Anna is an established customer experience and marketing professional with a proven track record of delivering excellent commercial performance over the 20 years of my career.
I started my career in marketing, planning and driving growth for large corporate organisations across industries such as health insurance, the motor trade, pharmacy and IT. Over the years my passion for marketing sparked an interest in customer behaviour and 6 years ago I moved into the Customer Experience profession.
I now head up the Customer Experience function at Bupa Insurance, aiming to be the world’s most customer centric healthcare organisation.
All helping to achieve our purpose of helping people live longer, healthier and happier lives and making a better world.
The Brewery, London – Tuesday 26th November
REVOLUTIONISE YOUR BUSINESS AT EUROPE’S PREMIER CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
KEY FACTS
1000+ Attendees
100+ presentations
roundtable sessions
CASE STUDIES, INTERVIEWS & PANEL DISCUSSIONS
1-2-1 MEETINGS
What to expect
Ollie Ollerton
Former UK Special Forces SoldierAs one of the first former UK Special Forces members and star of Channel 4's SAS: Who Dares Wins to talk openly to the media and reveal their identity, Ollie Ollerton has an incredible story to tell. A former Special Forces operative with the SBS, he has undertaken operations in some of the most dangerous and remote locations on the planet.
After leaving school and joining the Royal Marine Commandos, Ollie’s time in Northern Ireland and Iraq earned him a recommendation for the SAS. After joining the service's marine sister regiment, the Special Boat Service, he undertook high profile missions involving hostage rescue, counter narcotics, and counter terrorism.
When Ollie returned to the UK, after thirteen years overseas and on the frontline, he started developing a concept that would put his years of training and experience to best use and would benefit others. His Break-Point business is a leadership and development course aimed at the public and corporate sectors whilst also supporting veterans suffering the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It's a subject Ollie has spoken openly about, sharing his experiences and difficulties in adjusting to life, dealing with stress, and overcoming trauma.
Ollie is now also one of the training director/presenters of SAS: Who Dares Wins, a show in which he and other ex-Special Forces operatives recreate the SAS’s selection process with thirty recruits from the public. The show has become one of Channel 4's most popular, attracting over three million viewers per episode. Since starring in the show Ollie has also written a deeply personal account of life in and out of the military, also called Break Point, looking at the challenges he faced working to enter the Special Forces, under fire on the frontline, and coming to terms with civilian life. He has also written Battle Ready, a practical look at how to apply his training and experience to more everyday goals, risk-taking and leadership.
Nicky Haddow
Victoria’s Secret UK Head of MarketingI am an enthusiastic Marketing Expert that is passionate about delivering integrated & impactful 360 marketing propositions & campaigns that are not only Brand & Customer focused but commercially driven & data led. With 20+ years experience in Fashion & Apparel omni channel retailing, I love developing marketing strategies that perfectly align with the overall business objectives and market relevance, whilst driving innovation and retaining brand integrity.
Livia Fekiacova
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. Enterprise Marketing CRM LeadBefore her current role, Livia provided consultancy and led the strategic development of lifecycle programs, award-winning campaigns, and both national and international CRM transformation projects. Her expertise spans customer-led strategy design and execution, as well as product development. Her client portfolio includes retail, FMCG, hospitality, tech and beauty. With over 13 years of experience integrating marketing and technology, her specialization and passion lie in CRM, loyalty programs, and data-driven strategies.
Livia’s background also includes experience in sales, digital media, magazine & print advertising, direct mail, radio, and OOO advertising.
Livia holds a Master of Science in Marketing and later served as a panel member at her university, contributing to the curriculum to keep it aligned with business trends for six years. Additionally, she has been actively sponsoring children in need in Africa for the past 20 years, a cause she deeply values.
Marco Merkx
IKEA Global Customer Engagement Development LeaderOver 25 years of experience in marketing management and strategy, e-commerce , digital marketing and customer relationship management both in operational and in strategical management roles for mainly fashion, food and lifestyle consumer brands and retailers. On national and international level, in organizations varying from start-ups to multinational corporations.
My professional purpose is to support companies with transformation, innovation and development of organization design, technology and customer engagement. Always based on customer data and insights, leading to tangible results and growth. Specifically realizing customer centricity, digital transformation and omni channel proposition development are my fields of expertise. For this, my commercial and technical know-how are as much of value and importance as are my creativity and my sensitivity towards the human, cultural and organizational aspects.
Currently working for Inter IKEA Systems, the owner and developer of the IKEA concept, range and brand, as Global Customer Engagement Development Leader, working on topics as engagement, loyalty, personalization and crm in an omni channel context.
Joana de Quintanilha
Forrester VP, Principal Analyst
Jasmin Wheeler
John Lewis Customer Experience LeadI’m an innovative and energetic Product Lead, motivated by getting the best for the people around me – whether that’s the customers I design for or the teams I work in or lead. My expertise has been built through five years’ working in retail across shops and head office for the John Lewis Partnership, during a period of radical change.
Honest, supportive and aspirational, I enjoy working collaboratively with people to create tangible results with a clear purpose in mind. Through leadership roles on the shop floor and in experience design, I’ve developed an agility to deliver both operational success and strategic vision. I focus on the future while meeting the practical needs of today.
Last year I learned a lot from being part of John Lewis’s Restart programme, which saw the safe and successful reopening of our 38 shops following the first national Covid lockdown. My focus was to ensure we were well placed to adapt to the change in our customers’ needs, particularly those from vulnerable groups.
Progression? I really value it, for myself and the teams I lead. So I’m energised by opportunities through which I can broaden my experience and enable others to reach their full potential.
Rebecca Martin
John Lewis Senior Customer Experience ManagerRebecca is currently a Partner & Senior Customer Experience Manager at John Lewis & Partners. Rebecca started as Propositions Manager at John Lewis in 2021 and has since grown and developed her role into the Senior Customer Experience Manager position.
Prior to that, Rebecca was at Vodafone for 7 years starting as an Internal Communications Specialist and transitioned to a Propositions Manager.
Shannon Hamer
Economist Global Head of Customer SuccessShannon is Head of Customer Success at The Economist but was an early adopter of Customer Success in the UK having launched and led Customer Success globally in large organisations including RELX Group, Financial Times and Zoopla. When not doing all things Customer Success, Shannon enjoys spending time with her husband, three daughters and is an avid puzzle and wine enthusiast!
Simon Birch
Hobbycraft Customer Service Manager
Charlotte Burridge-Taylor
Volvo Head of Training for Global Customer CareStrategic, results-focused leader, driving commitment to excellence through learning development and delivery and expert management of teams and processes.
My motorsport background gives me a unique perspective when it comes to premium brands which I have been able to use in the classroom to really bring training programmes to life and drive forward excellent results. Experience with premium brands has also given me a clear understanding of corporate guidelines, KPI’s, processes and the importance of striving for the highest level of customer satisfaction.
Deborah Woods
Costa Coffee Contact Centre Manager
Samantha Lewis-Williams
Financial Times Head of Marketing Automation
Dina Hassan
LinkedIn Head of Customer Success - Global Clients, Search & Staffing - EMEAL.png?width=400&name=Anna%20Wilcox%20(2).png)
Anna Wilcox
Bupa Head of Customer Experience
Chloe Rice
Shutterstock Director, Global Customer Experience.png?width=400&name=Melanie%20Fischer%20(2).png)
Melanie Fischer
Xero Director, Customer Experience - UK & EMEAMelanie is a CX-centric Director with 20+ years’ experience embedding cultures of continuous improvement to optimise customer acquisition, satisfaction, and retention. She is passionate about maintaining high service efficiency and quality levels by championing customer success, Voice of Customer (VoC) implementation, complaints handling, and transparent communications.
Melanie is currently the CX Director at Xero for UK & EMEA (global accounting software company) and has prior experience at retailers such as Waitrose, Post Office and Tesco.
Areas of expertise include:
- major change and transformation
- leading large business units and teams
Rebecca Gordon
Westminster City Council Head of Online Customer ExperienceAs Head of Online Customer Experience at Westminster City Council, Rebecca brings years of dynamic expertise in leading digital transformation within the public sector. Known for developing user-centric services that surpass expectations, they champion agile methodologies and cultivate a collaborative spirit that propels teams to new heights. Attendees will gain insights into how innovative leadership and strategic digital delivery can revolutionise public service experiences.
With a proven track record in driving impactful change, Rebecca is passionate about inspiring teams to explore new technologies and fresh approaches that elevate customer engagement and service excellence. Join this session to learn from their journey of shaping exceptional digital solutions, sparking ideas that attendees can take back to their own organisations to foster transformation and innovation.
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Vanessa Milan
Cambridge University Press & Assessment Head of Voice of the Customer, Global OperationsI am a passionate Voice of the Customer lead and a natural advocate for customers. I am skilled at engaging internal stakeholders to strategically improve the customer experience across Cambridge University Press and Assessment.
I am a self-starter and multi-disciplinary person who leads the development and execution of the Voice of the Customer programme, strategy and governance for Global Customer Service, Credit Management, Royalties, the English division Channel Partners and English and Education product platforms at Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
Karen Stewart
Standard Life Vulnerable Customer Centre of Excellence - Snr ConsultantJoining Standard Life in Q4 2021, Karen has previously supported customers in vulnerable circumstances throughout her career in both retail banking and energy services.
She supports colleagues in embedding Standard Life’s Principles and Standards, support with best practice, internal and external training and upskilling resources and supporting Standard Life Workplace client visits when looking at our vulnerability management.
Karen is active externally in focus groups and forums around vulnerability and is a Vulnerability Champion for the Collaboration Network.
Focused on providing good customer outcomes, Karen has a particular interest in inclusivity and accessibility for customers and colleagues and showcasing the work we do to support our members.
Having experienced vulnerability personally, Karen is passionate about working to remove barriers and helping people get on with living their lives.
Maria Mattos
Renault Group Customer Experience Transformation Manager
Natalia Tatar
Fuller Smith & Turner P.L.C Group Sales and Events ManagerGroup Sales and Events Manager for Fullers since 2019
17 years of experience in Hospitality Sales and Events
Worked for companies like Novus Leisure and Revolution Bars
Sales Executive Apprenticeship Level 4
Member of Institute of Sales Professionals
I am a competitive and driven individual with a proven record of developing advanced sales structures and achieving consistent, sustainable sales growth. I focus my teams on delivering exceptional guest experiences as the key to outperforming their targets.
In my current role I navigate complex business landscapes, through building a strong sales and events team concentrated on enhancing customer engagement and adapting traditional sales processes to the demands of the modern digital economy.
Outside of work, I am a highly active mum of toddler who loves travelling, and spending time with her family and friends!
Naomi Sweeting
Places for People Group Head of Research & Insight
Andy Purcell
WeTransfer Senior Manager Martech and Systems Operations.png?width=400&name=Ashutosh%20Pandey%20(1).png)
Ashutosh Pandey
Eutelsat Group VP Project Management, Quality and ProcessAshutosh is a leading Global Executive in the New Economy sectors of Space Technology, Satellites and Telecommunications.
As a Transformation and Turnaround Leader, he has successfully delivered multi-dimensional cost intensive sustainable transformations bringing in more than 1 Billion Euro financial savings globally for multiple organisations.
As a Business Process Management (BPM) leader, he successfully led enterprise wide transformation of key end-to-end processes across the organisation, thereby unlocking multi-million cash and generate value via simplification, standardization and ERP consolidation (incl Digital Transformation)
As a Quality Management leader, he led successful end-to-end assessments for International standards like ISO 9001, TL 9000, CMMI, IS 27001, IS 18001, EFQM and set up Corporate ESG and Sustainability management metrics.
He has strong expertise in leading Operations and Program management (incl Global PMO), change management and executing customer transformation using continuous improvement methodologies like Lean, Kaizen, Six Sigma and Hybrid/Agile PM.
He is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt (CMBB), ASQ Certified Manager for Quality & Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE), Certified Process Professional (CPP), ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), Certified Business Excellence Assessor (CBEA) on EFQM model, Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA), Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Fellow Chartered Manager(FCMI) from CMI UK.
Ashutosh is recognised as a cross-industry expert in Business Transformation, Operational Excellence and Lean Six Sigma and he has been a leading panellist and key speaker at multiple international forums globally since 2008.
As a trainer, he has trained 5000+ experts in various continuous improvement methodologies (lean/ kaizen/ six sigma/ design thinking/ agile).
By education, he is a Bachelor of Engineering and also holds a double MBA degree.
Deborah Winfield
Clinisupplies Chief Consumer Officer
Nicola Adcock
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (dstl) Customer Experience LeadNicola is a Customer Experience Leader who has 15 years of experience designing and improving services to meet the needs of their users. Her background is in public services and she understands the unique balance of customer requirement and public interest that exists within this sector.
Nicola has most recently established a customer focus approach which brings insights, experience and engagement together to provide a holistic change and improvement programme.
Nicola’s skills and expertise include; managing customer facing teams, designing services and service structures, embedding KPIs and data analytics, developing and embedding customer experience strategy, co-ordinating cross functional activities that lead to customer success.
Daniel Bunton
Cleo AI Head of Customer SupportLike most actors, I became a Barista and knew how to make your coffee just right. This unexpectedly led to a role selling coffee by the kilo for a roastery.
When I stepped into the SaaS universe to head up Sales for a fresh start-up, I quickly realized the need for a robust support system. So, naturally, I took up that mantle.
Being at Cleo has allowed me to build a dynamic and empathetic team of support agents spread across the globe. Together, we've scaled our operations and enhanced user experiences from Series A to Series C...and we're just getting warmed up!
A key to our success at Cleo AI has been leveraging AI to automate processes, making customer journeys smooth and enjoyable. I find the intersection of AI and customer support to be fascinating and full of potential.
While the stage isn't my daily backdrop anymore, I keep my acting skills sharp through voiceover work. This has led to a variety of roles, including a recent gig voicing the yellow M&M.
Rebecca Jones
Access PaySuite Director of Customer SuccessRebecca Jones is the Head of Customer Success at Access PaySuite, the payments division of the Access Group. Rebecca is a senior commercial leader specialising in Customer Success, team building, and payment innovations. She started her career on Wall Street, working in traditional Financial Services and, in 2020, pivoted into the FinTech SaaS start-up space in order to build and scale cutting-edge technology companies. Alongside full-time work Rebecca earned an MBA from Warwick Business School, focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation. Rebecca is active speaker and mentor in the London FinTech and Payments ecosystem, currently serving as the London chapter lead for the Women of Customer Success global community, and recently included in the Women in FinTech Powerlist, by Innovate Finance. Rebecca grew up in Sunny California but has called the UK home for over a decade.
Mark Nichols
Flagstone Head of OperationsMark has extensive experience in client success, experience and operations and is now the Director of Operations at Flagstone.
Terry Ward
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Harriet Lack
Oxford Languages Head of Customer SuccessHarriet Lack is the Head of Customer Success at Oxford Languages, bringing a decade of experience in Customer Success roles across a range of industries from Finance and Food Technology to Licensing. Harriet is renowned for her ability to build and lead Customer Success teams, driven by a passion for data-driven insights and a commitment to co-collaboration with customers.
Throughout her career, Harriet has managed customer-facing teams in both start-ups and established businesses, covering areas such as Customer Success, Service, Operations and Telesales. She specializes in establishing and growing Customer Success teams, developing effective strategies and KPIs, implementing CRMs, and leveraging data analytics to drive growth and retention.
Harriet’s expertise and dedication to customer success make her an exceptional speaker on topics related to customer success and operational excellence. Her insights and experience provide valuable perspectives for any audience looking to enhance their customer success strategies and achieve sustainable growth.
Helen Luty
Landmark Information Group Head of Customer Experience
Nick Mills
Landmark Information Group National Training Manager
Marcus Hickman
Davies Hickman Managing DirectorJo and Marcus are founders of Davies Hickman Partners, set up in 2007. Responsible for one of the longest-running tracker studies of customer contact – The Autonomous Customer – they are market research advisers to the customer experience and contact centre industry, that includes some of the leading customer service associations. In 2023, Davies Hickman Partners were finalists in the Content Marketing Institute awards for research on AI for CX. Jo is on the BSI and ISO committee responsible for developing Contact centre, Customer service excellence and Complaint handling standards.
Jo Davies
Davies Hickman Global Director of Market ResearchJo and Marcus are founders of Davies Hickman Partners, set up in 2007. Responsible for one of the longest-running tracker studies of customer contact – The Autonomous Customer – they are market research advisers to the customer experience and contact centre industry, that includes some of the leading customer service associations. In 2023, Davies Hickman Partners were finalists in the Content Marketing Institute awards for research on AI for CX. Jo is on the BSI and ISO committee responsible for developing Contact centre, Customer service excellence and Complaint handling standards.
Russell Yeates
AWS Principal Sales Specialist for Amazon ConnectRussell has been working in the contact centre industry for the past 20 years. Starting with operational contact centre management, he has transitioned into helping clients while working for some of the leading manufacturers in the industry.
In his current role at AWS, Russell helps clients in the enterprise accounts, with specific focus on the travel and hospitality, gaming and logistics companies to achieve their CX experience goals.
Subrahmanya Siddaarth Turaga
Freshworks Senior Customer Success ManagerAt Freshworks, I am currently empowering businesses to optimally leverage our product suite thereby helping them achieve their desired business outcomes.
Lisa Garthside
Medallia Director, Professional Services
Mike Stewart
ArvatoConnect Head of Digital Practice
Joseph Jack
ArvatoConnect Head of Compliance
William Lynch
Freshworks Lead AE - Enterprise | UKIAward-winning SaaS sales AE with over 6 years of experience. A proven track record of overachieving in closing roles. A wealth of expertise in B2B in Commercial and Enterprise SaaS Sales. Passionate. Positive. Persistent.
"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
- Maya Angelou
Aslesha Nargolkar
Freshworks CX Lead Solutions EngineerI also lead a global webinar program to increase presales scalability for mid-market deals, and mentor and train the wider European team as a Lead CX Solution Engineer. I hold a Master’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering, and two AWS certifications: Solutions Architect and Developer. I have expertise in various programming languages, scripting, web programming, and operating systems, as well as in application design, development, testing, documenting and product support.
Simran Kaur
Freshworks Enterprise Account DirectorMy success is based on an audience-centric approach, value-based selling & relationship building. Whilst I focus on achieving critical business goals.
Curious and ambitious to learn, I have enjoyed the challenge of many different industries, including IT, Research & Advisory, Advanced Manufacturing, Business Services, Energy & SaaS.
Creating a culture of equality & empowerment is very important to me, and I find great fulfillment through my volunteering activities with Khalsa aid and Thrive with mentoring. Amongst other things, my ambition is driven by my desire to be a positive role model to my 2 boys, encouraging them to build careers and lives of purpose and passion.
Tom Barrie
SmartSurvey Head of ProductI'm a people focused product manager and coach. I love building happy, multi disciplinary teams that collaborate effectively to solve challenges for users and organisations all over the world.
Over the last 10 years I've had the pleasure of working with clients such as Google, NatWest, Mozilla, Fiat Group, Kia, Subaru UK and the RAC as well as regional SMEs and startups.
Eric Jorgensen
Zendesk VP Sales, EMEASoftware sales leader with 20 years experience. Gained valuable experience building teams supporting hyper growth companies as they enter or expand in EMEA across all verticals.
Strong track record of over achieving sales targets, mentoring and coaching teams to exceed their potential and building long lasting relationships with customers and partners via a direct, honest and open approach.
Matthew Bell
Telesign Regional Director, EMEAMatt is an accomplished Global revenue and sales leader with over 25 year’s experience in software and communications.
Matt has a deep understanding of the UCaas, CCaaS and CPaaS marketplaces which can be shown by the senior positions he has held at organisations such as Sinch, Vonage and 8x8.
Kathryn Simons-Porter
Local Measure EMEA Sales VPKathryn has worked with Contact Centres and their associated leaders for over 20 years across the EMEA region, is a certified CX Specialist and holds a Post Grad in 'Applied CX and Emotional Intelligence'. Kathryn's co authored book is due to be published in December, which talks to the role of Emotional Intelligence in the workplace and how this can be cultivated through use of Generative AI.
In Kathryn's role at Local Measure at VP of Sales for EMEA, Kathryn works across all sector verticals to guide organisations on successful contact centre optimisation programs.
Jean-Francois Damais
Ipsos Global Chief Research Officer
Dvir Hoffman
CommBox CEOAs the current CEO of one of the leading AI-based customer service and engagement solutions in our market, Dvir has over two decades of experience in technology innovation and product strategy. Dvir has pioneered several innovations in the realm of CX technologies, guiding them from their inception and transforming them into award-winning global CX and enterprise solutions. His original vision on AI bots that can easily resolve complex inquiries is catalyzing a revolution in the customer experience domain as a way to radically reduce contact center load.
Huw Jones
Verint Director, Solutions Consulting
Keith Barrow
Verint Director, Solutions Consulting
Sam Phin
Foundever Customer Success Director
Leona Heymerdinguer
Blackhawk Network Director of Customer EngagementWith 19 years of profound expertise in the enterprise market, particularly in the domains of consumer acquisition, retention, loyalty, engagement and compensation solutions, Leona emerges as a visionary and pioneering business leader. Her dedication to nurturing customer relationships throughout their entire lifecycle is fuelled by an unwavering passion. Leona boasts extensive experience spanning diverse industries and exhibits a resilient commitment to infusing the market with innovation, achieved through the artful simulation of consumer behaviour and actions via ingenious, reward-centric solutions.
Anna Miley
The Foundation Partner
Maurice Gonzenbach
Caplena Co-FounderSince co-founding Caplena in 2017, Maurice has been actively involved in the market research and CX industry, dedicated to translating the latest AI advancements into practical tools that not only make researchers more efficient but also enhance their enjoyment of previously repetitive tasks.
As an expert in feedback analysis, Maurice also lectures in Master of Advanced Studies courses and frequently presents current best practices at prominent conferences such as IIEX Europe/NA, Quirks NY, and Succeet.
Maurice holds a MSc Computational Science & Engineering from ETH Zurich and has published multiple scientific papers in the fields of image & natural language processing.
Simon Noakes
Columbus Global UK Business Line Director CXE
Stephen Higgins
Columbus Global Head of CRMWith a technology background, coupled with several years as a business leader, I understand that CRM software by itself accomplishes little. It is how this software is layered and configured onto the sales best practices that organisations have developed and refined over a long period.
Through using Microsoft Dynamics CRM as a foundation, I help my customers increase their visibility and sales revenues with a consultative led implementation process which rapidly bring step-change improvements.
Martin Hill-Wilson
Brainfood Consulting Founder
Gerry Brown
Customer Lifeguard Chief Customer Officer
Brandie Deignan
Pier Health Group Chief Executive OfficerIn early 2021 Brandie joined primary care within NHS in general practice as Chief Executive Officer. Prior to this role, Brandie was Managing Director at Marco Pierre White Restaurants, cementing her c20 years’ experience in the consumer service delivery industry across hospitality, retail and aviation. Before her MD role, Brandie held senior leadership positions at British Airways Plc, Tesco Plc, Whitbread, Travelodge and Hilton Hotels, where she started her career as a graduate trainee and worked her way up.
A true trailblazer, Brandie was the first female MD to hold her MD role at MPW Restaurants. As of 2020, Brandie was the first black female MD within branded restaurant groups in the UK. Brandie was recently named as one of the top 15 BAME high fliers in travel and tourism industry, and was a finalist at the Black British Business Awards, Senior Leader, Consumer and Luxury 2020. Brandie was recently voted No 41 of the Top 50 listening leaders and also nominated in the National Diversity Awards for positive role model, gender diversity.
Vinay Parmar
Druva Star Founder
Brian Manusama
Actionary Executive Partner
09:00 - 09:10
Opening Remarks
Speaker:
Martin Hill-Wilson
Brainfood ConsultingFounder
09:10 - 09:30
Driving Outcomes With Customer Obsession
The customer experience (CX) realm is constantly evolving, presenting new opportunities to drive business outcomes with customer obsession. Emerging technologies like generative AI (genAI) are accelerating innovation and yielding new possibilities in customer and employee engagement.
It will start with low risk, low cost, or even “free” experiences, and as we build trust, we will learn to embrace more and more complex interactions. But don’t be distracted by noise. At the end of the day it’s about the steak, not the sizzle.
Basics like reliability, lowest price, and features account for about half of the purchase decision in most industries and countries. The fusion of human and AI capabilities will revolutionise how customers and organisations interact. In this world, empathy, trust, and emotion will be as essential as technology.
Speaker:
Joana de Quintanilha
ForresterVP, Principal Analyst
09:30 - 09:50
How Hobbycraft Retooled Customer Service to Better Serve Crafters
In this session, learn how Hobbycraft successfully transitioned its renowned in-store expertise to digital channels, ensuring customers receive quick and accurate responses across their preferred platforms.
Learn how Freshworks technology has empowered Hobbycraft’s customer service agents by automating repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on delivering a better, personalised service. Explore how Hobbycraft has leveraged AI and an omnichannel approach to maintain high standards of service and enhance customer experiences across digital channels.
Three reasons to join us:
• How Hobbycraft has used Freshworks technology to free up agent time for more complex, personalised customer service
• How to use technology to create a customer journey that allows a leading UK brand to extend in-store experiences to digital channels
• Implement hybrid working and enhanced employee satisfaction and performance
Speakers:
Simon Birch
HobbycraftCustomer Service Manager
Subrahmanya Siddaarth Turaga
FreshworksSenior Customer Success Manager
At Freshworks, I am currently empowering businesses to optimally leverage our product suite thereby helping them achieve their desired business outcomes.
09:50 - 10:10
Opening Keynote: Mental and Physical Readiness That Will Enable You To Think, React & Perform
We are thrilled to announce that Ollie Ollerton - former UK Special Forces soldier, bestselling author of How to Survive Almost Anything, and star of Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins - will be headlining this year’s Customer Engagement Summit.
Ollie’s extraordinary life journey and achievements provide a powerful and unique lens on leadership, resilience, and mentorship. His firsthand experiences in life-or-death situations as a Special Forces operator will captivate and inspire, offering lessons that transcend the battlefield and apply to both personal and professional success.
In his keynote, Ollie will arm you with proven mental and physical strategies to elevate your ability to think clearly, react swiftly, and perform at your best - even under pressure.
Speaker:
Ollie Ollerton
Former UK Special Forces Soldier
As one of the first former UK Special Forces members and star of Channel 4's SAS: Who Dares Wins to talk openly to the media and reveal their identity, Ollie Ollerton has an incredible story to tell. A former Special Forces operative with the SBS, he has undertaken operations in some of the most dangerous and remote locations on the planet.
After leaving school and joining the Royal Marine Commandos, Ollie’s time in Northern Ireland and Iraq earned him a recommendation for the SAS. After joining the service's marine sister regiment, the Special Boat Service, he undertook high profile missions involving hostage rescue, counter narcotics, and counter terrorism.
When Ollie returned to the UK, after thirteen years overseas and on the frontline, he started developing a concept that would put his years of training and experience to best use and would benefit others. His Break-Point business is a leadership and development course aimed at the public and corporate sectors whilst also supporting veterans suffering the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It's a subject Ollie has spoken openly about, sharing his experiences and difficulties in adjusting to life, dealing with stress, and overcoming trauma.
Ollie is now also one of the training director/presenters of SAS: Who Dares Wins, a show in which he and other ex-Special Forces operatives recreate the SAS’s selection process with thirty recruits from the public. The show has become one of Channel 4's most popular, attracting over three million viewers per episode. Since starring in the show Ollie has also written a deeply personal account of life in and out of the military, also called Break Point, looking at the challenges he faced working to enter the Special Forces, under fire on the frontline, and coming to terms with civilian life. He has also written Battle Ready, a practical look at how to apply his training and experience to more everyday goals, risk-taking and leadership.
10:10 - 10:30
Navigating the AI Revolution: Transformative Impacts and Proven Strategies for Success
In the midst of a technological storm, our industry is experiencing a revolution comparable to the industrial revolution, driven by the rapid advancements in AI. This transformation is reshaping the way we work, introducing new roles such as Data Curators and Prompt Engineers, and promising efficiency gains unseen in decades. However, the hype around AI often overshadows its practical impacts.
This session will explore the significant changes AI brings, the potential risks of being led by technology, and the critical elements that make AI projects successful. We will highlight real-world results from leading brands, demonstrating stronger and faster outcomes. By cutting through the AI noise, we aim to show how businesses can benefit from AI without disruption, ensuring future-proof investments and improved customer touchpoints across various channels.
Key points include:
• The transformative potential of AI in creating new roles and driving efficiency.
• The challenges associated with AI adoption, including data quality, governance, and the risk of prioritizing technology over customer outcomes.
• Proven strategies for successful AI projects, focusing on team structure, clear objectives, robust data governance, and practical implementation approaches.
• Real-world examples of AI delivering substantial ROI and improved CX, demonstrating the tangible benefits of integrating AI into business processes.
Speakers:
Huw Jones
VerintDirector, Solutions Consulting
Keith Barrow
VerintDirector, Solutions Consulting
10:30 - 11:00
Coffee & Networking
11:20 - 11:40
Bupa Case Study: Creating Great Customer Experiences by Design
In this session Anna will talk about the importance of creating great customer experiences by design. And how in large organisations it is critical to have a clear and defined strategy which creates a structured framework to set a vision and expectations and to define best practice.
She will share some of the practices that Bupa use to create a customer centric culture where every employee remains close to the customer and understands how their job impacts the customer experience.
As well as a discussion on how they distil 1000’s of pieces of daily customer feedback into actionable insight.
A reminder of the CX basics and not a single mention of AI
Speaker:
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Anna Wilcox
BupaHead of Customer Experience
Anna is an established customer experience and marketing professional with a proven track record of delivering excellent commercial performance over the 20 years of my career.
I started my career in marketing, planning and driving growth for large corporate organisations across industries such as health insurance, the motor trade, pharmacy and IT. Over the years my passion for marketing sparked an interest in customer behaviour and 6 years ago I moved into the Customer Experience profession.
I now head up the Customer Experience function at Bupa Insurance, aiming to be the world’s most customer centric healthcare organisation.
All helping to achieve our purpose of helping people live longer, healthier and happier lives and making a better world.
11:40 - 12:00
Leading the Way in CX: Leveraging Human-Centric AI for a Competitive Edge
Speaker:
Eric Jorgensen
ZendeskVP Sales, EMEA
Software sales leader with 20 years experience. Gained valuable experience building teams supporting hyper growth companies as they enter or expand in EMEA across all verticals.
Strong track record of over achieving sales targets, mentoring and coaching teams to exceed their potential and building long lasting relationships with customers and partners via a direct, honest and open approach.
12:00 - 12:20
Inside IKEA's Loyalty, Personalisation, and Ethical Engagement Strategies: In Conversation with Marco Merkx, Global Customer Engagement Development Leader at IKEA
Speaker:
Marco Merkx
IKEAGlobal Customer Engagement Development Leader
Over 25 years of experience in marketing management and strategy, e-commerce , digital marketing and customer relationship management both in operational and in strategical management roles for mainly fashion, food and lifestyle consumer brands and retailers. On national and international level, in organizations varying from start-ups to multinational corporations.
My professional purpose is to support companies with transformation, innovation and development of organization design, technology and customer engagement. Always based on customer data and insights, leading to tangible results and growth. Specifically realizing customer centricity, digital transformation and omni channel proposition development are my fields of expertise. For this, my commercial and technical know-how are as much of value and importance as are my creativity and my sensitivity towards the human, cultural and organizational aspects.
Currently working for Inter IKEA Systems, the owner and developer of the IKEA concept, range and brand, as Global Customer Engagement Development Leader, working on topics as engagement, loyalty, personalization and crm in an omni channel context.
12:20 - 12:40
Rewarding Customer Connections
Connection is key to every good relationship, and a brands relationship with its customers is no different. With more options than ever before, and the ability for customers to switch suppliers with the click of a button, how can your brand easily build a meaningful connection to increase loyalty, reduce churn and foster brand advocacy?
Leona Heymerdinguer, Director of Customer Engagement at BHN, explores the subject of acquiring and retaining customers in the right way, sharing her expertise on how to easily and authentically build solid, long-lasting relationships with your customers.
Speaker:
Leona Heymerdinguer
BHNDirector of Customer Engagement
With 19 years of profound expertise in the enterprise market, particularly in the domains of consumer acquisition, retention, loyalty, engagement and compensation solutions, Leona emerges as a visionary and pioneering business leader. Her dedication to nurturing customer relationships throughout their entire lifecycle is fuelled by an unwavering passion. Leona boasts extensive experience spanning diverse industries and exhibits a resilient commitment to infusing the market with innovation, achieved through the artful simulation of consumer behaviour and actions via ingenious, reward-centric solutions.
12:40 - 13:40
Lunch & Networking
13:40 - 14:00
Research Reveal: The UK CX Report 2024
The UK CX landscape is still dominated by unremarkable experiences, and the need to connect brand promise and customer experience remains as strong as ever. In this thought-provoking and dynamic session, we reveal the latest findings from research by Engage and Ipsos, and how customers are still crying out for brands to deliver on the basics.
We look at what brands can do in response, and what's now needed to elevate experiences to build stronger relationships. We also reveal customer perspectives on personalisation and the use of AI in customer service delivery - the findings may surprise you. Join us when we reveal key findings from the report, and our recommendations for action.
Speakers:
Jean-Francois Damais
IpsosGlobal Chief Research Officer
14:00 - 14:20
An Honest Look in the Mirror: New Data Reveals if Brands Are Meeting Customer Expectations
Join us for an exclusive session to discover what's really driving positive customer experiences, how AI and automation become an inseparable part of customer experience, and strategies to align your business with customer expectations in today's competitive market. After the session, you’ll walk away with actionable insights to transform your customer experience and drive lasting loyalty.
Speaker:
Dvir Hoffman
CommBoxCEO
As the current CEO of one of the leading AI-based customer service and engagement solutions in our market, Dvir has over two decades of experience in technology innovation and product strategy. Dvir has pioneered several innovations in the realm of CX technologies, guiding them from their inception and transforming them into award-winning global CX and enterprise solutions. His original vision on AI bots that can easily resolve complex inquiries is catalyzing a revolution in the customer experience domain as a way to radically reduce contact center load.
14:20 - 14:40
Victoria's Secret UK Case Study: Thinking Global, Acting Local
As one of the world’s biggest lingerie retailers, Nicky shares her insights on how the UK is successfully bringing the iconic Victoria’s Secret brand to life, and winning new audiences in the market, through the increase of localised content creation.
Everything from guerilla marketing campaigns that grow regional awareness to subtle changes in language that increase the brands SEO strength in the UK, and all things in between, Nicky will explore how relevant local activity is being delivered in a way that engages the UK consumer, while remaining sympathetic and aligned to the Global brand.
Nicky will also share how combined localised market efforts helped create a swell that supported one of largest Global Moments of the year for Victoria’s Secret.
Speaker:
Nicky Haddow
Victoria’s Secret UKHead of Marketing
I am an enthusiastic Marketing Expert that is passionate about delivering integrated & impactful 360 marketing propositions & campaigns that are not only Brand & Customer focused but commercially driven & data led. With 20+ years experience in Fashion & Apparel omni channel retailing, I love developing marketing strategies that perfectly align with the overall business objectives and market relevance, whilst driving innovation and retaining brand integrity.
14:40 - 15:00
Growing from Experience: What Are Meaningful and Different Customer Experiences? And Why Are They the Best Predictor of Long-Term Success?
How did Aldi go from the margins to the mainstream? How did Octopus become the biggest energy supplier, in less than 5 years? Can Monzo revolutionize retail banking, or will it remain the fun challenger in financial services?
Spectacular success is years in the making. Kantar research demonstrates that brands grow by being meaningful and different to more people: delivering on the functional and emotional needs required in their category, and demonstrating they offer something that sets them apart from their peers. This is more than marketing. Successfully differentiating requires an organization to consistently reinforce its positive associations at every possible opportunity. Great experiences are vital.
Speaker:
15:00 - 15:20
Panel Discussion: The Importance of Human Experience in Cultivating Brand Loyalty
In an era where consumer choices are abundant and fleeting, organisations must go beyond traditional tactics to create lasting connections with their customers. This panel discussion brings together industry leaders and experts to explore the critical role of human experience in creating brand loyalty.
Join us as we delve into the nuances of what it means to create authentic, meaningful interactions with customers. Our experts will examine best practices for integrating empathy, transparency, and responsiveness into customer engagement strategies. We’ll also discuss the impact of emotional connections on customer retention and advocacy, as well as the role of storytelling and brand values in shaping consumer perceptions.
You'll leave with actionable insights on how to prioritise human experience in your own customer engagement strategies, ensuring they not only meet but exceed customer expectations in today’s competitive market.
Speakers:
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Ashutosh Pandey
Eutelsat GroupVP Project Management, Quality and Process
Ashutosh is a leading Global Executive in the New Economy sectors of Space Technology, Satellites and Telecommunications.
As a Transformation and Turnaround Leader, he has successfully delivered multi-dimensional cost intensive sustainable transformations bringing in more than 1 Billion Euro financial savings globally for multiple organisations.
As a Business Process Management (BPM) leader, he successfully led enterprise wide transformation of key end-to-end processes across the organisation, thereby unlocking multi-million cash and generate value via simplification, standardization and ERP consolidation (incl Digital Transformation)
As a Quality Management leader, he led successful end-to-end assessments for International standards like ISO 9001, TL 9000, CMMI, IS 27001, IS 18001, EFQM and set up Corporate ESG and Sustainability management metrics.
He has strong expertise in leading Operations and Program management (incl Global PMO), change management and executing customer transformation using continuous improvement methodologies like Lean, Kaizen, Six Sigma and Hybrid/Agile PM.
He is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt (CMBB), ASQ Certified Manager for Quality & Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE), Certified Process Professional (CPP), ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), Certified Business Excellence Assessor (CBEA) on EFQM model, Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA), Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Fellow Chartered Manager(FCMI) from CMI UK.
Ashutosh is recognised as a cross-industry expert in Business Transformation, Operational Excellence and Lean Six Sigma and he has been a leading panellist and key speaker at multiple international forums globally since 2008.
As a trainer, he has trained 5000+ experts in various continuous improvement methodologies (lean/ kaizen/ six sigma/ design thinking/ agile).
By education, he is a Bachelor of Engineering and also holds a double MBA degree.
Mark Nichols
FlagstoneHead of Operations
Mark has extensive experience in client success, experience and operations and is now the Director of Operations at Flagstone.
15:20 - 15:40
Achieving High-End Customer Experiences and Strengthening Brand Loyalty: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls in Technology Adoption and Maximise Value
Speakers:
Simon Noakes
Columbus GlobalUK Business Line Director CXE
Stephen Higgins
Columbus GlobalHead of CRM
With a technology background, coupled with several years as a business leader, I understand that CRM software by itself accomplishes little. It is how this software is layered and configured onto the sales best practices that organisations have developed and refined over a long period.
Through using Microsoft Dynamics CRM as a foundation, I help my customers increase their visibility and sales revenues with a consultative led implementation process which rapidly bring step-change improvements.
15:40 - 16:00
Renault Group Case Study: Creating Customer Champions for a Customer Centric Organisation
Speaker:
Maria Mattos
Renault GroupCustomer Experience Transformation Manager
16:00 - 16:30
Coffee & Networking
16:30 - 17:00
Panel Discussion: Emerging Trends, Challenges & Opportunities in Customer Engagement
In today’s fast-paced, digital-first world, customer engagement has become a critical differentiator for organisations aiming to build lasting relationships with their customers. As technology evolves and expectations rise, organisations must navigate an ever-changing landscape to deliver personalised, seamless, and meaningful interactions. This panel will explore the emerging trends shaping customer engagement, the challenges organisations face in staying ahead, and the opportunities for innovation that can drive growth and competitive advantage.
Topics our panellists will explore include:
- The evolution of engagement
- The role of personalisation
- Maintaining consistency across channels - Data and insights
- The role of AI
- Balancing technology with human experience
- Mapping customer journeys
- Privacy and trust
- Shifting customer expectations
- Scalining customer engagement
- Opportunities for innovation and growth
Speakers:
Livia Fekiacova
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.Enterprise Marketing CRM Lead
Before her current role, Livia provided consultancy and led the strategic development of lifecycle programs, award-winning campaigns, and both national and international CRM transformation projects. Her expertise spans customer-led strategy design and execution, as well as product development. Her client portfolio includes retail, FMCG, hospitality, tech and beauty. With over 13 years of experience integrating marketing and technology, her specialization and passion lie in CRM, loyalty programs, and data-driven strategies.
Livia’s background also includes experience in sales, digital media, magazine & print advertising, direct mail, radio, and OOO advertising.
Livia holds a Master of Science in Marketing and later served as a panel member at her university, contributing to the curriculum to keep it aligned with business trends for six years. Additionally, she has been actively sponsoring children in need in Africa for the past 20 years, a cause she deeply values.
Chloe Rice
ShutterstockDirector, Global Customer Experience
17:00 - 18:30
Drinks & Networking
13:35 - 13:40
Host Welcome
Speaker:
Gerry Brown
Customer LifeguardChief Customer Officer
13:40 - 14:00
Standard Life Case Study: Customer Experience & Outcomes – Improvements to the Retirement Journeys
We’re part of Phoenix Group, the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement business. We share an aligned ambition to help every customer enjoy a life full of possibilities. With over 12million policyholders, we have societal responsibility to deliver on our purpose.
This responsibility is especially crucial in the current economic climate, with cost-of-living pressures increasing the number of consumers displaying vulnerability characteristics. We know that at any given time, more than half of our customers could be displaying one or more characteristics of vulnerability. That’s why, using customer insight, data, and MI, we’ve made improvements to our Retirement Journey.
Ensuring we meet the needs of all customers and minimise the risk of harm, we will share how our approach has improved the retirement journey and share best practice around our approach and understanding to help improve customer experience and support good outcomes.
Speakers:
Karen Stewart
Standard LifeVulnerable Customer Centre of Excellence - Snr Consultant
Joining Standard Life in Q4 2021, Karen has previously supported customers in vulnerable circumstances throughout her career in both retail banking and energy services.
She supports colleagues in embedding Standard Life’s Principles and Standards, support with best practice, internal and external training and upskilling resources and supporting Standard Life Workplace client visits when looking at our vulnerability management.
Karen is active externally in focus groups and forums around vulnerability and is a Vulnerability Champion for the Collaboration Network.
Focused on providing good customer outcomes, Karen has a particular interest in inclusivity and accessibility for customers and colleagues and showcasing the work we do to support our members.
Having experienced vulnerability personally, Karen is passionate about working to remove barriers and helping people get on with living their lives.
14:00 - 14:20
The Art and Science of Open-Ended Feedback in the AI Era
Open text remains the most authentic and detailed form of written feedback. While video and audio surveys have been vying for its throne, open-ended responses continue to dominate in tracking studies, ad hoc surveys, online reviews, and social media data.
In this presentation, we will share findings from a meta-analysis of over 100,000 projects processed through the AI application Caplena and explore insights gathered from a survey conducted among end clients & research agencies.
The results not only quantify the rise in popularity and anticipated trends, but also provide best practices drawn from industry leaders like Lufthansa, DHL, and eBay:
- What's the optimal number of open-ended questions?
- Which question formulations yield the richest, most analyzable responses?
- How can high-quality analysis be achieved at scale without sacrificing accuracy?
- How to handle evolving themes over time?
Finally, we will explore buzzworthy tech trends in open-ends—like generative responses, active listening chatbots, and conversational insights tools—oRering a peek into the future of feedback analysis.
Speaker:
Maurice Gonzenbach
CaplenaCo-Founder
Since co-founding Caplena in 2017, Maurice has been actively involved in the market research and CX industry, dedicated to translating the latest AI advancements into practical tools that not only make researchers more efficient but also enhance their enjoyment of previously repetitive tasks.
As an expert in feedback analysis, Maurice also lectures in Master of Advanced Studies courses and frequently presents current best practices at prominent conferences such as IIEX Europe/NA, Quirks NY, and Succeet.
Maurice holds a MSc Computational Science & Engineering from ETH Zurich and has published multiple scientific papers in the fields of image & natural language processing.
14:20 - 14:40
Landmark Information Group Case Study: How to Re-Engage Your Customers the Landmark Way
This presentation will take you through the reimagining of the customer proposition, the use of customer feedback and how we used that to shape how we moved from supplier to partner. We will talk about our holistic approach to customer relationships and how we work together as a team to identify opportunities that benefit our customers as much as they benefit the business.
We will also talk about how we won the hearts and minds of our people and boosted our Employee Engagement Scores to 91%.
And finally, we’ll talk about the impact that our transformation has had. We’ll demonstrate how our customers success is our success, and why we are bucking the trend both from a customer satisfaction point of view, but also a market point of view.
Speakers:
Helen Luty
Landmark Information GroupHead of Customer Experience
Nick Mills
Landmark Information GroupNational Training Manager
15:00 - 15:20
Places for People Case Study: Embedding Inclusion as a Service Design Principle
How customer psychographic segmentation can inform strategy, customer engagement , service design and customer experience.
In this session you will achieve an overview of what psychographic segmentation is and how understanding customers from a capability and needs perspective can be used as a tool to inform customer service design, strategy, operational delivery and efficiency, regulatory compliance and improve customer experience.
You will be introduced to evidenced housing organisation customer results and data, and have the opportunity to understand how to apply and consider service design through the lens of segmentation and vulnerability.
Speaker:
Naomi Sweeting
Places for PeopleGroup Head of Research & Insight
15:20 - 15:40
Unleash the Power of Premium Engagement
Would you like to capitalise on advances in mobile, social media, and AI to deliver personalised, valuable experiences that your customers truly desire? And would you like to provide this experience without the worry of fake accounts, promotional abuse, and other security risks?
Join our upcoming session to gain the insights you need to navigate this dynamic landscape with confidence. We’ll explore how to make the most of both new and traditional communication channels, while solving the puzzle of secure customer engagement.
Our goal? To empower your business to meet the expectations of the modern customer.
Speaker:
Matthew Bell
TelesignRegional Director, EMEA
Matt is an accomplished Global revenue and sales leader with over 25 year’s experience in software and communications.
Matt has a deep understanding of the UCaas, CCaaS and CPaaS marketplaces which can be shown by the senior positions he has held at organisations such as Sinch, Vonage and 8x8.
15:40 - 16:00
Panel Discussion: Harnessing the Power of Data in Engagement: Turning Insights into Action
Topics our panellists will explore include:
- The role of data in shaping strategies
- Turning data into actionable insights
- AI's role in data
- Real-time data for immediate decision-making
- Data visualisation and storytelling
- Governance and compliance
- Challenges of data siloes
- Predictive analytics
- The role of data and insights in personalisation and customer journeys
- Future trends
Speaker:
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Vanessa Milan
Cambridge University Press & AssessmentHead of Voice of the Customer, Global Operations
I am a passionate Voice of the Customer lead and a natural advocate for customers. I am skilled at engaging internal stakeholders to strategically improve the customer experience across Cambridge University Press and Assessment.
I am a self-starter and multi-disciplinary person who leads the development and execution of the Voice of the Customer programme, strategy and governance for Global Customer Service, Credit Management, Royalties, the English division Channel Partners and English and Education product platforms at Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
16:00 - 16:30
Coffee & Networking
13:35 - 13:40
Host Welcome
Speaker:
Brandie Deignan
Pier Health GroupChief Executive Officer
In early 2021 Brandie joined primary care within NHS in general practice as Chief Executive Officer. Prior to this role, Brandie was Managing Director at Marco Pierre White Restaurants, cementing her c20 years’ experience in the consumer service delivery industry across hospitality, retail and aviation. Before her MD role, Brandie held senior leadership positions at British Airways Plc, Tesco Plc, Whitbread, Travelodge and Hilton Hotels, where she started her career as a graduate trainee and worked her way up.
A true trailblazer, Brandie was the first female MD to hold her MD role at MPW Restaurants. As of 2020, Brandie was the first black female MD within branded restaurant groups in the UK. Brandie was recently named as one of the top 15 BAME high fliers in travel and tourism industry, and was a finalist at the Black British Business Awards, Senior Leader, Consumer and Luxury 2020. Brandie was recently voted No 41 of the Top 50 listening leaders and also nominated in the National Diversity Awards for positive role model, gender diversity.
13:40 - 14:00
Cleo AI Case Study: Make It AI… but Less Boring
Yes, we’re here to solve customer problems but what if we could do it in a way that delighted users.
Making a customer smirk during an interaction might just put some polish on the issue that brought
them to us in the first place.
In this session, Daniel will be sharing some of the do’s and don'ts of injecting personality into our AI has led to at Cleo AI.
Speaker:
Daniel Bunton
Cleo AIHead of Customer Support
Like most actors, I became a Barista and knew how to make your coffee just right. This unexpectedly led to a role selling coffee by the kilo for a roastery.
When I stepped into the SaaS universe to head up Sales for a fresh start-up, I quickly realized the need for a robust support system. So, naturally, I took up that mantle.
Being at Cleo has allowed me to build a dynamic and empathetic team of support agents spread across the globe. Together, we've scaled our operations and enhanced user experiences from Series A to Series C...and we're just getting warmed up!
A key to our success at Cleo AI has been leveraging AI to automate processes, making customer journeys smooth and enjoyable. I find the intersection of AI and customer support to be fascinating and full of potential.
While the stage isn't my daily backdrop anymore, I keep my acting skills sharp through voiceover work. This has led to a variety of roles, including a recent gig voicing the yellow M&M.
14:00 - 14:20
From Feedback to Engagement: Harnessing Insights to Drive Customer and Agent Success
Customer feedback—whether solicited or unsolicited—holds the key to unlocking deeper customer engagement and improving business outcomes. Every interaction, whether through surveys, reviews, or unsolicited feedback from the interactions that you have with customers, offers valuable insights that can shape the experiences you deliver. However, many organisations struggle not only with data silos but with turning these insights into meaningful action.
In this session, we will explore how to leverage all forms of customer feedback to create more personalised, data-driven experiences, whilst improving agent performance and delivering long-term business success.
• Democratising Data: Learn how unifying feedback and breaking down data silos can lead to more personalised customer experiences, smarter product strategies, and transformative business decisions.
• Turning Insights into Action: Discover how to use both solicited and unsolicited feedback to generate actionable insights that drive engagement and satisfaction.
• AI-Powered Agent Coaching: Understand how AI-driven coaching based on customer feedback enhances agent performance, improves customer satisfaction, and creates a cycle of continuous improvement.
Speaker:
14:20 - 14:40
Learning & Development's Role in Transforming Customer Contact: In Conversation with Charlotte Burridge-Taylor, Head of Training for Global Customer Care at Volvo Group
Speaker:
Charlotte Burridge-Taylor
VolvoHead of Training for Global Customer Care
Strategic, results-focused leader, driving commitment to excellence through learning development and delivery and expert management of teams and processes.
My motorsport background gives me a unique perspective when it comes to premium brands which I have been able to use in the classroom to really bring training programmes to life and drive forward excellent results. Experience with premium brands has also given me a clear understanding of corporate guidelines, KPI’s, processes and the importance of striving for the highest level of customer satisfaction.
14:40 - 15:00
Empowering the Future: Exploring the Future of Consumer Behaviour in the era of AI
How do we empower people in the era of AI? This session explores the profound shifts in consumer behaviour that we've seen from our customer's early adoption of Microsoft's Copilot solutions.
The mindsets, tools, and routines of employees in the workplace are evolving and while the core principles remain, their actions are transforming quickly. The contact centre stands at the nexus of these significant changes, forming a crossroad between the consumer, the agent, the brand, the tech, and now the AI that charges those pathways.
Launching a modern Contact Centre amidst such rapid transformation requires empathy and foresight to navigate the uncertainty of the future of these shifts. Any change can be met with resistance and a change of this calibre that requires time, money, and specialisation demands a deep understanding of how to empower people in this new age of collaboration between people and technology.
And more is yet to come: Agentic AI is on the horizon. How will we adapt?
Speaker:
15:00 - 15:20
Westminster City Council Case Study: Developing Report It - Our Resident Led Gen-AI Tool
Speaker:
Rebecca Gordon
Westminster City CouncilHead of Online Customer Experience
As Head of Online Customer Experience at Westminster City Council, Rebecca brings years of dynamic expertise in leading digital transformation within the public sector. Known for developing user-centric services that surpass expectations, they champion agile methodologies and cultivate a collaborative spirit that propels teams to new heights. Attendees will gain insights into how innovative leadership and strategic digital delivery can revolutionise public service experiences.
With a proven track record in driving impactful change, Rebecca is passionate about inspiring teams to explore new technologies and fresh approaches that elevate customer engagement and service excellence. Join this session to learn from their journey of shaping exceptional digital solutions, sparking ideas that attendees can take back to their own organisations to foster transformation and innovation.
15:20 - 15:40
Revolutionising Contact Centres: The Strategic Impact of Proprietary AI
Speaker:
John Work
DialpadManager, Sales Engineering EMEA
15:40 - 16:00
Panel Discussion: Evolving Customer Contact: Balancing Human Touch, Technology, and Engagement
Key themes include:
- Balancing human touch with technology in customer contact
- Data-driven insights for optimising customer contact performance
- Agent empowerment and training for improved customer interactions
- Omnichannel integration for seamless customer support
- Managing remote and hybrid customer contact teams
- Reducing customer contact attrition through employee engagement
- Personalisation and customer segmentation
- Building a customer-centric culture
- Proactive customer engagement
- Addressing the needs of vulnerable customers
Speakers:
Deborah Woods
Costa CoffeeContact Centre Manager
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Melanie Fischer
XeroDirector, Customer Experience - UK & EMEA
Melanie is a CX-centric Director with 20+ years’ experience embedding cultures of continuous improvement to optimise customer acquisition, satisfaction, and retention. She is passionate about maintaining high service efficiency and quality levels by championing customer success, Voice of Customer (VoC) implementation, complaints handling, and transparent communications.
Melanie is currently the CX Director at Xero for UK & EMEA (global accounting software company) and has prior experience at retailers such as Waitrose, Post Office and Tesco.
Areas of expertise include:
- major change and transformation
- leading large business units and teams
16:00 - 16:30
Coffee & Networking
13:35 - 13:40
Host Welcome
Speaker:
Vinay Parmar
Druva StarFounder
13:40 - 14:00
Financial Times Case Study: Leveraging Data and Personalisation to Drive Conversions
In today’s competitive landscape, leveraging data and personalization has become critical to converting users into paying, loyal customers. In this session, Sam Lewis-Williams, Head of Marketing Automation at the Financial Times, will share key strategies in a case study from the FT for utilising customer data to create tailored experiences that drive paid conversions.
The presentation will explore how the FT has successfully employed data-driven approaches to understand user behavior and motivations, allowing for more personalised content and messaging. By mapping the customer journey and segmenting audiences effectively, the FT has been able to target potential subscribers with relevant, timely interactions that guide them through the funnel from registration to conversion.
From this session you’ll hopefully learn actionable insights on creating personalised user journeys, optimising touchpoints, and using automation to scale these efforts. With a focus on real-world examples and measurable results, this session will equip marketers with the tools to enhance conversion rates and build stronger relationships with users by delivering the right message at the right time.
Speaker:
Samantha Lewis-Williams
Financial TimesHead of Marketing Automation
14:00 - 14:20
Growth & Loyalty Are Easier Than You Think - Fix These Basics
Speaker:
14:20 - 14:40
Oxford Languages Case Study: Put Your Mission Where Your Mouth Is: Innovating Language for a Global Impact
The presentation “Put Your Mission Where Your Mouth Is” begins with an introduction to Harriet, a dedicated team member who exemplifies our mission and values. This personal touch sets the stage for a deeper connection with the audience, showcasing the human element behind our work.
We then delve into the core of Oxford Languages (OUP) and our mission. We emphasize our commitment to continual innovation and the advancement of language knowledge for the benefit of everyone, everywhere. This section highlights the driving force behind our initiatives and the broader impact of our work.
Next, we share how our values are reflected in our products. By focusing on under-resourced languages and promoting inclusivity in world English, we demonstrate our dedication to linguistic diversity and accessibility. This part of the presentation underscores the importance of aligning our products with our ethical standards.
The presentation continues with a look at how we foster growth through collaboration. We discuss our co-creation efforts with customers, the celebration of the word of the year, and our engaging webinars. These collaborative initiatives not only enhance our offerings but also build a sense of community and shared purpose.
Finally, we address our approach to building relationships and loyalty. By giving our branding a personable and human touch, we move away from a serious persona and emphasize human curation. This strategy helps us connect more deeply with our audience, fostering trust and long-term loyalty.
Speaker:
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Harriet Lack
Oxford LanguagesHead of Customer Success
Harriet Lack is the Head of Customer Success at Oxford Languages, bringing a decade of experience in Customer Success roles across a range of industries from Finance and Food Technology to Licensing. Harriet is renowned for her ability to build and lead Customer Success teams, driven by a passion for data-driven insights and a commitment to co-collaboration with customers.
Throughout her career, Harriet has managed customer-facing teams in both start-ups and established businesses, covering areas such as Customer Success, Service, Operations and Telesales. She specializes in establishing and growing Customer Success teams, developing effective strategies and KPIs, implementing CRMs, and leveraging data analytics to drive growth and retention.
Harriet’s expertise and dedication to customer success make her an exceptional speaker on topics related to customer success and operational excellence. Her insights and experience provide valuable perspectives for any audience looking to enhance their customer success strategies and achieve sustainable growth.
14:40 - 15:00
Busting the Loyalty Myth
Speaker:
Anna Miley
The FoundationPartner
14:40 - 15:00
Seeing the World From the Outside In
15:00 - 15:20
Research Reveal: Breaking down Silos to Create Customer Engagement
Speakers:
Jo Davies
Davies HickmanGlobal Director of Market Research
Jo and Marcus are founders of Davies Hickman Partners, set up in 2007. Responsible for one of the longest-running tracker studies of customer contact – The Autonomous Customer – they are market research advisers to the customer experience and contact centre industry, that includes some of the leading customer service associations. In 2023, Davies Hickman Partners were finalists in the Content Marketing Institute awards for research on AI for CX. Jo is on the BSI and ISO committee responsible for developing Contact centre, Customer service excellence and Complaint handling standards.
Marcus Hickman
Davies HickmanManaging Director
Jo and Marcus are founders of Davies Hickman Partners, set up in 2007. Responsible for one of the longest-running tracker studies of customer contact – The Autonomous Customer – they are market research advisers to the customer experience and contact centre industry, that includes some of the leading customer service associations. In 2023, Davies Hickman Partners were finalists in the Content Marketing Institute awards for research on AI for CX. Jo is on the BSI and ISO committee responsible for developing Contact centre, Customer service excellence and Complaint handling standards.
15:20 - 15:40
Empathy in Action - Supporting Vulnerable Customers to Shape the Future of Loyalty
In this new era of customer engagement, the key to building lasting loyalty is delivering good customer outcomes through tailored and consistent experiences. Achieving this requires a cultural shift within organisations, where both empathy and innovative solutions play vital roles.
With nearly 50% of customers typically classified as vulnerable, businesses must build a customer experience that starts with the assumption that any customer may be vulnerable, laying the foundation for more meaningful and personalised engagement.
In this session, we’ll share insights from our latest vulnerability research, showing how a thoughtful combination of empathetic human service and cutting-edge technology can drive loyalty.
Learn how addressing the needs of vulnerable individuals not only aligns with regulatory changes like Consumer Duty, but also generates deeper trust, loyalty, and sustainable growth across all customer segments.
Speakers:
Mike Stewart
ArvatoConnectHead of Digital Practice
Joseph Jack
ArvatoConnectHead of Compliance
15:40 - 16:00
Panel Discussion: Building Lasting Customer Relationships: Strategies for Growth and Loyalty
In this panel discussion our experts will delve into essential components that drive customer grwoth and loyalty, including:
- Strategies for acquisition and retention
- Leveraging data to create personalised experiences
- The impact of customer feedback on loyalty building
- Delivering value beyond the transaction
- Measuring and optimising customer lifetime value
- Cultivating brand advocates to enhance engagement
- Ensuring omnichannel integration for sustained growth
- Developing long-term customer relationships
- Aligning marketing efforts with loyalty objectives
Speakers:
Rebecca Jones
Access PaySuiteDirector of Customer Success
Rebecca Jones is the Head of Customer Success at Access PaySuite, the payments division of the Access Group. Rebecca is a senior commercial leader specialising in Customer Success, team building, and payment innovations. She started her career on Wall Street, working in traditional Financial Services and, in 2020, pivoted into the FinTech SaaS start-up space in order to build and scale cutting-edge technology companies. Alongside full-time work Rebecca earned an MBA from Warwick Business School, focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation. Rebecca is active speaker and mentor in the London FinTech and Payments ecosystem, currently serving as the London chapter lead for the Women of Customer Success global community, and recently included in the Women in FinTech Powerlist, by Innovate Finance. Rebecca grew up in Sunny California but has called the UK home for over a decade.
Shannon Hamer
EconomistGlobal Head of Customer Success
Shannon is Head of Customer Success at The Economist but was an early adopter of Customer Success in the UK having launched and led Customer Success globally in large organisations including RELX Group, Financial Times and Zoopla. When not doing all things Customer Success, Shannon enjoys spending time with her husband, three daughters and is an avid puzzle and wine enthusiast!
Dina Hassan
LinkedInHead of Customer Success - Global Clients, Search & Staffing - EMEAL
16:00 - 16:30
Coffee & Networking
13:35 - 13:40
Host Welcome
Speaker:
Brian Manusama
ActionaryExecutive Partner
13:40 - 14:00
John Lewis Case Study: Shaping and Delivering a Customer Experience Strategy
Speakers:
Rebecca Martin
John LewisSenior Customer Experience Manager
Rebecca is currently a Partner & Senior Customer Experience Manager at John Lewis & Partners. Rebecca started as Propositions Manager at John Lewis in 2021 and has since grown and developed her role into the Senior Customer Experience Manager position.
Prior to that, Rebecca was at Vodafone for 7 years starting as an Internal Communications Specialist and transitioned to a Propositions Manager.
Jasmin Wheeler
John LewisCustomer Experience Lead
I’m an innovative and energetic Product Lead, motivated by getting the best for the people around me – whether that’s the customers I design for or the teams I work in or lead. My expertise has been built through five years’ working in retail across shops and head office for the John Lewis Partnership, during a period of radical change.
Honest, supportive and aspirational, I enjoy working collaboratively with people to create tangible results with a clear purpose in mind. Through leadership roles on the shop floor and in experience design, I’ve developed an agility to deliver both operational success and strategic vision. I focus on the future while meeting the practical needs of today.
Last year I learned a lot from being part of John Lewis’s Restart programme, which saw the safe and successful reopening of our 38 shops following the first national Covid lockdown. My focus was to ensure we were well placed to adapt to the change in our customers’ needs, particularly those from vulnerable groups.
Progression? I really value it, for myself and the teams I lead. So I’m energised by opportunities through which I can broaden my experience and enable others to reach their full potential.
14:00 - 14:20
Transforming Customer Support Into a Competitive Advantage
Support quality is an important factor to consider when purchasing a system that’s core to one’s business, and you’ll hear companies left and right talking about delivering “a better customer experience,” but what does that actually mean?
In 2023 Front made our support metrics public to “show, not tell” the high service standards we commit to for our customers. While the benefits are clear for our customers, there’s been a positive impact for our team and company as well. We’ve had overwhelmingly positive responses to our “Support Report,” which has made it easier than ever to communicate the value of support as a revenue driver (not a cost center) to leadership outside of support and to hold our team accountable to a high standard of work.
Join Luke, our Senior Customer Support Specialist as he covers why making support metrics public is worth the risk; how to get started/the most important metrics to include; and how you should respond if your metrics start to slip.
Speaker:
14:40 - 15:00
Quilter's Transformative Journey to Customer-Centric Excellence
Quilter, one of the UK's leading wealth managers, has been recognised with the Best VoC Transformation award at the CX Live Global Awards for its innovative approach to enhancing customer experience (CX). Committed to providing high-quality financial advice and sustainable operations, Quilter empowers customers to achieve financial prosperity for generations.
In this presentation, Terry Ward explores Quilter's alignment of customer and digital experiences, highlighted by a new mobile app and an engaged Customer Community that promotes active feedback.
The firm's enhanced Voice of the Customer Programme, along with its adherence to Consumer Duty regulations, ensures a seamless and transparent experience. Despite economic challenges, Quilter has achieved notable growth and high customer satisfaction scores, driven by insights that guide continuous improvement.
This journey showcases how customer-centricity can effectively reshape the wealth management landscape.
Speaker:
Terry Ward
QuilterCustomer Insight Specialist
15:00 - 15:20
Experian Case Study: Programme Governance to Enable Success
Speaker:
15:40 - 16:00
Panel Discussion: Customer Experience Management: The Strategic Key to Success
In this panel discussion our industry leaders will explore the key strategies behind effective Customer Experience Management.
This panel will focus on critical elements that enhance customer engagement and drive satisfaction, including:
- Implementing technology for improved customer engagement
- Creating a unified experience across all channels
- Empowering employees to enhance customer interactions
- Defining and measuring the customer experience
- Implementing effective metrics for customer experience
- Training teams to ensure consistency in service delivery
- Handling customer complaints and resolving issues effectively
- The role of emotional intelligence in customer service
- Emerging trends in customer engagement
- Proving the ROI of customer engagement excellence
- Designing customer engagement services for optimal impact
Speakers:
Natalia Tatar
Fuller Smith & Turner P.L.CGroup Sales and Events Manager
Group Sales and Events Manager for Fullers since 2019
17 years of experience in Hospitality Sales and Events
Worked for companies like Novus Leisure and Revolution Bars
Sales Executive Apprenticeship Level 4
Member of Institute of Sales Professionals
I am a competitive and driven individual with a proven record of developing advanced sales structures and achieving consistent, sustainable sales growth. I focus my teams on delivering exceptional guest experiences as the key to outperforming their targets.
In my current role I navigate complex business landscapes, through building a strong sales and events team concentrated on enhancing customer engagement and adapting traditional sales processes to the demands of the modern digital economy.
Outside of work, I am a highly active mum of toddler who loves travelling, and spending time with her family and friends!
Deborah Winfield
ClinisuppliesChief Consumer Officer
Jasmin Wheeler
John LewisCustomer Experience Lead
I’m an innovative and energetic Product Lead, motivated by getting the best for the people around me – whether that’s the customers I design for or the teams I work in or lead. My expertise has been built through five years’ working in retail across shops and head office for the John Lewis Partnership, during a period of radical change.
Honest, supportive and aspirational, I enjoy working collaboratively with people to create tangible results with a clear purpose in mind. Through leadership roles on the shop floor and in experience design, I’ve developed an agility to deliver both operational success and strategic vision. I focus on the future while meeting the practical needs of today.
Last year I learned a lot from being part of John Lewis’s Restart programme, which saw the safe and successful reopening of our 38 shops following the first national Covid lockdown. My focus was to ensure we were well placed to adapt to the change in our customers’ needs, particularly those from vulnerable groups.
Progression? I really value it, for myself and the teams I lead. So I’m energised by opportunities through which I can broaden my experience and enable others to reach their full potential.
16:00 - 16:30
Coffee & Networking
11:00 - 12:00
Focus Group: Closing the Loop on CX Insights: From Data to Action
Led by SmartSurvey's Head of Product, Tom Barrie, this session invites CX leaders to explore practical strategies for turning customer feedback into meaningful actions. Through engaging discussions and real-world examples, you'll discover how to close the loop at every level of your organisation—frontline, management, and executive.
This collaborative session emphasises learning from both Tom’s insights and your peers’ experiences. Participants will delve into proven methods to operationalise feedback using the right tools, integrate insights seamlessly into workflows, and leverage customer success stories to drive results.
Leave with fresh approaches and practical tactics to elevate your CX initiatives and foster real change within your teams.
Speaker:
Tom Barrie
SmartSurveyHead of Product
I'm a people focused product manager and coach. I love building happy, multi disciplinary teams that collaborate effectively to solve challenges for users and organisations all over the world.
Over the last 10 years I've had the pleasure of working with clients such as Google, NatWest, Mozilla, Fiat Group, Kia, Subaru UK and the RAC as well as regional SMEs and startups.