Big Wins - Bold Moves and CX Soulsearching

I recently had the pleasure of being involved with the UK CX Awards again.

This year and as the Chair of Judges for the Best Customer-Centric Culture – Large Company category, I had the privilege to witness first-hand the fierce competition between top-tier brands. This year’s gold went to Ageas UK , with OVO and SSEN Transmission taking silver and bronze, respectively. For me, I really felt that this year’s contenders brought their A-game and I personally found it very difficult to split the entries, despite scoring them very differently on each category, there were just a few points in it when the I looked at the totals, this speaks volumes for the strides these organisations are making in their customer experience (CX) journeys, and I speak from personal experience of judging at this and other events over the last 15 years, this is not always the case.

Hosted by Awards International , the awards were preceded by a day of networking, and an afternoon conference and CX Trend Talks. The event kicked off with a fast-paced ‘speed networking’ session, I and I know from the feedback I received, others really enjoyed this opportunity. As this event has increased in scale and size year on year, it has become increasingly difficult to spend time with and meet our fellow judges, award entrants and other attendees. It gave us a great chance to connect in person and learn a little more from each other. I tried to take some selfies with everyone, but I know I missed a few!

After a light lunch the CX Trend Talks featured two panels hosted by Katie Stabler CCXP and Jamie Thorpe , who guided the discussions 'Evolution of Customer Experience' and 'Decoding The Judges'

Katie kicked us off and was joined by the panel of Ian Golding Jo M. Stuart Wilson DARREN BAYNEY and Greg Melia, CAE

• When Did CX Become a ‘Thing’? CX veteran Ian Golding traced it back to around 30–35 years, with the official Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA) launching in 2011. But he, along with other panellists, noted that despite all this time, there’s still no universal definition. As Darren Bayney aptly asked, “What’s the ROI?”—whether it’s customer retention or reduced cost-to-serve, it’s clear the answers vary widely, depending on who you ask. Darren also highlighted the importance of the voice of the employee in any initiative, those who can really break down the barriers can win over the stakeholders and start to deliver the right ROI.
• The Value of Small Wins Jo Mayes, Director of Customer Service at Business Stream shared the often-overlooked struggles of being a CX leader in a company that isn’t yet culturally aligned with the mission. Lonely and frustrating at times, celebrating small victories has been key, as these wins lay the foundation for larger cultural shifts over time.
• Human Touch vs. AI AI and automation of course played a part in the discussion, and Stuart Wilson's, Head of Sales & Marketing Talkmobile personal story stood out—a painful experience with an automated bereavement service left him vowing never to use that company again. His story illustrated how, no matter how efficient or well designed AI may be, the human element is critical in certain experiences, 'the emotions are what we remember'.
• Metrics That Matter Panellists shared a range of views on measurement, but Stuart noted that having a single metric (in his case, Trustpilot) offered not only real-time feedback but also a tangible way to track progress and demonstrate CX’s value internally.
• Greg Melia, CAE reminded us of Lou (Lewis) Carbone mantra of being intentional. @ian Golding reiterated this and considered the role of NPS and how this has played a part in the most recent years of CX, however if we are still measuring CX the same way 15 years from now, something’s gone wrong.

Jamie took over with is panel featuring Amjad Khan Nathan Dring and Jodie Mountford , this second panel took a closer look at the judging process itself and the heart of storytelling, diving into the importance of authenticity in awards entries.

Jodie highlighted the “heartbeat” of CX—that unique passion—that often doesn’t come through in the written entries but shines in the presentation and especially in the Q&A sessions which she felt really showed the beating heart and unique perspectives of the entries. Nathan, meanwhile, drew an interesting comparison, likening storytelling to the conversations he has with his 8-year-old daughter. No spreadsheets, no PowerPoints—just rich stories that spark curiosity and learning, a skill he sees as crucial for future CX leaders.

Amjad brought in the topic of sustainability, an issue close to his heart, noting that 70% of customers say they’d prefer to buy from brands that share their values. And yet, ethical practices often go unmentioned in CX discussions—a gap worth exploring in future conversations.

The day was a welcome reminder of how far the CX field has come and yet also how many of the longstanding issues and challenges remain. From the insightful exchanges to the heartfelt stories shared, it’s clear that CX isn’t just a department; it’s a commitment to doing right by customers and employees alike.

The evening was expertly hosted by Ian Golding and Emma Dark CCXP and a live band took us into the later hours, well those of you who stayed. Congratulations to all the winners, especially Experian for taking home the overall award. Thank you again to all the team at Awards International, who did a fabulous job as always and my fellow judges, it was great to have the opportunity to judge with you; Phil Corr , Anu Gibson and Daniel Edwards .

Looking forward to seeing what next year holds!

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