For a quarter of a century, the European Contact Centre & Customer Service Awards have been used as a common reference point for assessing customer contact excellence across the continent.
Last week, the awards program reached a significant milestone, celebrating its 25th edition with a ceremony that brought together finalists and industry leaders from 44 European countries at Evolution in Battersea Park, London.
What began as a vision to recognize outstanding customer service has evolved into what many winners describe as the equivalent of "winning an Oscar" in the customer contact profession.
Hosted by acclaimed broadcaster Anita Rani, with a special appearance from Olympic cycling legend Sir Jason Kenny, the event showcased not just the achievements of individual organisations, but the collective progress of an entire industry committed to elevating the human experience in business.
A Night of European Excellence
The 2025 awards demonstrated the remarkable breadth of talent across Europe's customer contact landscape. Winners ranged from global household names like BMW, British Airways, Booking.com, EE, HSBC, The LEGO Group, Sage, Santander, and TUI to fast-growing challenger brands and purpose-driven charities including Fibrus, Ditto Music, and StepChange Debt Charity.
ING in Romania claimed the prestigious Contact Centre of the Year title, highlighting the growing strength of customer operations in Eastern Europe. This recognition reflects a broader trend of innovation and excellence emerging from regions that are increasingly setting new standards for customer service delivery.
Poland also made its mark on the European stage, with Alior Bank winning Best Employee Experience. This award reinforces the country's reputation for people-centered leadership and demonstrates how investing in employee wellbeing directly translates to superior customer outcomes.
Unisys delivered a particularly impressive performance, securing both Outsourced Contact Centre of the Year and Best Pan-European Customer Contact Operation. This double victory underscores the critical role that strategic outsourcing partners play in delivering consistent, high-quality customer experiences across multiple markets and languages.
Foundever's Remarkable Seven-Award Haul
Among the standout performers of the evening, Foundever, one of the most prominent global leaders in the customer experience industry, received a significant 16 nominations and successfully walked away with seven awards across six categories, including Gold for Best BPO Partnership with John Lewis & Partners.
"We are deeply honored to be recognized across six categories," said Chris Halbard, CEO of Foundever.
"This achievement is a testament to our constant commitment to keeping brand promises by delivering people-led, technology-enabled customer experience solutions that create measurable value."
The scale of Foundever's recognition demonstrates how organisations that balance human expertise with technological innovation are shaping emerging best practices for partnership-driven customer experiences across Europe.
Energy Sector Shows Compassion in Action
In a powerful demonstration of corporate social responsibility, energy companies swept all three top spots in the Best Approach to Supporting Vulnerable Customers category.
This clean sweep reflects the sector's commitment to ensuring that those facing financial hardship, health challenges, or other vulnerabilities receive the support they need during difficult times.
UK Power Networks impressed judges across the board, taking home the coveted Best Customer Experience award. Their success demonstrates how utility companies are transforming from service providers into customer-centric organisations that prioritize seamless, empathetic interactions.
The Rigour Behind the Recognition
All 31 categories were judged through a rigorous and fully independent process overseen by Professor Moira Clark, Chair of the Judges and Professor of Strategic Marketing at Henley Business School.
With judges drawn from multiple European countries, the process ensured fairness, neutrality, and cultural balance across all categories.
"The quality of entries this year demonstrates the extraordinary progress being made across Europe," said Professor Clark.
"Our judges uphold the highest standards of independence, reviewing entries across borders to ensure every finalist is assessed fairly. The 2025 winners truly represent the best of the best."
Winners Celebrate Their Achievements
The impact of winning an ECCCSA resonated strongly with recipients, who took to social media to share their pride and gratitude.
Shawn Stanyer, Head of Customer Experience at Bank of Valletta, wrote that he "could not be prouder of what we achieved as a team.
"This year the awards received thousands of submissions across Europe, followed by a rigorous judging process. Our work was selected and we reached the finals in two award categories, placing us within the top one hundred organisations on a European stage.