North East contact centre winners announced

Staff from some of the region’s 145 call centres have been honoured in Durham.

The event, organised by Sunderland City Council, rewarded runners-up and winners in 10 categories, with two companies scooping top awards.

Barclays Contact Centre, Sunderland, won the Contact Centre of the Year (over 100 employees) award, while housing provider Home Group won the Contact Centre of the Year (under 100 employees) category.

“The North East is a major UK player in the contact centre industry and that is thanks, in no small part, to the superb efforts of the men, women and companies honoured last night,” said Cllr Paul Watson, Leader of Sunderland City Council. “The evening was a fitting tribute to the professionalism, integrity and commitment which has made the North East a UK, if not a world, leader within the industry.”

The following awards were presented at this year’s event:

Customer Champion:

Winner: Jessica Lee Van Pelt, Virgin Money

Runners up: Andrea Raine, More Than; Beverley Wilkinson, RSA Group; Samantha Norris, Convergys.

Sales Professional:

Winner: Sarah Schofield, More Than

Runner up: Christian Harrison, Virgin Money.

Contact Centre Professional:

Winner: Hayley Steele, Virgin Money

Runner up: Ian Brown, RSA Group

Team Leader:

Winner: Ian Humphreys, Virgin Money

Runners up: Lindsay Parkin, RSA Group; Cheryl Keeler, Leeds Building Society

Dream Team:

Winner: CISCO IS Six Sigma, Convergys

Runners up: RSA Customer Relations Team; Direct Mortgages, Leeds Building Society

Best Recruitment and Induction Programme:

Winner: Barclays, Sunderland

Runner up: Jim Selley, London and County Mortgages

Best Innovation:

Winner: RSA Group

Runner up: Customer Contact Centre, NWL

Outsourced Contact Centre:

Winner: Convergys

Contact Centre of the Year (under 100):

Winner: Home Group

Contact Centre of the Year (over 100):

Winner: Barclays Contact Centre, Sunderland

Highly commended: NHS Business Service Authority