2025 Best Practice Guide
Raising Standards

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These webinars are hosted by The Forum or in association with our partners. Register for the upcoming webinars below. New webinars will be added here as they are added to the calendar.

Catch up with past webinars.

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2024 Planning Awards: Kristie-Leigh Armstrong at BT Group

2024 Planning Awards

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.

2024 Planning Awards: Iain McFarlane at DHL

2024 Planning Awards

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.

2024 Planning Awards: Zach Haddenham at eBay

2024 Planning Awards

Zach’s journey at eBay showcases the transformative impact of curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. From simplifying processes to implementing ground-breaking features, Zach’s proactive approach has not only solved long-standing challenges but also inspired others to embrace learning and teamwork, setting a blueprint for success in today’s dynamic customer operations landscape.

2024 Planning Awards: Mohamed Nasr at emovis

2024 Planning Awards

Mohamed led the implementation of the Genesys system at emovis. Through comprehensive testing with a test team and frontline feedback integration, he was able to ensure the necessary adjustments for operational efficiency. Colleague commendations highlighted Mohamed’s strong planning skills and proactive attitude, with his innovative suggestions proving successful. His contributions exemplify a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.

2024 Planning Awards:Kat McCarron at Hiscox

2024 Planning Awards

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: Michael Ferrera at indeed

2024 Planning Awards

Michael champions accessible data presentation, pre-emptive issue identification, and real-time response strategies. His approachability and dedication to learning earn praise from stakeholders, while his collaborative spirit fosters a culture of innovation. Projects include self-scheduling implementation and a shift towards future-focused data analysis. Michael’s efforts not only streamline operations but also cultivate a data-centric culture.

2024 Planning Awards: Stephen Banim at indeed

2024 Planning Awards

Stephen implemented innovative forecasting methods, driving efficiency and cost reduction through leveraging data-driven insights. Collaborative solutions, guided by his effective communication style, helped tackle challenges such as integrating new features like chat. Stephen exemplifies the transformative power of experience and strategic thinking, setting a standard for excellence in modern workforce management.

2024 Planning Awards: Cameron Croxon at Motorway

2024 Planning Awards

Cameron’s partnership-driven approach to workforce planning at Motorway showcases transformative outcomes. By prioritising collaboration, his team achieved a 13% FTE saving, equating to £1.3 million in savings. Challenges like manual administrative tasks were reduced by 23%. Cameron’s leadership style has an emphasis on delegation, integration, and continuous improvement, driving efficiency and skill development within the workforce.

2024 Planning Awards: Kieran Ridley at Newcastle Building Society

2024 Planning Awards

Transitioning from operational backgrounds to strategic planning, Kieran embraced change and innovation while navigating integration challenges. He implemented Workforce Management solutions, streamlined processes, and introduced a centralised bereavement team to enhance service delivery and mitigate risks. With a focus on accuracy and efficiency in forecasting, he demonstrated resilience and adaptability in managing staffing levels and call volumes. Continuous learning and improvement underscore his commitment.

2024 Planning Awards: Lauren Laycock at NFU Mutual

2024 Planning Awards

Lauren doubled the complaints department’s headcount, guided by data-driven insights to enhance efficiency. Lauren’s adept stakeholder engagement gained trust and elevated operational performance. Her journey underscores adaptability, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous improvement, resulting in tangible outcomes such as improved service levels and complaint resolution rates.

2024 Planning Awards: Alex Gold at OVO Energy

2024 Planning Awards

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.

2024 Planning Awards: Sam Collings at OVO Energy

2024 Planning Awards

Sam renewed the approach to recruitment and training. With her approach, the blend of weekend and remote workers has enhanced operational efficiency and relieved pressure on agents whilst improving morale. Embracing social media, they maintained service levels and reduced contact volume, achieving a 70% satisfaction rate and a 33% decrease in queries. Sam’s data analytics have driven continuous improvement, enabling personalised service and proactive customer engagement.

Kevin White at VitalityHealth

2024 Planning Awards

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.

2024 Planning Awards: Michelle Adshead at VitalityHealth

2024 Planning Awards

Michelle led a pioneering project, promoting work-life balance by empowering employees to choose their shifts. Positive feedback ensued, prompting the implementation of a shift swap feature for enhanced efficiency. Work-life balance scores provided valuable insights, demonstrating the organisation’s commitment to employee well-being. Michelle’s adaptability and vision earned widespread acclaim.

2024 Planning Awards: Kirsty Ritchie at Wheatley Housing

2024 Planning Awards

Kirsty has led on optimisation, by removing inefficient tasks to allow more value-add activities like extending the planning window and gaining the benefits like planning for recruitment. Her focus on longer term planning ensures that peak is now well managed and easier for all. Kirsty is well respected and is committed not only to continuous learning & development but also to sharing skills and new learning with her peers.
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