Building Award-Winning Contact Centers: Insights from 2025 ICMI Global Award Winners

What separates an award-winning contact center from the rest? At the 2026 ICMI Digital Event, three 2025 Global Contact Center Award winners pulled back the curtain on their success strategies, proving that transformational results don't always require massive budgets—just intentional leadership and genuine commitment to people.

The Power of Trust and Communication

Isabelle Deslauriers, Manager of Customer Support at StarTech.com and 2025 Best Manager winner, emphasized that building trust is foundational. "We trust each other to have constructive conflicts and be radically candid with one another," she explained. This culture of honest communication enabled her team to address challenges head-on and row in the same direction, especially critical in the age of AI where human connection matters more than ever.

Scrappy Solutions That Drive Results

Jennifer Walls, VP of Customer & Partner Experience at Pathward Tax, whose team won Best Medium Contact Center, shared how her organization tackled rapid growth without breaking the bank. "We started really listening closer to the team, asking what was slowing them down, and then removing those barriers one by one," Walls said. Simple changes like daily huddles, "walk and talks," and real-time shout-outs transformed team energy without requiring expensive technology investments.

Kara Whalen, Director at VHA Member Services and winner of both Best Director and Best Public Sector Customer Service Team, implemented creative recognition programs including "Best of the Best" award ceremonies and years-of-service celebrations. "Personal recognition really went a long way," she noted, emphasizing that building a strong culture through leadership rounding and genuine employee connection made all the difference.

The Metrics That Matter (and Those That Don't)

In a revealing lightning round, all three panelists unanimously agreed that leaders rely too heavily on average handle time (AHT). "You can look at AHT to see how long the call lasted, but that doesn't tell you how the customer felt or if the agent even solved the problem," Walls cautioned. The consensus? Quality and customer experience should never be sacrificed for efficiency metrics alone.

Gaining Executive Buy-In

The panelists shared practical advice for communicating value beyond contact center walls:

• Pair data with narrative: Don't just show numbers—tell the story behind them
• Document everything: Track problems tackled, changes made, and before-and-after impact
• Advocate for yourself: "If they've forgotten you, ask them to remember you," Deslauriers advised
• Be the squeaky wheel: Consistently showcase positive results and the work behind them

Award Application Advice

With the 2026 ICMI Global Contact Center Awards now open for submissions, the panelists offered encouragement to hesitant applicants:

• Just start: "Don't wait for the perfect year because the perfect year might actually be happening right now," Walls emphasized
• Include solid data: Prove improvements with before-and-after comparisons
• Show your heart: Be genuine and let your personality shine through
• Learn from the process: Even if you don't win, the application process helps you see your work in a new light

One Change You Can Make Next Week

The session concluded with actionable advice anyone can implement immediately:

• Get out on the floor and talk to your employees
• Ask your team: "What's one thing slowing you down?" Then fix it
• Invite honest feedback from someone you trust, then repeat with others
• Show consistency in small things: communicating, coaching, measuring, and celebrating

Session Title: Inside 3 Award-Winning Contact Centers: What Actually Moves the Needle
Speakers: Erica Marois, Sr. Manager, Content and Community, Informa; Jennifer Walls, VP, Customer & Partner Experience, Pathward Tax; Kara Whalen, Director, Health Resource Center Member Services, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs; Isabelle Deslauriers, Manager, Customer Support, StarTech.com
Event: ICMI Digital Event 2026

Want to dive deeper into these award-winning strategies? Watch the full session recording here.

Interested in more insights from industry leaders? Explore other recorded sessions from the 2026 ICMI Digital Event here.