Attracting and Retaining The Skills For The Future.

I was at a recent event and talking to a Director of Customer Experience about the changing roles within the customer market, as well as the perception vs the reality of the pace of change, given that voice is still a prominent and, in many organisations, still the leading channel of contact.

For me, the biggest challenge to organisations across our sector is attracting the individuals we need to deliver the future workforce, those that will deliver the cross-channel customer experience today, whilst retaining and developing this talent for the future to take on new and varied roles.

Customer Experience Stars

The start of a New Year, we don’t know about you but it always brings about a time of self reflection, of improvement, of new beginnings, even for those of us who strive for continued development and leanings throughout the year.

At the end of last year, Douglas Jackson received an amazing and unexpected accolade.

The Customer Experience Magazine published its Top 50 CX Stars.  Hannah Louise Cox, Executive Search Consultant, was announced in the Top 25 Customer Experience Professionals, the only recruitment professional to make this list and the only non-recruitment business owner to make the top 50 and Michelle Ansell, Managing Partner, was announced No 8 in the Customer Experience Influencers list, amongst the top 3 female influencers and the highest ranking recruitment industry professional within the list.

Stability In a Changing Market

Well, we are hours away from yet another time in our economic climate whereby decisions of our country are going to be remembered in history. Whatever your opinions on what has happened, is happening, or about to happen, there is no doubt that what we are facing as a country has an effect on us day to day in business.

How has the current economic situation affected your business, or business area?

Europe’s finest- ECCCSAs 2019

It was the biggest yet, with 1300 attendees from over 24 countries arriving at the Battersea Evolution for the 2019 European Contact Centre and Customer Service Awards.

This year the event was hosted once again by Fiona Bruce, who was joined by boxing legend Frank Bruno, who was funny, warm and a pleasure to meet. Frank also talked about his thoughts on dealing with mental health issues and his charitable work to help others through the Frank Bruno Foundation.

The Future of Work in Contact Centres

The Future of Work in Contact Centres was this years theme and a topical subject for the annual CCMA UK National Contact Centre Conference, which was once again held at the fabulous British Library.

This event is always an informative, content packed conference and a highlight of the calendar and if you didn’t know already, totally free to CCMA members.

Ann-Marie opened the conference and introduced our first speaker Professor Moira Clark from the Henley Business School with ‘Customer Experience and the Ageing Workforce’.  Moira outlined the challenges in customer management for 2019;

People – employee engagement, quality and skills.

Culture – customer centricity and the ability to adapt to change

Customers – turning feedback into realistic actions

Voice Still King in Retail

I had the opportunity of attending a retail round-table event hosted by Ann-Marie Stagg and the CCMA in London last week, titled ‘The Future of Retail’.

As you would expect, AI and Bots were heavily featured, although interestingly, voice was still a channel of choice, or ultimate destination for many of retail consumers.

Ann-Marie kicked us off and introduced Ben Page from Ipsos Mori, who was followed by Marcus Hickman, both market research, customer insight and data organisations.

 

Retained Recruiter Academy

At Douglas Jackson, we are committed to keeping ourselves abreast with new and best industry practises, as well as brushing up on the more traditional ones. As a Senior Consultant within the business, and with over 8 years dedicated service, it was great to represent Douglas Jackson at the Retained Recruitment Academy in London last week. A lot of what was spoken about drew strong parallels with me, and the way in which I prefer to work – being solutions driven, driven by success, providing long term business benefit, being flexible, adaptable and innovative, and also taking ownership of oneself and one’s actions.

Customer Experience Awards 2019

A 10th year anniversary for Awards International and the UK Customer Experience Awards.

With almost 30 categories and 150 judges, the event was back at the amazing venue of Wembley Stadium, with the pitch being painstakingly prepared for the NFL game at the weekend.

I am proud to be involved in the judging of these awards for the last 9 years now and each year I come away enlightened and invigorated by the stories and passion of the presentation.

The Culture Code for Customer Experience and launch of The Judge Club.

An early breakfast at The Ivy Covent Garden for the launch of ‘The Judge Club’ from Awards International.

This independent, not for profit body has been created to help on board new judges, offer networking opportunities and advice across the UK with various events throughout the year and to improve, develop and maintain the standards of judging, to ensure the awards are seen as a significant achievement across the markets and disciplines for all award entries.

Retained Search – Not Just For The C-Suite

Retained Search is not just for the C-Suite.  It is a highly effective, thorough, professional process to enable you to make informed decisions targeting and hiring the right talent, skills and behaviours you need.

When hiring the right person is so critical, why do so many organisations rely on internal recruiters, PSL’s, advertisements, or contingency recruitment, many of which will fail to secure the best talent available for the role.

The Digital Experience Awards 2019

Again, I had the pleasure of judging at this years’ UK Digital Experience Awards in London.

What impresses me most about these events is the passion that the finalists have about their entries and their work in order to get to these finals! I chaired the judging panel for the Change & Transformation category, and passion was certainly to be found in its abundance during the presentations that I saw. In particular during the winning entry’s.

Customer Success, it isn’t Customer Experience (at least not yet)

Customer Success, it isn’t Customer Experience. (at least not yet)

There is much talk across the customer community as to the rise of Customer Success and for some, some confusion as to how this now affects Customer Experience.

Around the World in 80 Days- #ECCCSA18

So to the most prestigious event in the contact centre and customer service calendar. The European Contact Centre and Customer Service Awards.  Once again held at the Battersea Evolution, this years theme ‘Around the world in 80 days’ a fitting reflection with over 1,200 Customer Experience and Contact Centre professionals with finalists from 19 countries and with 28 winners.

‘Delivering World Class Service With a Human Touch’ – UK National Contact Centre Conference 2018

Ann-Marie Stagg and the CCMA, held the UK National Contact Centre Conference 2018 at the British Library. The theme; Delivering World Class Service With a Human Touch.

The event sponsored by Genesys was an extremely well attended event. Free to CCMA members, the event is packed full of content ,with speakers having short sharp ‘no sales pitch’ 20 minute slots.

UK Customer Experience Awards 2018

This week we were back to the magnificent backdrop of Wembley Stadium for the UK Customer Experience Awards 2018.

Now in it’s 9th year, the event was, once again, a jam packed day full day of judging, with over 30 categories and 130 or so judges.