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Contact Center Customer Service Industry Award Winners for 2021

2021 Contact Center Industry Award Winners

SQM has been awarding call centers, supervisors, and agents that have demonstrated customer service excellence since 1998. SQM awards are considered the most prestigious and sought-after North American call center industry awards. SQM benchmarks over 500 leading North American contact 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 contact 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 contact center industry. SQM awards are based on customers who have used a contact channel and employees who work in a contact center. For the 2021 Contact Center Industry Awards, SQM conducted customer and employee experience studies for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2021.

For each contact center that participated in the customer experience study, SQM completed a minimum of 400 post-contact surveys. 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. FCR 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 2021. These prestigious customer experience industry awards were presented at our 23rd annual awards ceremony held virtually on May 19, 2022.

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

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas

Finalists

  • Jackson
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
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 CSRs) are based on having the highest combined customer FCR and employee overall very satisfied (top box response) rating.

Winner

Highmark (Federal Employee Program)

Finalists

  • Marchon/Altair
  • Security Health Plan
SQM Customer Experience Award

Call Center World Class FCR Certification

Criteria used for Call Center World Class FCR Certification is 80% or higher customers getting their contact resolved on the first call to the call center (FCR) for 3 consecutive months or more.

  • 407 ETR (Contact Centre/Commercial)
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (Federal Employee Program)
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Federal Employee Program)
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois (Federal Employee Program)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of New Mexico (Federal Employee Program)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Oklahoma (Federal Employee Program)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas (Federal Employee Program)
  • Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance
  • Express Scripts, Inc. in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
  • Florida Blue (Federal Employee Program)
  • Highmark (Federal Employee Program)
  • Independence partner FutureScripts
  • Jackson
  • Marchon Canada
  • Marchon/Altair
  • Mr. Cooper (Private Label)
  • Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans (Federal Employee Program)
  • Security Health Plan
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • VSP Vision Care
  • World Vision Canada
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 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
Journey Mapping Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans (Federal Employee Program)

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

Madeline Rodriguez, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina

Finalists

  • Angela DeKlein, Consumers Energy
  • Sandra Cline, Mr. Cooper

Top CSRs of the Year

Name Organization
Nefedaya Smith Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
Deb Kasper
Jeni Harris Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
Stephanie Curtis Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Jill Adams Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Mary Ortiz BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (BlueChoice)
Erin Jarrell BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Starlight Ervin
Carmen Storey
Minerva Robertson
Jessica Hathaway BlueCross BlueShield of Texas (Federal Employee Program)
Shelby Pitts
Anthonette Thomas 407 ETR
Nicole Lucarino First West Credit Union
Dora Wright Florida Blue (Federal Employee Program)
Valerie Russell
Amanda Charlot Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Josephine Ferro Marchon/Altair
Chelsea Aynes Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans
Deleesa Williams Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans (Federal Employee Program)
Julie Bolen Security Health Plan
Michael Miles VSP Vision Care

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
Gerriah McNeil Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Marquisha Jackson BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Sara Winter Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans
Bridgett Kroyer
Sheryl Wilkinson VSP Vision Care

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

Alia Bawazer , VSP Vision Care

Finalists

Name Organization
Emily Serrano Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
Amy Munger Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Mallory Johnson Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Teneshia Harris BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina
Rebecca Spencer Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans (Federal Employee Program)

Highest Customer Experience in 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 at least one channel 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
Security Health Plan Highest Chat Customer Service

Highest Customer Service by Industry

Criteria used for Highest Customer Service By Industry is 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
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Health Care
Highmark (Federal Employee Program) Health Care Federal Employee Program
Independence partner FutureScripts Pharmacy
Name Withheld Retail/Service
FortisBC Energy
Name Withheld Telco/TV
Name Withheld Helpdesk
Name Withheld Government
Marchon/Altair Business to Business
World Vision Canada Charity
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas 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 Blue Shield Nebraska (Federal Employee Program)
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
  • BlueCross BlueShield of New Mexico (Federal Employee Program)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (BlueChoice)
  • Nationstar Champion
  • Premera Blue Cross
  • Prime Therapeutics (Member Service)
SQM Customer Experience Award

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) rating with working in their contact center.

Winner

Highmark (Federal Employee Program)

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 contact center.

Winner

Security Health Plan

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 contact center for each specific industry/sector.

Winners Category
Canadian Tire Financial Services Financial
VSP Vision Care Insurance
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Health Care
SQM Customer Experience Award

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

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas

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 contact center as very satisfied (top box rating).

Winners

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
  • Canadian Tire Corporate Customer Support
  • Canadian Tire Financial Services
  • Highmark (Federal Employee Program)
  • Jackson
  • Marchon/Altair
  • Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans
  • Security Health Plan
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
Carrie Stebbins BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (BlueChoice)
Ken Baur Security Health Plan

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!