Verastar’s Learning & Development Team have been recognised for their hard work with a Highly Commended for Best People Development at the Call North West Contact Centre Awards 2018.
This year was the first time the utilities and telecoms supplier has been involved in the Call North Awards, so they were thrilled to be named as finalists in two categories: Support Team of the Year and Best People Development. Both nominations were celebrating the work carried out by the dedicated Learning & Development Team.
Launched in 2003, Call North West aims to support the call and contact centre industry which spans across many sectors in the North West. Today, it supports the 700 plus contact centres in the region through a diverse calendar of events including the Annual Call North West Awards Ceremony.
This year’s black-tie event took place on the 19th October at the Midland Hotel, Manchester. The Verastar Team enjoyed a brilliantly organised evening with live music, an appetising three-course dinner and entertainment from the hilarious host Tom Allen. The individuals who are standing out in the North West contact centre industry were celebrated in the first half of the evening, with a break for dinner before moving on to the team categories.
The Verastar Learning & Development Team work tirelessly to ensure the continued development of all Contact Centre staff working across brands kinex, Clear Business and Unicom. From initial induction to ongoing support whilst on the job, the aim of the L&D Team is to encourage colleagues to see working in a Contact Centre as a career, not just a job. And for people to be rewarded for their output, not just their length of service. It was a real accolade for this to be celebrated by the Call North West Contact Centre Awards judges with a Highly Commended in Best People Development.
Alex Skelt, Learning and Development Manager comments:
‘Here at Verastar, people development is an integral part of running a successful Contact Centre. We truly believe the more you put into your colleagues, the more you will get out of them and the more they can achieve truly rewarding careers. It’s a real milestone for the team to be recognised in this way and we can’t thank Call North West enough for a great night.’
One of the initiatives the judges were particularly impressed with was the STAR Pay Progression scheme, launched in May 2017, which enables colleagues to achieve a higher level of pay by progressing through levels within their job role. Verastar’s overall objective for pay progression is to develop and retain experienced colleagues and the scheme has delivered above expectations in its first year.
People Development is a key focus for Verastar, as explained by CEO Chris Earle:
‘We see People Development as playing a vital role within our Contact Centre, not only to support its day-to-day running but also to encourage its growth as we take on more customers each year. The multi-product nature of our business means that colleagues can gain experience in multiple industries, making their role complex and varied. This enables us to recruit entry level employees and take them on a challenging journey as they develop their skills and knowledge, whilst being supported by our Pay Progression initiative. For the Learning & Development Team to be recognised with a Highly Commended is testament to the difference they make every day.’
The night culminated with celebrations from all attendees on the dancefloor accompanied by live band Juno. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners and thank you to Call North West from Verastar.
Would you like to join a company that is invested in and celebrated for People Development? See the latest opportunities at Verastar on our Careers Page – come and join the family!
