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The deadline for entries is
Friday, 20 February 2026

Individual categories

The individual category gives you the opportunity to recognise those individuals in the business who have made a real difference.

Newcomer of the Year

This award will recognise non-managers working in a frontline role within a contact centre, who has been in post for a minimum of six months and a maximum of 12 months. The judges will be looking for evidence of exceptional vocational competence, achieving great results and making a difference within a short period of time, plus excellent interpersonal skills.

Sales Agent of the Year

This category is for individuals working at advisor grade in a sales capacity. It is appropriate for agents/advisors who have demonstrated exceptional levels of sales and vocational competence, in either a full or part time capacity. Entrants must demonstrate consistently high performance as an agent/advisor, achieve consistently strong results and make a real difference to their organisation.

Customer Service Agent of the Year

This category is for individuals working at advisor grade who have demonstrated exceptional levels of service and vocational competence, in either a full or part time capacity. The winner will be someone who goes above and beyond his or her day-to-day responsibilities to provide excellent customer service and support to their colleagues. Entrants must demonstrate consistently high performance as an adviser, achieve consistently strong results and make a real difference to their organisation.

Team Leader of the Year

This category is open to individuals who have been employed in the role for a minimum of six months and who demonstrate exceptional leadership, first-line management skills and vocational competence, in either a full or part time capacity. The Team Leader of the Year is a professional and inspirational person who leads by example and takes responsibility for the team. They ensure their colleagues’ experience of work is always a positive one. Entrants must demonstrate strong leadership, be results oriented, with a commitment to staff development, and have evidence of guiding their team to consistently high performance.

Support Excellence of the Year

Hero of the Year

This award will recognise your shining star – someone who has gone over and above the call of duty to enhance the smooth running of the operation. Finalists in this category will not have to attend panel judging as the winner will be selected from the written entry.

Team and company categories

Companies are made up of outstanding teams. Take this opportunity to celebrate the teams throughout the business.

Frontline Team of the Year

This category applies to all ‘Frontline Teams’ who sit directly within the contact centre and whose primary role is to engage with customers (B2B or B2C) service or sales. This may include (but not exclusive to) a specialist team such as escalations or a team of advisors within a larger centre, a team looking after a specific account, product or service. Consideration should be given to team spirit, performance against targets and objectives, the team’s biggest achievements in the past 6-12 months, innovation and leadership.

Best Special Initiatives

Recognition of Initiatives introduced in an ever-challenging year where cost to service, efficiency and innovation are at the heart of service excellence, special initiatives need to be recognised.

Greatest Impact of AI

This category is for organisations based in the region that have successfully deployed artificial intelligence (AI) into their contact centre or customer service operation. It may be a simple application that has had a significant impact, or a major programme that has transformed a process. Relevant examples for this category could include using AI to improve customer interactions such as driving personalisation; deployment of bots and messaging; AI solutions that improve employee productivity, analytics, insight, and planning. Your entry should include:

  • The overall strategy for AI and how this is evolving.
  • The rationale for deploying an AI solution and the approach taken to implementing it
  • The benefits to the customer and employees
  • How is this going to impact future plans.
This category is not for the technology solution itself; it is for how the technology has been implemented and maximised within the organisation. Joint nominations are welcomed from the organisation and their technology provider.

Best Approach to Supporting Vulnerable Customers

This category is for organisations based in the region who can justify how they support customers who have additional needs or vulnerabilities. These organisations will be able to evidence that they are able to quickly identify customers in vulnerable circumstances, have adapted their approach to support their needs and as a result have improved the customer experience. Entries should include:

  • How you identify vulnerabilities
  • How has your organisation changed its approach to meet the needs of its vulnerable customers.
  • Provide evidence of effective training and support for your team members
  • Show what impact this as had on colleague engagement and retention.
  • Provide evidence that the approach has increased customer satisfaction.

Best Complaints Handling Team

This award celebrates contact centres' complaints handling teams that deliver an exceptional complaints programme to their respective customers.

The programme will demonstrate, how complaints are positively embedded into the culture of the business. It will clearly and tangibly demonstrate one that resolves issues for customers in a timely, satisfactory and empathetic way. In addition, how the team gains Customer Insight & Feedback for the business, how the business then leverages this information in its pursuit for greater customer understanding.

In particular, demonstrating the recommendations for improvement in service, systems and process along with examples of where customer feedback has been used in innovative and advantageous ways.

The Complaints Programme should clearly show how it embraces diversity and inclusion recognising all employees and customers, that they are truly valued, regardless of age, disability, gender assignment, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation, ensuring that customers feel appreciated, valued and listened to, demonstrating impeccable levels of customer service throughout the complaints journey.

Contact Centre of the Year categories

Contact Centre of the Year