Leading organisations from across the UK have been recognised for excellence in customer service and experience in contact centres at the CCA Excellence Awards 2026, held last night (Thursday 23 April) in Glasgow.
Hosted by CCA Global the awards brought together around 500 senior leaders to celebrate innovation, performance and best practice across the customer contact industry.
Now in its 25+ year legacy, the awards recognise achievement across 25 Excellence Award categories, with organisations from sectors including financial services, retail, utilities, government and outsourcing represented among this year’s nominees and winners, while also acknowledging long-standing member collaboration and accreditations that support continuous improvement.
The awards come at a time when customer experience plays an increasingly critical role in organisational performance.
As expectations rise, organisations are facing more complex and emotionally driven interactions, alongside growing pressure to deliver seamless, trusted experiences.
This year’s winners demonstrate how organisations are balancing digital innovation with human empathy to deliver secure, responsive and personalised services in a highly regulated environment.
The winners of the CCA Excellence Awards are:
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Director of the Year (Joint Winners)
Stuart Balnaves, Department of Education
Justin Barrett, Places for People
Customer Experience Brand of the Year – sponsored by Capita Experience
Legal and General
Innovation in Customer Service
Coventry Building Society
Most Effective Customer Vulnerability Strategy
Scottish Widows
Best BPO Partnership
Concentrix and Asda
Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Energy Saving Trust
Outstanding Learning and Development Programme
Concentrix Learning and Development and Egencia
Trainer of the Year
James Cahill, Barclays Bank
Rising Star
Stuart Shearer, Places for People
Team Leader of the Year
Vickie McHugh, The Co-Operative Bank
Manager of the Year
Carla Horrigan, Capita
Back Office Team of the Year
SGN Social Impact and Careline Team
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Excellence in ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance)
Legal and General
Excellence in Continuous Improvement
SGN
Excellence in Digital Transformation
DVLA
Best Use of AI and Automation
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
Best Technology Partnership
Capita and Centrical
Best Use of Customer Insight and MI
The Very Group Customer Care Insights Team (Speech Analytics)
Customer Engagement Team of the Year
SGN Safe and Warm Team
Complaints Team of the Year
SGN Complaints Team
Fraud Prevention Team of the Year
Barclays Fraud and Scams Prevention Team
Employee Support Team of the Year
Currys ICE Team (Inclusion, Charity and Events)
Learning and Development Team of the Year
Chase UK – Learning and Development
Multi-Channel Support Team of the Year
DVLA Contact Centre Multi Channel Team
Customer Service Team of the Year
Virgin Money Mortgage Ops – Customer Contact Centre
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Entries were assessed by an independent panel of professionals from across sectors, each with extensive experience in customer service and multichannel operations, and evaluated on innovation, impact and customer outcomes.
Commenting on the awards, Anne-Marie Forsyth, CEO of CCA Global, said:
“Customer experience has become a defining factor in how organisations build trust and long-term relationships.”
“The organisations recognised last night are setting the benchmark, combining digital innovation with real human support to deliver experiences that feel consistent, responsive and genuinely helpful when it matters most.”
Andy Mends, Chair of The Judging Panel and Director of Operations and Procurement at Gavi Alliance, added:
“The standard of entries this year was incredibly high, with organisations clearly focused on delivering real outcomes for customers. What stood out was how effectively many are combining innovation with practical delivery, embedding customer experience into everyday operations in a way that drives meaningful and lasting impact.”
CCA Global is the UK’s leading membership organisation for customer contact and experience professionals, helping organisations improve service, performance and customer outcomes.
For almost 30 years, CCA has brought together leaders across public and private sectors to share insight, challenge thinking and shape future customer service strategies. Through research, best practice and industry collaboration, CCA supports organisations to make informed decisions and deliver better experiences for their customers.
For additiopnal informatiojn on CCA Global visit their Website
