2019 Contact Center Industry Award Winners
SQM benchmarks over 500 leading North American contact centers on an annual basis and has been conducting customer experience (CX) and employee experience (EX) benchmarking studies since 1996. SQM annually conducts 1.5 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 does business in 15 countries around the globe including the United States, Canada, Australia, India, Philippines, Chile, Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Peru, and the United Kingdom. Based on our contact center benchmarking studies, SQM awards excellence in FCR, 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, 2018, to December 31, 2018.
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 +/- 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 customer experience and FCR 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. Employee surveys were conducted online at the CSR level. 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 award categories that recognize the top-performing organizations in CX, EX, and CX Best Practice performance. Based on the organizations we benchmarked, SQM is honored to recognize the following Service Quality Award of Excellence Winners for 2018. These prestigious customer experience industry awards were presented at our 20th annual conference, held at Washington's grandest hotel, the Historic Davenport in Spokane, May 7 - 9, 2019.
Customer Experience Awards
Contact Center of the Year
Criteria used for Contact Center of the Year is based on having the highest combined customer experience (CX) and employee experience (EX) ratings. CX measurement is based on the FCR metric and EX measurement is based on employee satisfaction (top box) rating.
Winner
Jackson
Finalists
- Canadian Tire Financial Services (CRCC)
- VSP Vision Care
Best Performing Small-to-Midsized Contact Center
Criteria used for Best Performing Small- to Mid-Sized Contact Center (between 25 to 99 CSRs) is based on having the highest combined customer experience (CX) and employee experience (EX) ratings. CX measurement is based on the FCR metric and EX measurement is based on employee satisfaction (top box) rating.
Winner
Marchon/Altair
Finalists
- Highmark Health (Federal Employee Program)
- World Vision Canada
Contact Center World Class CX Certifications
Criteria used for Contact Center World Class CX Certification is based on 80% (or higher) of customers getting their call resolved on the first call (FCR) for 3 consecutive months or more.
- 407 ETR (Contact Center/Commercial)
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield Kansas
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (Retail Sales and Retention)
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
- Canadian Tire Financial Services (CRCC)
- Express Scripts, Inc. in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
- Florida Blue (Federal Employee Program)
- FortisBC
- Genworth Life Insurance
- HealthNow New York Inc.
- Highmark Health (Federal Employee Program)
- Independence partner FutureScripts
- Jackson
- Marchon/Altair
- Marchon Canada
- Mr. Cooper (Customer Service)
- Mr. Cooper (Private Label)
- Regence BlueCross BlueShield (BlueShield of Washington)
- Security Health Plan
- VSP Vision Care
- World Vision Canada
Web Self-Service World Class CX Certification
Criteria used for Web Self-Service World Class CX Certification is based on 80% (or higher) of customers getting their contact resolved on the first contact with the website (FCR) for 3 consecutive months or more.
Winner
FortisBC
IVR Self-Service World Class CX Certification
Criteria used for IVR Self-Service World Class CX Certification is based on 80% (or higher) of customers getting their contact resolved on the first contact with the website (FCR) for 3 consecutive months or more.
Winner
FortisBC
Customer Experience Best Practices
These awards recognize the organization that has demonstrated they have improved or helped maintain high FCR and customer experience (CX) performance. Organizations submit specific practices they have used to improve or maintain high FCR and Csat performance.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Omni-Channel | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina |
| Web Self-Service | Security Health Plan |
| Emerging Channels | BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina |
| Quality Assurance Program | World Vision Canada |
| Desktop Application(s) | Regence Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans |
| CSR Recognition Program | Regence Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans |
| Career Development Program | BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina |
| Call Handling Practice | Consumers Energy |
| Escalation CSR Support | Mr. Cooper |
| Performance Management System | Consumers Energy |
| CSR Coaching Program |
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Mr. Cooper |
| CSR Training Program |
Security Health Plan Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City |
| CSR Selection Process | Florida Blue |
| Standard Operating Procedures |
VSP Vision Care Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont |
| Continuous Improvement Process |
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont FortisBC |
CSR of the Year
To be eligible the customer service representative (CSR) must be World Class CX Certified. The criteria for a World Class CX Certified CSR 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 CSR who handled their call. Call center management must also send an example of a great customer service story that the CSR delivered.
Winner
Terry Lyn Bicknell, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
Finalists
| Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Winsome Gray | 407 ETR |
| Morgan Milbradt | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas |
| Renee Rinehart | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City |
| Kasia Starzec | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont |
| Nefedaya Smith | |
| Eric Phouthavong | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts |
| Jill Adams | |
| Karla St. Marie | |
| Candace McMurran | BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina |
| Carmen Storey | |
| Starlight Ervin | |
| Paul Adamo | Cogeco Connexion |
| Bridgette Yoder | Consumers Energy |
| Toni Fox | |
| Brenda Olympia | Florida Blue (Federal Employee Program) |
| Steven Clancy | Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey |
| Christina Wallace | Independence Blue Cross |
| Matthew Sandman | Marchon/Altair |
| Aleida Wallace | PerformRx |
| Albert Brosas | Regence Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans |
| Alison VanSmith | |
| Amber Raines | |
| Denzel Ryan-Stephens | Scotia iTRADE |
| Anthony Haessly | Security Health Plan |
CSR Top World Class CX Improvement
To be eligible the customer service representative (CSR) 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 CSR who handled their call. Call center management must also send an example of a great customer service story that the CSR delivered.
Winners
| Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Eileen Bellows | BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina |
| Heather Neal | Premera Blue Cross |
| Donna Torres | Regence Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans |
| Honesty Teasley | VSP Vision Care |
| Shalandra Holland |
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 CSRs must also send an example of a great Call Resolution or Csat coaching story.
Winner
Michael Roberson, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Finalists
| Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Jody Broughton | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas |
| Patricia Mahurin | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City |
| Shonda Roberson | Florida Blue (Federal Employee Program) |
| Pa'Quail Walker | Independence Blue Cross |
| Jolie Rhodes | Regence Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans |
Highest Customer Experience for the Contact Center Industry
| Winners | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| FortisBC | Highest Enterprise-Wide One Contact Resolution | This award recognizes the organization with the highest enterprise-wide one contact resolution over two or more contact channels, with one being the call center and one being the website. |
| 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 category. |
| FortisBC | Highest IVR Self-Service Customer Service | |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas | Highest Email Customer Service | |
| Name Withheld | Highest Chat Customer Service |
Highest Customer Service by Industry
CX is based on the organization having the highest FCR rating in each specific industry or sector.
| Winners | Category |
|---|---|
| Vancity | Banking |
| Canadian Tire Financial Services (CRCC) | Credit Card |
| Jackson | Financial |
| VSP Vision Care | Insurance |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (tie) Security Health Plan (tie) |
Health Care |
| Highmark (tie) Independence Blue Cross (tie) |
Health Care Federal Employee Program |
| Express Scripts, Inc. in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts | Pharmacy |
| Petro-Canada (Concentrix) | Retail/Service |
| FortisBC | Energy |
| TELUS Québec | Telco/TV |
| Scotiabank Global Business Payments - Client Services & Solutions Helpdesk | Helpdesk |
| Halton Region | Government |
| Marchon/Altair | Business to Business |
| Plan Canada International | Charity |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (tie) Security Health Plan (tie) |
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.
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Federal Employee Program)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island (Federal Employee Program)
- Canadian Red Cross First Aid Swimming & Water Safety
- Canadian Tire Corporate Customer Relations
- Elizabeth River Crossings OpCo, LLC
- Federal Employee Program - Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
- Florida Blue
- Halton Region
- Independence Blue Cross (Federal Employee Program)
Employee Experience Awards
Highest Employee Experience 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
Regence Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans
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 contact center.
Winner
PerformRx
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 contact center for each specific industry or sector.
| Winners | Category |
|---|---|
| Canadian Tire Financial Services | Financial |
| VSP Vision Care | Insurance |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City | Health Care |
Highest Work From Home Employee Experience
Criteria used for Highest Work From Home Employee Experience is based on having the highest employee overall very satisfied (top box rating) for work from home CSRs.
Winner
VSP Vision Care
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 contact center as very satisfied (top box rating).
Winners
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
- Canadian Tire Corporate Customer Support
- Canadian Tire Financial Services
- Highmark Health (Federal Employee Program)
- Jackson
- PerformRX
- Regence Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans
- VSP Vision Care
- World Vision Canada
CX 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 |
|---|---|
| Jay Hollister | Canadian Red Cross |
| Tracy Dietel | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts |
Previous Award Winners
Look at past winners of these prestigious awards in our archives.
Interested in Awards?
Find out how you can qualify for these awards and be recognized for your contact center CX success and improvement. Connect with SQM today.