SQM Group logo

Call Center Customer Service Industry Award Winners for 2023

Updated June 13, 2024

2023 Call Center Industry Award Winners

SQM benchmarks over 500 leading North American call centers on an annual basis and has been conducting customer and employee experience studies since 1996. SQM annually conducts over 1.5 million surveys with customers who have used a call center, email, website, IVR, chat, or site contact channel service. SQM also conducts over 25,000 surveys annually with employees who work in call centers. Our customer and employee survey benchmarking database is one of the largest in North America. Based on our customer and employee studies, SQM awards excellence in FCR, customer satisfaction, and employee satisfaction for the call center industry. We have been recognizing top-performing call centers for customer and employee experience since 1998. SQM awards are based on customers who have used a contact channel and employees who work in a call center. For the 2023 Call Center Industry Awards, SQM conducted customer and employee experience studies for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2023.

For each call center that participated in the customer experience study, SQM completed a minimum of 400 post-contact surveys. For each call center that participated in the employee benchmarking study, SQM completed a minimum of 100 agent surveys, or, if the call center had less than 100 agents, 90% of the agent workforce completed surveys. CX Best Practice Awards acknowledge organizations that have demonstrated a best practice that has improved first call resolution (FCR) or provided a positive customer experience.

SQM has more than 50 different award categories that recognize the top-performing organizations in FCR, employee experience, and FCR Best Practice performance. Based on the organizations benchmarked, SQM is honored to recognize the following Service Quality Award of Excellence Winners for 2023. These prestigious customer experience industry awards were presented at our 25th annual awards ceremony, held at The Coeur d'Alene Resort in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, on May 22 & 23, 2024.

Customer Experience Awards

Call Center of the Year

Criteria used for Call Center of the Year are primarily based on having the highest combined customer FCR and employee overall very satisfied (top box response) rating. Other operational, customer and employee data may be factored in.

Winner

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas

Finalists

SQM Customer Experience Award

Best Performing Small- to Mid-Sized Call Center

Criteria used for Best Performing Small- to Mid-Sized Call Center (between 25 to 99 agents) are primarily based on having the highest combined customer FCR and employee overall very satisfied (top box response) rating. Other operational, customer, and employee data may be factored in.

Winner

Highmark (Federal Employee Program)

Finalists

SQM Customer Experience Award

IVR Self-Service World Class FCR Certification

Criteria used for IVR Self-Service World Class FCR Certification is based on 80% or higher of customers getting their contact resolved on the first call with the IVR (FCR) for 3 consecutive months or more.

Winner

FortisBC

SQM Customer Experience Award

Customer Experience Best Practices

These awards recognize the organization that has demonstrated improving or maintaining high FCR and customer satisfaction performance. Organizations submit specific practices used to improve or maintain high FCR and Csat performance.

Category Winner
Agent Coaching 407 ETR
Agent Engagement BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Customer Analytics VSP Vison Care
Agent Recognition Alberta Blue Cross
Agent Support Mr. Cooper
Agent Training BC Hydro
AI Self-Service Channels Rogers Communications

Agent of the Year

To be eligible the agent must be World Class CX Certified. The criteria for a World Class CX Certified Agent is 85% or higher of the calls surveyed are at the World Class Call (WCC) level. SQM's WCC criteria is based on the customer's call being resolved and the customer is overall very satisfied (top box response) with the agent who handled their call. Call center management must also send an example of a great customer service story that the agent delivered.

Winner

Earlene Walker , BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (National Alliance)

Finalists

Top Agents of the Year

Name Organization
Aileen Corless Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Federal Employee Program)
Almitra McKenzie Marchon/Altair
Amanda Vasconzuelo Florida Blue (Federal Employee Program)
Ashlea Dollgener Florida Blue (Federal Employee Program)
Brooks Walton BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (Group & Individual)
Candice Smolick Capital BlueCross (FEP)
Chandra Hawley Mr. Cooper
Cindy Sovde BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (State Health Plan)
Crystal Stevens Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
Dana Plowman Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Deadres Woodruff BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (National Alliance)
Deb Kasper Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
Deja West VSP Vision Care
Erin Jarrell BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (Major Group)
Gregory Stenberg Mr. Cooper
Helen Carrington Mr. Cooper
Kandis Workman Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans (Commercial ASO)
Katheryne Beninato 407 ETR
LaTonia Harper VSP Vision Care
Laura Kudrin Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Leslie Haecker Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans (Commercial ASO)
Linda Amer 407 ETR
Lisa Guelde Florida Blue (Federal Employee Program)
Mariah Clark Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans (Federal Employee Program)
Marnee Heppner HCSC (Federal Employee Program)
Megan Evans Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans (Medicare)
Miguel Negron Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Monica Vanhoorelbeke Consumers Energy
Moveena Sharma Alberta Blue Cross
Mykia Perry BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (State Health Plan)
Philip Bailey Marchon/Altair
Raziya Martin Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
Richard Salgado VSP Vision Care
Ron Brooks HCSC (Federal Employee Program)
Ruby Albrecht Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
Samantha Barron Marchon/Altair
Sara Mccollum Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans (Commercial ASO)
Shelby Stangl Security Health Plan
Shelley Dotson Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Stephanie Sibert Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
Suzanne Happs Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans (Medicare)
Tammie Tolotta Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
Tania Warfield-Graham Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
Terry Bicknell Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
Tierra King BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (BlueChoice Health Plan)
Todd Leonhardt Security Health Plan
Ursula Rorie HCSC (Federal Employee Program)

Agent Top CX Improvement

To be eligible the agent must have a 10% or greater annual World Class CX metric improvement from the previous year. SQM's WCC criteria is based on the customer's call being resolved and the customer is overall very satisfied (top box response) rating with the agent who handled their call. Call center management must also send an example of a great customer service story that the agent delivered.

Winners

Name Organization
Brittany Alston Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina
Dakotah Sherrod Florida Blue (Federal Employee Program)
Lashon Cage VSP Vision Care
Valencia Tribitt Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Whitney Brodhagen Security Health Plan

Supervisor of the Year

To be eligible the supervisor must be World Class CX Certified. The criteria for a World Class CX Certified Supervisor is 85% or higher of the calls surveyed are at the World Class Call (WCC) level. Call center management or agents must also send an example of a great Call Resolution or Csat coaching story.

Winner

Steve Toth , Florida Blue (Federal Employee Program)

Finalists

Name Organization
Billy Barnes HCSC (Federal Employee Program)
Charleen Berryman 407 ETR
Kalila Williams Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Stephanie Letendre Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Tanalee Luedtke Security Health Plan

Highest Customer Experience in the Contact Center Industry

Winners Category Criteria
Marchon/Altair Highest Omni-Channel Customer Service This award recognizes the contact center with the highest overall Csat (top box rating) where the experience was seamless for the entire multi-channel experience.
FortisBC Highest Web Self-Service Customer Service This award recognizes the contact center with the highest overall Csat (top box rating) for their respective contact channel.
FortisBC Highest IVR Self-Service Customer Service
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Highest Email Customer Service
FortisBC Highest Chat Customer Service

Highest Customer Service by Industry

Criteria used for Highest Customer Service By Industry are based on the organization having the highest FCR rating in each specific industry/sector.

Winners Category
Vancity Savings Credit Union Banking
JACKSON Financial
Canadian Tire Bank Credit Card
VSP Vision Care Insurance
Security Health Plan Health Care
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska Health Care Federal Employee Program
Independence partner FutureScripts Pharmacy
ATCO Gas & Pipelines Energy
TELUS Quebec Telco/TV
Name Withheld Helpdesk
BC Hydro Government
Marchon/Altair Business to Business
Canadian Red Cross (Donor Relations) Charity
Security Health Plan Non-Profit

First Call Resolution Improvement

Criteria used for First Call Resolution Improvement is based on a 5% or greater annual FCR improvement from the previous year.

SQM Customer Experience Award

Employee Experience Awards

Highest Employee Experience for the Call Center Industry

Criteria used for Highest Employee Experience for the Call Center Industry is based on having the highest employee overall very satisfied (top box rating) rating with working in their call center.

Winner

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas

SQM Customer Experience Award

Most Improved Employee Experience

Criteria used for Most Improved Employee Experience is based on having the most improved employee overall very satisfied (top box rating) with working in their call center.

Winner

Alberta Blue Cross

SQM Customer Experience Award

Highest Employee Experience by Industry

Criteria used for Highest Employee Experience by Industry is based on having the highest employee overall very satisfied (top box rating) with working in their call center for each specific industry/sector.

Winners Category
Canadian Tire Bank Financial
Name Withheld Insurance
Highmark (Federal Employee Program) Health Care
SQM Customer Experience Award

World Class Employee Experience

Criteria used for World Class Employee Experience is based on 50% or higher of employees rate their overall experience of working in the call center as very satisfied (top box rating).

Winners

SQM Customer Experience Award

FCR Leadership

These awards are judged by a panel of SQM Client Account Managers who work closely with our tracking clients on an ongoing basis. Final award determination made by Mike Desmarais, CEO and Founder of SQM Group.

Winners

Name Organization
Laurie Stratton Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
Amoy Huggins BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Maria Stopainig Alberta Blue Cross
Joshua Dart VSP Vision Care

Previous Award Winners

Explore our awards archive to discover all the past winners of SQM's Call Center Customer Service Industry Awards, spanning from 2006 onwards!