I was lucky enough to be invited to the Manawatu Contact Centre Awards in Palmerston North on Friday night. There were more than 350 people in the room and everyone looked gorgeous (well it is the Contact Centre industry!). Actor Shane Cortese (of Shortland Street, Dancing with the Stars and Outrageous Fortune fame) was the MC. A Palmerston North old boy, he proved a popular choice with the audience.
TUANZ sponsored the Contact Centre Team Leader of the Year Award, which was given to Christiana Pullen from Sitel, who gave a very heartfelt thank you speech. As part of the sponsorship TUANZ will pay for Christiana to attend our Contact Centre Conference and Awards in Auckland next year on April 23 and 24. The package includes return airfares, complimentary registration to both the Conference and the Awards evening, and two nights accommodation.
Manawatu Contact Centre cluster chairperson Mike Manson told me that they consider their Awards are a stepping stone to the ‘national’ Awards that TUANZ runs each year. Judging from the feedback I received about the winners (and finalists) on Friday night, it’s fair to say that contact centres in the rest of the country will face some fierce competition from their Manawatu colleagues next year.
Congratulations to the following Award winners:
Contact Centre of the Year – Over 50 seats
Land Transport New Zealand
Contact Centre of the Year – Under 50 seats
FMG Insurance
Contact Centre Manager of the Year – Over 50 seats
Michelle Charlton, Land Transport New Zealand
Contact Centre Manager of the Year – Under 50 seats
Marilyn Garth, Palmerston North City Council
Contact Centre Team Leader of the Year
Christiana Pullen, Sitel
Contact Centre Trainer of the Year
Ceri Lewis, FMG Insurance
Contact Centre Team of the Year
Sitel Queue Support Team
Contact Centre CSR/Agent of the Year
Lisa Snook, Massey University