Customer Service & Contact Center Achievement Categories
Nominations that won in the 2026 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service may be resubmitted for consideration in the 2027 awards. If they have been updated with recent achievements, they may be submitted to the same categories in which they won. If they have not been updated, they must be submitted to categories different from those in which they won.
Information required for entries in these categories include:
1. Written answers to the following questions, describing the nominated organization’s achievements since July 1, 2024, OR a video of up to five (5) minutes in length that answers all of the same questions:
a. Briefly describe the nominated organization: its history and past performance (up to 1,250 characters). Required
b. Outline the organization’s achievements since the beginning of July 2024 that you wish to bring to the judges’ attention (up to 1,500 characters). Required
c. Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible, compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization’s past performance (up to 1,500 characters). Required
d. Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination. (up to 1,500 characters). Optional
2. Optional (but highly recommended), add to your entry up to 10 webpage links and up to 10 document uploads to support your case to the judges. These might be press articles, press releases, videos, or images, for example.
79. Achievement in Customer Experience
Recognizing organizations for their improvement of the overall customer experience in order to retain existing customers, gain more loyal ones, and mitigate churn. Approaches to improving customer experience might include the use of customer surveys, personalized product and service recommendations, dynamic website experiences, and segmented customer messaging, among other tools.
80. Achievement in Customer Service Automation
Recognizing customer service organizations for their successful development and implementation since the beginning of July 2024 of digital-first customer service experiences.
81. Achievement in Global Customer Service Excellence
Recognizing organizations that successfully delivered seamless, culturally-aware, and efficient customer service across multiple global markets.
82. Achievement in the Use of Data & Analytics in Customer Service
Recognizing customer service organizations for their successful use of data and analytics tools to better predict, respond to, track, and satisfy customer needs since the beginning of July 2024.
83. Award for Innovation in Customer Service
Recognizing new ideas and developments within customer service that enabled organizations to meet the needs of their customers more effectively, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty. This category is split into five separate categories:
a. Computer Industries: recognizes achievement in the internet/new media, computer hardware, computer software, computer services, etc. industries.
b. Financial Services Industries: recognizes achievement in the accounting, banking, financial services, insurance, etc. industries.
c. Other Service Industries: recognizes achievement in all service industries except for financial services.
d. Telecommunications Industries: recognizes achievement in all telecommunications industries.
e. All Other Industries: recognizes achievement in all industries that are not covered by one of the other Award for Innovation in Customer Service categories.
84. Best Customer Engagement Initiative
Recognizing customer engagement initiatives since July 1, 2024 that created a positive customer experience that has maintained or increased customer loyalty.
85. Best Customer Feedback Strategy
Recognizing customer feedback strategies that led to an improvement in customer satisfaction and performance since July 1, 2024. Include in your nomination a discussion of how easy it is for customers to provide feedback and how you close the feedback loop.
86. Best Customer Satisfaction Strategy
Recognizing strategies that measurably improved customer satisfaction ratings since July 1, 2024. Include in your nomination a discussion of your strategic plan designed to leave a legacy, after implementation, of a new relationship between your organization and its customers.
87. Best Return on Customer Service Investment
This category is open to any organization that made an investment in customer service and has realized a quantifiable return on investment since July 1, 2024. Investment could be in process redesign, strategy, training, human resources, hardware or software. Include in your nomination evidence of measurable return applied specifically to the activity which the investment enabled, as well as secondary benefits (other than financial) which were a direct outcome of the investment.
88. Best Use of Customer Insight
Recognizing organizations for their successful use of customer insight to gain competitive advantage. Include in your nomination detail about the strategy that drove the customer insight as well as the expected outcomes and the actual results of your use of customer insight.
89. Best Use of Omnichannel in Customer Service
Recognizing organizations for meeting customer expectations across multiple platforms. Successful nominees in this category have mastered the art of seamlessly connecting various touchpoints, both digital and physical, to provide a cohesive customer journey. This category is split into five separate categories:
a. Computer Industries: recognizes achievement in the internet/new media, computer hardware, computer software, computer services, etc. industries.
b. Financial Services Industries: recognizes achievement in the accounting, banking, financial services, insurance, etc. industries.
c. Other Service Industries: recognizes achievement in all service industries except for financial services.
d. Telecommunications Industries: recognizes achievement in all telecommunications industries.
e. All Other Industries: recognizes achievement in all industries that are not covered by one of the other e-Commerce Customer Service Award categories.
90. Best Use of Technology in Customer Service
Recognizing customer service and contact center organizations for their use of technology, such as artificial intelligence, that has directly improved customer service delivery, provided real business benefits, and shown system adoption across the entire customer service function. This category is split into five separate categories:
a. Computer Industries: recognizes achievement in the internet/new media, computer hardware, computer software, computer services, etc. industries.
b. Financial Services Industries: recognizes achievement in the accounting, banking, financial services, insurance, etc. industries.
c. Other Service Industries: recognizes achievement in all service industries except for financial services.
d. Telecommunications Industries: recognizes achievement in all telecommunications industries.
e. All Other Industries: recognizes achievement in all industries that are not covered by one of the other Best Use of Technology in Customer Service categories.
91. Customer Adoption Initiative of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for initiatives that have successfully increased customer adoption and utilization of products, services, or solutions since July 1, 2024.
92. Customer Community Program of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for creating and managing customer communities that foster engagement, knowledge sharing, advocacy, and customer success since July 1, 2024.
93. Customer Experience Measurement Program of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for excellence in measuring, analyzing, and improving customer experience through customer satisfaction, loyalty, or other performance metrics since July 1, 2024.
94. Customer Experience Transformation of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for successfully transforming the customer experience through improvements to strategy, processes, technology, or service delivery since July 1, 2024.
95. Customer Expansion Program of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for programs that have successfully grown customer relationships through renewals, cross-selling, upselling, or expanded product and service adoption since July 1, 2024.
96. Customer Journey Innovation of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for innovative approaches to improving the customer journey across one or more touchpoints since July 1, 2024.
97. Customer Loyalty Initiative of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for initiatives that have strengthened customer loyalty, engagement, and long-term relationships since July 1, 2024.
98. Customer Onboarding Program of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for outstanding customer onboarding programs that help new customers successfully adopt products or services and achieve value quickly since July 1, 2024.
99. Customer Retention Program of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for programs that have successfully increased customer retention through improved service, engagement, or customer success initiatives since July 1, 2024.
100. Customer Service Employer of the Year
This category will recognize how organizations have provided a supportive and rewarding work environment for customer service professionals since the beginning of July 2024.
101. Customer Service Training or Coaching Program of the Year
Recognizing customer service organizations for their development and use of training and coaching programs. This category is split into four separate categories:
a. Business Services Industries: recognizes training or coaching programs in business services industries such as advertising, consulting, marketing, public relations, recruiting, etc.
b. Other Service Industries: recognizes training or coaching programs in services industries such as financial services, healthcare, hospitality & leisure, legal, media & entertainment, real estate, retail, etc.
c. Technology Industries: recognizes training or coaching programs in technology industries such as computer software, computer services, computer hardware, internet/new media, and telecommunications.
d. All Other Industries: recognizes training or coaching programs in all industries not covered by the other Customer Service Training or Coaching Program of the Year categories.
102. Customer Service Transformation Award
Recognizing organizations for their improvements in customer service performance since July 1, 2024, over prior periods. Include in your nomination detail to quantify the performance improvement, based on your KPIs and any other indicators you measure.
103. Omnichannel Customer Experience of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations that have delivered a seamless and consistent customer experience across multiple communication and service channels since July 1, 2024.
104. Voice of the Customer Program of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for outstanding voice of the customer (VoC) programs that effectively collect, analyze, and act on customer feedback to improve products, services, or experiences since July 1, 2024.
Workforce Excellence in Customer Service
105. Contact Center Workforce Innovation of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for innovative approaches to workforce management, scheduling, coaching, engagement, or performance optimization in contact centers since July 1, 2024.
106. Employee Wellbeing Program in Customer Service (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for programs since July 1, 2024, that have promoted the wellbeing, resilience, and job satisfaction of customer service professionals.
107. Frontline Employee Experience Initiative of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for initiatives since July 1, 2024, that have improved the experience, engagement, or effectiveness of frontline customer service employees.
108. Upskilling & Reskilling Initiative of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for initiatives since July 1, 2024, that have successfully equipped customer service employees with new skills to meet evolving technologies, customer expectations, or business needs.
109. Workforce Development Program of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for programs since July 1, 2024, that have developed the skills, knowledge, and career growth of customer service professionals.
Customer Analytics & Insights
110. Customer Data Innovation of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for innovative use of customer data since July 1, 2024, to improve customer service, customer experience, or business performance.
111. Customer Insights Program of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for programs since July 1, 2024, that effectively collect and analyze customer insights to improve products, services, or customer experiences.
112. Customer Intelligence Achievement of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for outstanding achievements since July 1, 2024, in using customer intelligence to enhance decision-making, customer engagement, or service performance.
113. Predictive Analytics Initiative of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for initiatives since July 1, 2024, that use predictive analytics to anticipate customer needs, improve service delivery, or drive business outcomes.
114. Voice Analytics Initiative of the Year (New for 2027)
Recognizing organizations for initiatives since July 1, 2024, that use voice analytics to improve customer interactions, agent performance, or operational efficiency.