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Contact Center Customer Service Industry Award Winners for 2014

2014 Contact Center Industry Award Winners

SQM benchmarks over 500 leading North American contact centers on an annual basis and has been conducting first call resolution (FCR), employee satisfaction (Esat), and customer satisfaction (Csat) benchmarking studies since 1996. SQM annually conducts 1 million surveys with customers who have used a contact center, email, website, IVR, or site contact channel service. SQM also conducts over 25,000 surveys annually with employees who work in contact centers. Our customer and employee survey benchmarking database is one of the largest in North America. SQM conducts business in 11 countries around the globe: Canada, the United States, Argentina, Australia, Puerto Rico, India, the Philippines, Costa Rica, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. Based on our contact center benchmarking studies, SQM awards excellence in FCR, and customer and employee satisfaction for the contact center industry. We have recognized top-performing contact centers for customer and employee satisfaction since 1998. SQM awards are based on customers who have used a contact center and employees who work in a contact center. SQM conducted the benchmarking studies for the period of January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2014.

For each contact center that participated in our customer benchmarking study, SQM completed 400 post-call phone surveys, conducted by SQM’s telephone survey representatives. A sample size of 400 surveys provides a margin of error of +/- 5% with a confidence level of 95%. All customer post-call phone surveys have 12 or more questions and take approximately 5 minutes to complete. The surveys were conducted within 2 business days of the customer’s call to the contact center in order to understand their satisfaction with their contact center experience. SQM uses an in-depth post-call customer survey approach that consists of both rating questions and follow-up customer feedback questions that can be used to help the contact center improve its FCR and Csat performance.

In addition, for each contact center that participated in the employee benchmarking study, SQM completed a minimum of 100 customer service representative (CSR) surveys, or if the contact center had less than 100 CSRs, 90% of the CSR workforce completed surveys. All employee surveys had 50 or more questions and were conducted online at the CSR and supervisor levels. This confidential employee online survey took approximately 30 minutes to complete. SQM uses an in-depth online employee survey approach that consists of both rating questions and follow-up employee feedback questions. The employee survey focuses on the contact center’s FCR, Esat, and Csat performance from a CSR and supervisor perspective and provides opportunities to improve the contact center’s FCR performance in terms of people, process, and technology practices.

SQM has more than 50 different awards that recognize the top-performing contact centers. Based on the contact centers we benchmarked, SQM is honored to recognize the following Service Quality Award of Excellence Winners for 2014. These prestigious contact center industry awards were presented at our 16th annual conference, held in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, June 2 – 4, 2015.

Customer Experience Awards

Call Center of the Year

Criteria used for Call Center of the Year are based on having the highest combined customer FCR and employee overall very satisfied (top box response) rating.

Winner

Canadian Tire Financial Services (CRCC)

Finalists

  • Arizona Public Service
  • VSP Vision Care
SQM Customer Experience Award

Best Performing Small- to Mid-Sized Call Center

Criteria used for Best Performing Small/Mid-Size Call Center (under 100 CSRs) are based on having the highest combined customer FCR and employee overall very satisfied (top box response) rating.

Winner

TELUS Sourcing Solutions Inc.

Finalists

  • Alberta Blue Cross
  • BC Automobile Association (BCAA)
SQM Customer Experience Award

Call Center World Class Certifications

Criteria used for Call Center World Class Certification are 80% or higher of the calls are at the world class level for 3 months or more. SQM’s world class call criteria are based on the customer’s call being resolved, the customer is overall very satisfied (top box response) rating with their call center experience and the customer service representative (CSR).

SQM Customer Experience Award

Call Center FCR Best Practices

These awards recognize the organization that has demonstrated they have improved or helped maintain high FCR and Csat performance. Organizations submit specific practices they have used to improve or maintain high FCR and Csat performance.

Category Winners

Quality Assurance Program

  • Gold: 407 ETR
  • Silver: Millennium1 Solutions
  • Bronze: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
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Desktop Application(s)
  • Gold: Comcast Cable
  • Silver: Nationstar Mortgage
  • Bronze: Starwood Hotels & Resorts
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CSR Recognition Program Group Photo
Career Advancement Program
  • Gold: Sun Life Financial
  • Silver: BlueCross and BlueShield of South Carolina
  • Bronze: ENMAX, Inc.
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Call Handling Practice Group Photo
Real-Time CSR Support Queue
  • Gold: VSP Vision Care
  • Silver: Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts
  • Bronze: Cogeco Cable
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Performance Management System
  • Gold: Scotia iTRADE
  • Silver: Regence BlueCross BlueShield
  • Bronze: Canadian Tire Financial Services / Millennium1 Solutions
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CSR Coaching Program
  • Gold: MedSolutions
  • Silver: Nationstar Mortgage
  • Bronze: Scotiabank International (Mexico)
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CSR Training Program
  • Gold: Premera Blue Cross
  • Silver: BlueCross and BlueShield of South Carolina / Canadian Tire Financial Services
  • Bronze: Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina
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CSR Hiring Process Group Photo

Vendor FCR Best Practices

These awards recognize the vendor organization that has demonstrated they have improved or helped maintain high FCR and Csat performance for their clients. Vendors submit specific practices they have used to improve or maintain high FCR and Csat performance for their clients.

Category Winner
Quality Assurance Program Millennium1 Solutions
Desktop Application(s) Oracle Corporation
Call Handling Practice Genesys / Virtual Hold Technology
Performance Management System CallMiner Inc.
CSR Coaching Program Ulysses Learning
CSR Training Program C3/ CustomerContactChannels
CSR Hiring Process FurstPerson

CSR of the Year

To be eligible the customer representative must be a World Class Certified customer representative. The criteria for a Certified World Class Customer Representative is 80% or higher of the calls surveyed are at the world class call level. Call center management must also send an example of a great customer service story that the CSR delivered.

Winner

Candace Pischetola, BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont

Finalists

Jordana White 407 ETR
Daniel Waterman BlueCross and BlueShield of South Carolina
Eric Marks
Erika Worthy
Anden Drolet BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont
Cindy Tilotson
Heather Young
Paula Miller CareFirst
Patty Nauss Millennium1 Solutions
Jerry Dormido Nationstar Mortgage
Heather Sundheim Premera Blue Cross
Leslie Wassmuth Regence BlueCross BlueShield
Trisha Wells
Anna Gizicki Scotia iTRADE
Melliza Beroy
Danielle Angus Scotiabank International (Jamaica)
Erica Kelloway Sun Life Financial
Genevieve Tees
Kerri Schebesch
Michelle Robinson
Davor Ilic TELUS Sourcing Solutions Inc.
Jennifer Ryan
Rachael Clarke
Kelly Durkee VSP Vision Care

CSR World Class Csat Improvement

To be eligible, a customer representative must have improved their WCC (World Class Call) performance by 10% from the previous year. SQM’s WCC criteria are based on the customer’s call being resolved, the customer is overall very satisfied (top box response) with their call center experience and very satisfied with the CSR. Call center management must also send an example of a great CSR Csat improvement story.

Winners

Name Organization
Lori Guy-Robinson Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Amy Duhamel BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont
Peter O’Meara ICBC (Insurance Contact Centres)
Abraham (Greg) Mucyo Nationstar Mortgage
Lauren Balzer Sun Life Financial

Supervisor of the Year

To be eligible the supervisor must be a World Class Certified supervisor. The criteria for a Certified World Class Supervisor is 80% or higher of the calls surveyed are at the world class call level, in which customers are overall very satisfied (top box response) with their call center experience, very satisfied with the person who handled their call and that the call was resolved . Call center management or CSRs must also send an example of a great Call Resolution or Csat coaching story.

Winner

Sue Fordyce, Rogers

Finalists

Name Organization
Janalee Willett BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont
Dede Tobin Regence BlueCross BlueShield
Jefferian Thompson-Pratt Scotiabank International (Jamaica)
Alexandrea Roopram Sun Life Financial
Jennifer Riggle VSP Vision Care

Highest Customer Satisfaction for the Contact Center Industry

Winners Category Criteria
Scotiabank Best Selling Customer Satisfaction his award recognizes the call center with the highest Csat (top box response) rating for selling approach.
Scotiabank Highest IVR Customer Satisfaction Self Serve This award recognizes the call center with the highest overall Csat (top box response) rating for a self-serve IVR.

Highest Customer Service by Industry

Criteria used for Highest Customer Service by Industry is based on having the highest FCR for an organization in each specific industry/sector.

Winners Category
Scotiabank International (Jamaica) / Scotiabank International (Trinidad and Tobago) Banking
Jackson Financial
Canadian Tire Financial Services (CRCC) Credit Card
VSP Vision Care Insurance
Sun Life Financial Group Benefits Health Care
Petro-Canada, a Suncor Energy Business Retail/Service
ENMAX, Inc. Energy
Cogeco Cable Telco/TV
407 ETR Union
CNH Industrial Parts & Service Helpdesk
211 Ontario Government
Jackson Business to Business

First Call Resolution Improvement

Criteria used for First Call Resolution Improvement is based on a 5% or greater annual FCR improvement from the most recent study within the last two years.

SQM Customer Experience Award

Employee Experience Awards

Highest Employee Satisfaction for the Contact Center Industry

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

Winner

Canadian Tire Financial Services (CRCC)

SQM Customer Experience Award

Highest Employee Satisfaction 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 or sector.

SQM Customer Experience Award

World Class Employee Satisfaction

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, President and Founder of SQM Group.

Winners

Name Organization
Dave Difelice Canadian Tire Financial Services
Tom Band Millennium1 Solutions
Joanne Walch Regence BlueCross BlueShield

FCR Champion

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, President and Founder of SQM Group.

Winners

Name Organization
Emily Fair Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
Mauricio Ramos Scotiabank International
Laura Martin Scotia iTRADE

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!