The UK’s customer experience elite gathered at Old Billingsgate in London last night for the UK National Contact Centre Awards 2026.
Organized by the Contact Centre Management Association (CCMA), the event brought together over 1,000 industry professionals to recognize the individuals and organizations setting new benchmarks in operational excellence, employee engagement, and customer service.
Among the evening’s most notable victors was Bupa, which secured the prestigious Contact Centre Excellence Award. The recognition follows Bupa’s significant strides in continuous improvement and its journey toward becoming a CCMA Accredited Contact Centre earlier this year.
Leigh Hopwood, CEO of the CCMA, said:
“Last night was a celebration of our industry and helped highlight that contact centres continue to be at the forefront of positive change within the UK’s top organisations, leading the way on technological and operational transformation while redefining what great looks like for their people and teams.”
Innovation and the Human Touch
While the influence of artificial intelligence was a recurring theme—highlighted by Benenden Health’s Gold award for Change & Innovation Team of the Year and the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s win for Best Quality Management Programme—the awards also emphasized the critical role of human expertise.
Octopus Energy stood out in the Specialist Team of the Year (Small Team) category. The energy supplier was recognized for its industry-shaping decision to embed qualified Social Workers directly into its contact centre to support vulnerable customers during the cost-of-living crisis.
Jason Mann, Head Judge for the awards, commented on the high standard of entries:
“Our independent judges consistently commented on the innovation, creativity and measurable impact demonstrated across the nominations. The competition was incredibly strong, making the achievement of becoming a finalist, let alone a winner, a significant accomplishment.”
Celebrating Leadership and Talent
The 2026 awards also highlighted a diverse talent pool across the sector. Jen Sharp of DHL Express was named Contact Centre Leader of the Year, leading a strong representation of women across both individual and team categories. Other Gold winners included Specsavers, TP, ManyPets, and VodafoneThree.
Reflecting on the caliber of this year’s participants, Kate Knowles, Services Director at the CCMA, said:
“Every year we’re inspired by the stories shared through these awards, but this year’s entries were among the strongest we’ve seen. The winners have demonstrated not only excellent business outcomes but also a genuine commitment to their people and customers. We look forward to being able to share many of these fantastic stories with our members in more detail at the UK National Contact Centre Conference on 29 September 2026 and at other CCMA events across the year, as we continue to support progress and inspire others in the industry.”
The event was hosted by media personality Jake Humphrey and supported by Sabio. Craig Pumfrey, VP Marketing at Sabio, added:
“Congratulations to all the winners and nominees this year, for whose passion, resilience, innovation and commitment continue to raise the bar for our industry. These are the people and organisations that represent the very best in customer contact in the UK, and we’re proud to have been able to once again celebrate their achievements with them at these fantastic awards.”
Industry Reaction
The impact of the night was felt immediately across social media as finalists shared their reactions:
- “What an incredible evening at the UK National Contact Centre Awards in London last night. We didn’t take home Gold but I couldn’t be prouder, to be shortlisted was amazing and to win Bronze is a huge achievement.” – AQA
- “Such a well deserved win for a brilliant team making a real difference every day. Even more special to be there with colleagues to celebrate this moment together, these are the nights that really matter.” – TP
- “What a fantastic evening at the UK National Contact Centre Awards 2026. Set against the stunning backdrop of London’s skyline, with breathtaking views of the Thames, Tower Bridge and The Shard, it was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the very best talent, innovation and achievements across our industry.” – ATM Group