2021 Customer Strategy & Planning Speakers

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. 

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.

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

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.

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. 

Originally broadcast Tuesday 2nd July 09:30

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

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. 

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.

In a strategic collaboration, global retailer TJX and Davies revolutionised employee onboarding, focussing on decentralised training and soft skills. Incorporating digital learning and aligning with cultural values, they achieved a 300% investment return, which included a reduction in the glide path to productivity in the contact centre from 8 weeks to 6 weeks. This partnership not only enhanced employee engagement and customer service for TK Maxx and HomeSense but also established new benchmarks for training excellence, an increase in empathy and rapport with customers with a positive impact oncustomer loyalty.

Kevin showcases leadership through strategic team expansion and talent development. Learning from industry best practices, he diversified his team’s experiences, leading to innovative channels like WhatsApp. Internal training and personalised development plans ensure a robust talent pipeline. Kevin encourages individual growth, allowing flexible transitions within the team which stakeholders paid tribute to. Kevin’s commitment to excellence promises a future of continued success and adaptability.

OVO Energy, under Alex’s leadership, tackled integration challenges, fostering a culture of empowerment and innovation. Alex prioritised team empowerment, laying foundations for strategic decision-making and operational optimisation, with his goal for Shared Services to become ‘The Brain of the Operation’. Assessing teams for skills and mindset alignment, coupled with a focus on recognition and feedback, reinforced a customer-centric approach.

Through streamlined processes and a commitment to continuous improvement, Iain achieved significant savings and operational efficiencies. By fostering a culture of learning and embracing challenges, Iain empowered his team to excel and innovate. He exemplifies the potential for personal growth within the organisation, with a focus on operational excellence and customer satisfaction.

Kristie-Leigh spearheaded a transformative journey in workforce management, with an  emphasis on communication, collaboration, and employee well-being. Through initiatives like Flexi-breaks, My Day and Uni-flex, she has helped shape a culture of accountability and inclusivity, reducing shrinkage and increasing coverage. Kristie-Leigh’s dedication to personal development and support for colleagues inspires others to embrace change, drive innovation, and prioritise the welfare of their teams.

This platform, a brainchild of collaborative efforts between the development team and operational stakeholders, has revolutionised the way business is conducted, ushering in a new era of efficiency, connectivity, and streamlined operations. The adoption of Firstlink has heralded a new dawn for the organisation, propelling it towards greater efficiency, connectivity, and operational excellence.

Innovation isn’t just about groundbreaking ideas; it’s about promoting a culture where every voice is heard, and every challenge is met with collaborative solutions. Firstflex illustrates how it allows team members to engage in various projects based on their interests. Learn how Firstsource developed their own technology in pursuit of sustainability, underscoring the team’s commitment to fostering innovation from within.

Learn how eBay are nurturing personal and professional growth within the team, underlining the organisation’s commitment to continuous improvement and talent development. By prioritising personal and professional growth, eBay is poised to unlock the full potential of its workforce, driving sustained success and organisational resilience in the ever-evolving business landscape.

Originally broadcast Friday 12th October, 12:30

Hear from Forum Hero Busola Akinsola, as she talks about her commitment to learning and continual improving. 

Originally broadcast Monday 9th October, 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.

Originally broadcast Monday 9th October, 09:30

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.

Uncover opportunities to raise customers’ experience of your brand and focus on what matters most. Ed Creasey charts the major new insights from Calabrio’s latest research.

See what contact centre agents are looking for in employers. Filling vacancies used to be easy. Full time? No problem. Temporary staff? Easy. All within 10 miles of the contact centre? Sure. But fast forward to today, and this is no longer the case.

A Leap Of Faith is an act of believing in or attempting something whose existence or outcome cannot be proven or known.

So much of the work we do with our clients around culture change requires a leap of faith. Without taking action, 'giving it a go', doing something differently or experimenting with a 'new way', NOTHING changes. Let me repeat this NOTHING changes. Yet the majority of human beings need some kind of 'proof' that it will all work out BEFORE they are prepared to take 'that action'.

Originally broadcast Wednesday 17th May 2023, 13:15

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!

Originally broadcast Monday 15th May 2023, 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.

Originally broadcast Monday 15th May 2023, 09:30

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 thought 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.

We build strength when we focus on how we collaborate and who we do this with. When we bring together trusted data, analysis and insight alongside a group of people with a collective desire to improve, we can achieve greatness.

Alvaria Automate™ Attended and  Alvaria Automate™ Unattended allows centres to optimise normal and repetitive operational activities and automate error-prone tasks through robotic process automation (RPA) —improving accuracy, efficiency and consistency, while helping maintain compliance. 

Originally broadcast Friday 18th November 2022, 12:30

Hear from a Forum Hero and organisations who have taken a team approach to learning.

Originally broadcast Thursday 17th November 2022, 12:30

Join eGain for a discussion on Knowledge Hubs and how to Turbocharge your CX and AX with KX (Knowledge-Guided Experience).

Originally broadcast Tuesday 15th November 2022, 12:30

The Struggle is Real: Insider Tips to Empower Your Remote Agent. Join this insightful and lively fireside between renowned experts Chris Rainsforth of the Forum and Huw Jones, Workforce Management Guru at Verint.