2020 National Conference On-Demand

2024 Planning Awards: Cameron Croxon at Motorway

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

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

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

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

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.

2024 Planning Awards: Michelle Adshead at VitalityHealth

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

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.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: ACCA Quality Team

The ACCA Quality Team have transformed quality for their teams both domestically and internationally. By adopting a nuanced grading system and decentralised management, they tackled operational and cultural differences head-on. They not only harnessed technology for enhanced data analysis but also improved operational efficiency and integration across geographical locations. The outcome was a marked improvement in customer experience, demonstrating adaptability and innovation in educational quality assurance amidst modern challenges, with a strong emphasis on teamwork.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Benenden Health Be Smart Programme

Benenden Health’s Be Smart programme revolutionises healthcare service delivery by fostering a culture of continuous improvement and member satisfaction. Shifting from centralised change management, it empowers individuals across the organisation through a network of champions, covering 75% of business functions. This initiative has yielded significant results, including £165K savings and a 441% increase in return-on-investment by 2023, demonstrating the effectiveness of embedding a culture of proactive change and engagement across all levels.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Firstsource WFM Academy

Firstsource’s WFM Academy addresses the urgent need for upskilling and reskilling in a tech-evolving corporate world. Through bespoke, technologydriven learning programmes, it aims to bridge the global skill gap, enhancing workforce capabilities. This initiative has successfully uplifted employee skill levels by 16%, demonstrating its effectiveness in aligning with business strategies and fostering a culture of continuous learning. The Academy sets a benchmark in corporate learning, ensuring organisational adaptability and long-term success.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: HGS Quality Team

HGS introduced ‘Quality Central’ to revolutionise its quality management across diverse sectors. Facing challenges from manual, siloed processes, the quality team’s deployment of this centralised platform marked a significant shift. Through strategic design, stakeholder engagement, and client-specific implementation, the initiative led to enhanced performance metrics, improved customer satisfaction, and streamlined reporting. This transformation underscores the power of technological integration and strategic planning in optimising organisational efficiency.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: The AA CTC Team

The AA significantly improved its service by implementing end-to-end outcomes testing. This approach not only deepened understanding of the customer journey but also heightened regulatory compliance and operational efficiency. Key to success was engaging stakeholders early, fostering collaboration, and driving procedural changes that benefitted both customers and the business. This shift not only enhanced customer experience but also transformed the quality assurance team’s role, promoting a culture of constructive feedback and continuous improvement.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: The Open University Knowledge Management Team

The Open University, spearheaded by Liz Vosper, has advanced its knowledge management system, addressing initial challenges such as inadequate web content management skills. Their journey, characterised by innovation, collaboration, and a focus on accessibility, has significantly enhanced system efficiency. Implementing e-learning for content writers and improving accessibility standards, they’ve set a new benchmark in the field, showcasing their commitment to continuous improvement and user-centric design.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Utility Warehouse Operational Change & Improvement and Knowledge Management Teams

Utility Warehouse, a leading UK multi-service provider of energy, telecom, and insurance, embarked on a transformative journey to overhaul its operations. Spearheaded by their Operational Change department, the initiative saw the evolution of their Albert Evolve knowledge platform and the introduction of the Live Interactive Support Agent (LISA). Aimed at enhancing customer service efficiency, this transformation included rebranding, content optimisation, and extensive employee training, resulting in significant time and cost savings, improved platform engagement, and positive feedback from staff.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Water Plus Quality Team

Water Plus, the largest water retailer in the UK, is enhancing customer service and employee growth. Their approach includes comprehensive training, customer engagement, and strategic quality assurance. Initiatives like structured coaching, development programmes, and technology use for self-service have significantly improved customer satisfaction and employee morale. This focus on continuous improvement and strategic quality alignment has led to notable achievements in service delivery and operational efficiency.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Jess Baldock at DAS

In the customer service and QA sector, Jess Baldock’s journey with DAS has become a source of inspiration. Jess embarked on a transformative path, shifting the QA role from policing to nurturing, focussing on relationship-building, approachability, and tailored feedback. Through her innovative strategies, Jess overcame significant hurdles, leading to remarkable improvements in team morale, agent performance, and the overall perception of the QA function. Her story offers valuable lessons for enhancing employee engagement and redefining quality assurance processes.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Alice Fletcher at HGS

Alice spearheaded a transformative quality management initiative at Hindustan Global Solutions (HGS), significantly impacting its extensive global operations. By introducing Quality Central, a system meticulously designed to refine quality management processes, Alice not only streamlined operations but also nurtured a culture of continuous improvement. This strategic move revolutionised performance tracking significantly reduced administrative burdens, and marked a substantial leap towards operational excellence and strategic focus.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Ellie Robinson at Novuna

Ellie’s work at Novuna Consumer Finance exemplifies the transformative effect of centring both customers and colleagues in operational strategies. Her focus on empathetic, customer-centric training has significantly boosted performance, engagement, and service quality. Ellie’s efforts in simplifying processes and enhancing colleague capabilities have led to notable improvements, including reduced response times and increased stakeholder engagement. Her work underscores the value of empathy, strategic communication, and continuous improvement in operational training and development.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Linda Redfearn at Novuna

In an era demanding rapid and accurate information sharing for customer service excellence, Linda’s story shines as a beacon of innovation in knowledge management. Working as a Procedures Specialist, she transformed her organisation’s approach to managing, accessing, and utilising knowledge. With a focus on a user-friendly, centralised knowledge base, her journey from identifying inefficiencies to implementing strategic solutions showcases remarkable improvements in operational efficiency, engagement, and training quality, serving as an inspiring example for others.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Claire Donson at The AA

Claire’s journey at The AA illustrates the impact of resilience, collaboration, and education on driving organisational change. Facing initial challenges in report writing and confidence, her commitment to personal development and stakeholder engagement led to significant improvements. Through tailored communication and workshops, she enhanced cross-departmental relationships and customer outcomes, shifting towards a more inclusive culture. Her story highlights the transformative power of individual efforts in fostering a supportive, collaborative workplace environment.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Mel Coley at The AA

Mel’s story at The AA is a compelling narrative of strategic improvements and impactful changes in quality assurance. Highlighting empathy and collaboration, her focus on both customer and business outcomes led to notable enhancements in operational efficiency and team morale. Challenging traditional views and fostering continuous improvement, Claire’s customer-centric approach and commitment to team engagement have driven significant operational advancements, embodying a transformative journey in fostering a supportive, quality-driven culture.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Susan Drape-Comyn at The AA

Sue Drape-Comyn, a quality management innovator, revolutionised her team with coaching, mentoring, and empowerment. Prioritising personal development and team mobility, her approach enhanced organisational efficiency and team performance. This strategy resulted in high engagement scores, low absence rates, and outstanding compliance reviews, showcasing the power of genuine empowerment and succession planning. Sue’s leadership exemplifies how effective management can lead to significant organisational and individual growth.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Alana Pollard at The Open University

Alana at The Open University led the development of a Knowledge Management System (KMS) training programme, employing a learner-centric approach to overcome the inefficiencies of existing virtual training. Innovating with modular e-learning, interactive simulations, and instructional videos, she made the learning experience more engaging and relevant for content writers. Her work significantly enhanced role relevancy and the application of knowledge, showcasing the power of targeted educational design.

2024 Improvement & Quality Awards: Alexandra Jordan at Zopa

In the digital era, efficient knowledge management is essential for innovation and operational efficiency. Alexandra revolutionised the knowledge system at Zopa with “Zoracle,” a user-friendly hub for guides, videos, and updates, transforming scattered information into an accessible format. This strategic overhaul improved operational efficiency, enhanced employee performance, and fostered a culture of knowledge sharing. Zoracle’s success underscores the vital role of digital tools in organisational change, setting a benchmark in knowledge management.

2024 Data, Analytics & Insight Awards: Three Ireland Insight Team

The ROI insight team at Three Ireland have utilised Microsoft Power Apps to revamp internal processes and enhance workplace culture. This move aimed at ditching outdated communication methods for a more efficient, engaging approach to reporting. The initiative led to improved operational efficiency, higher employee engagement, and significant cost savings. Power Apps helped automate tasks, saving 900 hours annually and fostering a culture of innovation. Future plans include developing an “Everything App” and integrating AI to further advance their digital efforts.

2024 Data, Analytics & Insight Awards: The AA Forecasting Team

The AA’s forecasting team has been pivotal in optimising breakdown services through a predictive model linking weather data to breakdowns, improving resource allocation and response times. Their analysis has driven digital advancements, streamlining operations and enhancing customer interactions by filtering simpler queries online. They also evaluate economic and market trends for strategic planning. This work ensures The AA adapts efficiently to customer needs and maintains leadership in service excellence, highlighting the team’s essential role in operational and strategic decisions.

2024 Data, Analytics & Insight Awards: Homeserve Speech Analytics Team

HomeServe’s journey with speech analytics since 2015 transformed customer service, blending technology for efficiency and satisfaction. Initially aimed at operational improvements, it evolved with advanced telephony for better service delivery. This shift not only streamlined processes but also enriched customer interactions. Rich joined-up data is linking actions to outcomes and enabling continuous improvement. Their commitment to technological advancement has set new standards in customer care, highlighting the role of technology in enhancing service quality.

2024 Data, Analytics & Insight Awards: Angela Morton at BT Business

In BT’s defence sector, Amanda innovated reporting by transitioning from traditional, static methods to dynamic dashboards, enhancing decision-making for sensitive defence contracts. Facing high-security clearance challenges and the need for meticulous staff retention, her approach uses visual cues to highlight key metrics, significantly improving operational efficiency and strategic planning. This shift towards action-based reporting has been well-received, demonstrating the impact of adaptability and innovation in reporting within the sector.

2024 Data, Analytics & Insight Awards: Mike Connor at Capita Regulated Services

Mike’s journey at Capita exemplifies dedication, innovation, and collaborative spirit. Starting in 2014 as a customer service representative, his interest in operational efficiency led to his role as a performance analyst. Skilled in Power Query and Power BI, Mike turned SLA data into actionable insights, enhancing service delivery and customer satisfaction. Overcoming challenges with advanced tools, his work improved operational efficiency and inspired peers towards continuous improvement. A commitment to continuous learning and development is driving organisational success through data-driven decisions.

2024 Data, Analytics & Insight Awards: Ravi Kumar Samala at Firstsource

Firstsource Solutions revolutionised its risk management with a digital-first strategy, under Ravi’s leadership. This case study highlights the transition from expensive, rigid third-party tools to custom digital solutions, enhancing operational risk management and business continuity. Implementing in-house tools like the Operations Health Dashboard significantly cut costs and improved efficiency. This transformation not only saved £170,000 in licence costs over two years but also fostered a robust risk-aware culture, showcasing the impact of digital innovation on organisational resilience and efficiency.