head of WFM
HGS UK

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 £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 2025 Spring Customer Strategy & Planning conferences and Awards celebration or email events@theforum.social.