Winners and Losers – January 2013

We like to start the new year on a positive note, so here we bring you news of award wins for Customer Plus, NICE, City Park Technologies, Novacroft, Fusion, data8, contract win for HEROtsc and news for Azzurri and Red Box Recorders.

Customer Plus named finalists in Marketing Excellence Awards

Derbyshire-based management consultancy Customer Plus has been shortlisted in the Customer Experience category of the 2013 CIM Marketing Excellence Awards, which celebrate the best of the marketing achievements in the UK during the past year.

The Duffield-based company was nominated for its ground-breaking work in delivering its Moments of Truth customer service excellence programme to Ford Retail’s 70 dealerships and 3,300 staff across the UK.

The nomination follows a victory for the Moments of Truth campaign in the Automotive/Transport category of the 2010 CIM Marketing Excellence Awards.

Richard Beevers, director of Customer Plus, said: “To be nominated again for the same campaign is hugely exciting. It represents a ringing endorsement for the on-going success of our programme delivery with the Ford Retail centres.”

“The fact that it has been sustained at such a high level for more than three years is thanks to some excellent work by the team at Customer Plus combined with the refreshing and positive reception it has received from staff of all levels at Ford Retail.”

Customer Plus is up against seven other finalists (include Aebi Schmidt UK Ltd, Celtic Quest Coasteering, Chatsworth House Trust, Motability Operations, RS Components, Shell UK Ltd and Tesco.) Hoping to be announced as the winner at a prestigious awards dinner hosted in London at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 6th March 2013.

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NICE receives Innovation Award

NICE Systems is the recipient of a 2012 Ventana Research Technology Innovation Award for operational innovation in the contact centre.  NICE was recognised for its Cross-Channel Interaction Analytics solution, a technology that advances contact centre operations and promotes overall business effectiveness.

“I congratulate NICE for its win in the category of operational innovation in the contact centre,” said Mark Smith, CEO and Chief Research Officer, Ventana Research. “NICE’s solutions for the contact centre stands out with their analytics technology, which has helped many businesses streamline their operations by engaging in more effective customer interactions across channels.”

“Customer interactions are becoming increasingly complex to manage, as customers today have more choices across more channels. In this environment, businesses must have the necessary tools to address customer needs and provide excellent service before these customers even reach the contact centre,” said Yochai Rozenblat, President of the NICE Enterprise Group.

“Our interaction analytics technology is impressive, but also practical. It helps businesses effectively manage customer interactions in order to reduce call volume and improve business operations.”

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City Park Technologies wins at Excellence Awards

Glasgow-based City Park Technologies has won a coveted CCA Excellence Award for Best Outsourcing Partnership in recognition for its partnership with American Express.

City Park Technologies, a provider of business process outsourcing services, has been working with the company to provide their credit card customers with additional services.

Gerald Murphy, Sales Director at City Park Technologies, says, ‘We work closely with all of our clients and this industry-wide recognition is testament to the strong relationships we have developed, both at management and agent level. Over the years we have developed our service by responding to changes in the market and importantly the feedback from customers, so we are thrilled to have our partnership recognized in this way.’

The CCA Excellence Awards are designed to recognise achievements of individuals and organisations committed to delivering outstanding customer service.

Anne Marie Forsyth, Chief Executive of the CCA, said “These were the most hotly contested awards CCA has ever held – a huge congratulations to the winners who truly represent the very best in customer service.”

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Novacroft recognised at awards

Novacroft (a Northamptonshire-based organisation designing, developing and managing end-to-end smartcard ticketing solutions within the bus and rail industries) was thrilled to be awarded the Training & Development Award at the Northamptonshire Business Excellence Awards 2012, on a night which also saw Novacroft’s Tracey Barnes (Senior Contact Centre Team Leader) recognised as runner-up in the Unsung Employee of the Year Award.

Novacroft’s winning entry for the Training & Development Award focused on the key training delivered in summer 2012 for new business where 96 new team members were trained via four four-day intensive training courses, delivered thanks to Novacroft’s Trainer and Training Champions.

Tracey Barnes’s runner-up entry follows her internal recognition as Novacroft’s SuperHero 2011, as part of Operation Springboard (an internal initiative aimed at improving operational performance). Tracey’s entry focused on the same efforts that led to her being crowned Novacroft’s SuperHero 2011, plus her work in supporting the Contact Centre Manager, in leading a large team of contact centre advisors, her involvement in recruitment and training, her own personal training successes and her work in meetings leading to new business wins.

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Fusion Sunderland employees are on a winning streak

Fusion Sunderland has awarded one of its Contact Centre Managers a £20,000 car of his choice in recognition of his annual performance.  Having performed outstandingly in the 2011/12 review, Mark Brannen was entered into a prize draw along with 52 of his high level performing BGL colleagues from across the UK. This is the second year a Fusion Sunderland employee has been randomly selected in the draw.

BGL Group Chief Executive, Peter Winslow said: “The BGL Performance draw is a great way for us to recognise the invaluable contribution our employees make to the success of our business. Mark was amongst 52 people across the UK who exceeded expectations, demonstrating what a fantastic team of people we have.  His work ethic, not to mention his charitable contributions, make Mark a very worthy winner.”

Mark Brannen commented, “I am over the moon to have won such a fantastic prize. When I learned my name had been drawn, I couldn’t believe my luck as there were so many employees who had exceeded expectations this year. My friends and family are amazed that BGL Group and Fusion offers such incredible incentives and they have all been asking how they get a job here! I must also say a huge thank you to my brilliant colleagues, as without their help and support, I couldn’t have achieved all that I have. Fusion Sunderland really is an exceptional place to work.”

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IDM success for three at data8

Data8, the data enrichment specialist, have announced that Bernie McCool, David Johnson and Richard Davies have successfully completed the IDM Award in Data Management, which is the first professional qualification in the UK that recognises the importance of customer data as today’s most valuable business asset.

David Johnson, client services manager, data8, said, ‘I am delighted to have qualified in a course geared to data management. It has broadened my understanding of our industry.’

Antony Allen, managing director, data8, said ,‘I am pleased and proud of all their achievements, at data8 we like to give all our employees the opportunity to continue their lifelong learning.’

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HEROtsc wins three-year Office Depot contract

HEROtsc, a contact centre company, has been re-appointed by Office Depot to handle all of their customer service engagement for the Viking brand.

The contract, a three-year extension, will continue to be operated out of the Rothesay and Dearne Valley contact centres.

Andy Doig, COO at HEROtsc, said: “HEROtsc’s re-appointment by Office Depot is a huge testament to the hard work and excellent service our people in Rothesay and Dearne Valley have been delivering daily for Office Depot.”

“Importantly, the quality and professionalism of the staff in the two centres we have working on this account is of the highest standard and the centres have performed outstandingly since Office Depot first appointed us.

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Azzurri retains Platinum Partner status with Avaya

Azzurri Communications has retained its Avaya Platinum Business Partner status for 2013. The firms have one of the longest-standing vendor-systems integrator partnerships in the industry, having provided contact centre solutions to UK enterprise customers for over 15 years.

David Groves, Senior Product Manager, Azzurri Communications, said: “We’re delighted to retain this prestigious accreditation: our customers expect Azzurri to work with only the best of breed suppliers and Avaya is certainly that. We’ve had a long and distinguished history of delivering excellent projects together and we have an exceptional joint customer list, with many of the UK’s top insurers, utilities and retailers benefiting from our combined skills and expertise.”

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Red Box Recorders celebrates

Red Box Recorders, the voice and data recording company, has been recognised for the quality of service it provides to customers. The company has been awarded the ISO 9001 quality management certification.

The ISO 9001 accreditation process has validated Red Box’s quality management documentation, systems and procedures that ensure they meet the needs of customers and achieve statutory and regulatory requirements related to their recording solutions. It covers all aspects of the company’s business including facilities, people, training, services and equipment.

Lee Jones, COO of Red Box Recorders, commented: “The accreditation ensures we possess the necessary quality systems that underpin our operation to achieve high levels of customer service, staff motivation and ongoing improvement.”

Contract win

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has chosen Red Box Recorders for the provision of a voice recording solutions. The software solution will be installed across three contact centres that are used for patient appointment scheduling and the Staff Bank, which provides temporary staffing cover for nursing, healthcare and administrative requirements.

Red Box has teamed up with Provista IP Communications to implement the solution. The system will enable it to monitor and record all calls that take place within the contact centres to support staff coaching and training, as well as help manage complaints with effective dispute resolution.

Karen McSweeney at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde commented: “The voice recording solution from Red Box is a proven solution the integrates effectively with our IP telephony system to meet our precise business and operational needs. As a result, it will help us enhance our training, dispute resolution, user experience and quality assurance moving forward.”