2025 Best Practice Guide
Raising Standards

Conferences

The Forum holds key conferences through out the year including our flagship Spring Customer Strategy and Planning, Summer Best Practice Showcase and Autumn #RaisingStandards conferences that offer a great opportunity to learn, share and network.

2025 Spring Customer Strategy & Planning Conference (In-person)

Tuesday 29th April 2025, Grand Hotel Gosforth Park, Newcastle

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

2025 Summer Best Practice Showcase (In-person)

Thursday 12th June 2025, Park Royal Hotel, Stretton, Cheshire

Learn WHAT our award finalists are doing to continue “Raising Standards in Customer Operations”
This conference offers a unique chance for you to learn directly from our Awards winners. You will hear from the teams and individuals who are making a difference in their business, powerful partnerships whether that is with a technology provider or an outsource partnership. Finally, you can discover how large transformation projects have made massive changes in any business.

2025 Summer Best Practice Showcase (Virtual)

16th June - 22nd August 2025

Learn WHAT our award finalists are doing to continue “Raising Standards in Customer Operations”
This conference offers a unique chance for you to learn directly from our Awards winners. You will hear from the teams and individuals who are making a difference in their business, powerful partnerships whether that is with a technology provider or an outsource partnership. Finally, you can discover how large transformation projects have made massive changes in any business.

2025 Autumn: #RaisingStandards (Virtual)

13th - 17th October 2025

Learn HOW you can apply "Best Practice"
Designed specifically for Planning, Insight and Quality & Customer Experience Professionals. Learn first-hand from practitioners and business leaders who are delivering successful change whilst having the opportunity to collaborate with others. Bring new ideas and techniques back that will raise standards within your “Customer Operation”.

2025 Autumn Conference #RaisingStandards (In-Person)

Wednesday 5th November 2025, Coventry Building Society Arena

Learn HOW our community is applying “Best Practice”
This conference is designed specifically for Planning, Insight and Quality & Customer Experience Professionals. Learn first-hand from practitioners and business leaders who are delivering successful change whilst having the opportunity to collaborate with others. Bring new ideas and techniques back that will raise standards within your “Customer Operation”.

On-Demand Conferences

Catch up on the presentations from our previous conferences.
Endnote: Raising Standards

Endnote: Raising Standards

Originally broadcast Friday 28th March 2025 at 13:30

Closing the week with practical tips on how to use learning to drive action and raise standards. 

25 Years of Innovation & Transformation Keynote

25 Years of Innovation & Transformation Keynote

Originally broadcast Friday 28th March at 09:30

Celebrating 25 years of the Innovation & Transformation Awards, this keynote takes a look back from a finalist and judges perspective. Discussing key industry shifts, from workforce flexibility and real-time analytics to automation and omnichannel experiences. We will also explore what the next 25 years of Raising Standards could look like.

Technology Showcase: Verint

Technology Showcase: Verint

Originally broadcast Wednesday 26th March at 12:30

Moving from AI Experiments to AI Success in the Contact Centre and Beyond
Hear inspiring success stories from Verint customers who have transformed their operations with AI. Learn how they overcame challenges, achieved efficiencies, and delivered exceptional customer experiences. Discover practical steps to move from AI experiments to tangible successes, and gain insights for your own AI initiatives.

Membership Panel Discussion

Membership Panel Discussion

Originally broadcast Monday 24th March 2025, 10:30

Membership – The Value of a Professional Community
Talking with members Anglian Water Services, Aviva UKGI and PTSB 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

Opening Keynote - Raising Standards

Opening Keynote - Raising Standards

Originally broadcast Monday 24th March 2025, 09:30

The Forum has spent 25 years building a vibrant, future-focused community that embraces change, disrupts complacency, and fuels innovation. As we look ahead to the next 25 years, the challenge isn’t just keeping up—it’s leading the way. Join us on this journey of continuous improvement, where we redefine what’s possible, break through limitations, and shape the future of business excellence.

Learning & Development with The Forum

Learning & Development with The Forum

Originally broadcast Monday 14th October 2024, 13:30

Hear from Chris and Dave, Directors at The Forum as they take you through some of the learning journeys of our members and how our cloud-based Learning Management System is enhancing the learner experience. 

Panel Discussion: Standards Benchmarking

Panel Discussion: Standards Benchmarking

Originally broadcast Monday 14th October 2024, 12:30

Hear from members who have completed the Standards Benchmarking process to understand how they approached the self-assessment process and implemented change from their learning. 45mins

Opening Keynote - Shaping the Future

Opening Keynote - Shaping the Future

Originally broadcast Monday 14th October 2024, 10:30

This year we challenged you to Shape Your Future, but is the future already here?

Partnership Perfection: Hear from our associate heroes

Partnership Perfection: Hear from our associate heroes

Originally broadcast Thursday 4th July, 13:15

Join our Associate Heroes as they share their key ingredients for the perfect partnership

Best Practice Partnerships: Hear from the judges

Best Practice Partnerships: Hear from the judges

Originally broadcast Wednesday 3rd July, 10:30

In this session our Partnership Awards Judges will share their highlights from this year's finalists stories. Sharing what has inspired them, and the learning that they have taken from the process

Innovation Winners: Bank of Ireland & TSB

Innovation Winners: Bank of Ireland & TSB

Originally broadcast Wednesday 3rd July, 09:30

Hear from Best Practice in Branch Planning winners Bank of Ireland and the Planning Team of the Year, TSB.

Opening Keynote: How to Learn

Opening Keynote: How to Learn

Originally broadcast Tuesday 2nd July 09:30

How you can use this week to learn from our members. 

Endnote: Shaping the future: supporting your best next actions

Endnote: Shaping the future: supporting your best next actions

Originally broadcast on Friday 17th May, 12:30.

Rounding off the virtual conference and first stage of this year's best practice programme with inspiration, ideas and clear next steps. This endnote will support your learning, and give you takeaway ideas on how to turn this into an action plan. 

Opening Keynote: Shaping the Future

Opening Keynote: Shaping the Future

Originally broadcast Monday 13th May, 09:30

How can we prepare ourselves for whatever happens? How can we think forward and be confident with our best next decisions?

Hear from The Forum’s team of Specialists as they each share their inspiration thoughts on how to Shape the Future.

2024 Partnership Awards: Verint & Vitality Health

2024 Partnership Awards: Verint & Vitality Health

This collaborative and professional partnership has revolutionised back office operations and enhanced customer experiences at Vitality Health. The deployment of Verint Operational Manager has given visibility, streamlined processes, improved data analytics, and facilitated better demand planning. The outcome was not only a substantial increase in operational efficiency but also a significant reduction in customer complaint resolution times, reduced from two months to 72 hours. A strong sense of professionalism and a governance framework has been key to delivering and demonstrating the success of this implementation.
 
2024 Partnership Awards: CMS and Student Loans

2024 Partnership Awards: CMS and Student Loans

This strong, responsive, and mature partnership has delivered the first ever integration of the OPX back-office system with NICE, and the first integration that NICE has had with a back-office system. Student Loans now has full visibility of staff across the estate, allowing for the dynamic allocation of staff to different roles based on changing needs and operational priorities. Frequent and transparent communication at many levels, and easy access for the SLC team with CMS developers really helped to deliver a solution that meets their customers’ needs. ROI is very impressive, with £925k in year one and savings of up to £3.6m per annum.
2024 Planning Awards:Kat McCarron at Hiscox

2024 Planning Awards:Kat McCarron at Hiscox

Kat led initiatives to enhance planning for admin and outbound calling, improving efficiency and customer service. By scheduling dedicated admin time and implementing an outbound booking tool, agents experienced reduced pressure and increased productivity. Collaboration with the operations team streamlined referrals, while understanding underwriters’ workload improved processes and built stronger relationships.
2024 Planning Awards: Leeds Bradford Airport Planning Team

2024 Planning Awards: Leeds Bradford Airport Planning Team

This team revolutionised operations by adopting data-driven planning, refining stakeholder engagement, and streamlining processes, planning for security operations. Customer satisfaction saw huge improvements following queue times plummeting from 24 to 6.5 minutes and improved communication internally optimised resource planning and reduced errors. They removed inefficiencies, boosted employee satisfaction, and were able to attract high-quality recruits as a result. Through a culture of innovation and collaboration, they set a new standard for excellence in the aviation industry.
2024 Innovation & Transformation Awards: Enhancing Operational Efficiency at Leeds Bradford Airport

2024 Innovation & Transformation Awards: Enhancing Operational Efficiency at Leeds Bradford Airport

In a bid to bolster operational efficiency and foster employee engagement, Leeds Bradford Airport undertook a transformative journey built on core planning principles and operational effectiveness. Through candid discussions and strategic foresight, the team navigated challenges and harnessed opportunities, heralding a new era of organisational resilience and employee empowerment.
2024 Innovation & Transformation Awards: Enhancing Efficiency and Engagement across 169 Branches at Bank of Ireland

2024 Innovation & Transformation Awards: Enhancing Efficiency and Engagement across 169 Branches at Bank of Ireland

Bank of Ireland has embarked on a transformative journey aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency, and employee engagement across its branch network. Through the implementation of new systems and working practices, the bank is not only streamlining operations but also fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
Operational Readiness

Operational Readiness

This video is to accompany the article in the 2024 Best Practice Guide: Shaping the Future
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Book for one of our events to experience our exceptional community or get in touch to talk about how we can help you and your teams to be fully effective in adding value to your business. Email advice@theforum.social, call 0333 123 5960 or contact any of The Forum Team