Team Structure

Benchmarking key considerations for now and the future to understand best practice and readiness for whatever is next.

Categories: Library

Operational Support Report from Douglas Jackson

Douglas Jackson have published their Operational Support Report for 2025 offering opinion on what 2025 holds for the Operational Support functions. As part of this, they collate Salary Benchmarking for Senior Planning and Insight roles. We have summarised the key points raised within this report along with the benchmarking salary information and thank Perry Fletcher for sharing this insight with us and our community. Follow the QR Code if you would like to read the report in its entirety.

Categories: Library

The Challenge of Attrition

Attrition is a huge challenge for many of our members and we see a huge range, with external attrition ranging from 1.1% to 64%. For some, high attrition and rapid turnover drive up costs. They can’t deliver great service. For a few, low attrition can bring its own challenges.

Categories: Library

Beyond the Benchmark

Understanding the true industry standard for service levels. In this article we will explore the origins of the service level along with the variations that are being used to understand the right metric for your organisation.

Categories: Library

Shrinkage Benchmarking: understanding how we use time

What do the numbers mean and how can you compare your business against others?

Categories: Library

Understanding Standards and Creating a Learning Culture

Benchmarking is a critical skill for every professional, however, so called “industry standards” are often out of date and represent lazy benchmarking. The Forum aims to promote and elevate the art of benchmarking from “averages” to actionable learning. This article is designed to support the data presented in this year’s Best Practice Guide, challenge your thinking and help you to draw out meaningful learning so you can do something different.

Categories: Library

Challenging, Learning, Growing: The Assisted Learning Pathway Experience

Learning something new isn’t always easy. It can feel overwhelming, especially when juggling work, life, and everything in between. For those who joined The Forum’s Assisted Learning Pathway, it’s not just about learning new skills. It’s about changing how they think and work.

Categories: Library

Innovation and Transformation: From HBOS 2005 to Indeed 2024

Over the past two decades, the landscape of customer operations and business transformation has undergone remarkable change. From HBOS in 2005 to Indeed in 2024, priorities have shifted dramatically, evolving from workforce flexibility and process optimisation to AI-driven insights and hyper-personalised experiences. This journey reflects a continuous push toward innovation, efficiency, and customer-centricity.

Categories: Library

Partnership perfection: Shared Goals, Real Impact

What Makes a Great Partnership? The best partnerships don’t just happen – they are built on trust, shared goals, and a commitment to making things work. Over the years, we have seen a shift in how organisations collaborate. Last year’s article, “Partnership Perfection: Navigating the Future Together,” showed that the best partnerships go beyond transactions. They share a vision, blend well, and grow together.

Categories: Library

2025 Hybrid Working in the Contact Centre survey results: how does your centre compare?

The 4th survey in the Hybrid Working in the Contact Centre survey series (2016, 2019, 2022 and 2025) shows that hybrid working is here to stay. Learn what the most popular contact centre hybrid working models are today, about the main WFH/hybrid issues organisations are experiencing and the main benefits they are realising, how homeworker performance compares with office workers, and what technologies are being used to support WFH/hybrid operations. 100 UK contact centres were surveyed.

Categories: Library, Partner News, Whitepapers

The Evolution of Planning

First broadcast Tuesday 1st July 2025, 12:00

Some things will always matter. Businesses will always need to balance customer demand, employee needs, and business goals. Planning will still rely on data, but how that data is used will keep evolving.

Technology will continue to speed things up. AI and automation will take over more of the routine tasks, but that doesn’t mean planners will become less important.