To You and Your Frontline – Making a Difference When it Matters Most

Far from starting to wind down for the festive period, many of your contact centres are currently gearing up – for what is often one of the busiest times of year in our industry.

When things go wrong, as they frequently do at Christmas, it’s your contact centres that are there at the end of a phoneline, or across various digital channels, to help make them right.

You’re the retailer talking a frantic parent through correctly assembling their child’s new toy from Santa. And the energy provider helping to reconnect a house after a surprise fuse box blow-out on Christmas Day.

You’re the roadside services call-out delivering reassurance and a rapid rescue to a young family whose car has broken down on the way to visiting grandparents on Boxing Day.

So, as we approach the end of another remarkable year, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you.

Not a perfunctory, corporate kind of thank you, but a genuine one – to you and your fellow one million-plus cohorts in contact centres across the UK, as you continue to champion this industry with professionalism, patience and a uniquely empathetic understanding for what it means to help solve people’s problems during this festive period.

A Vibrant Community

To our CCMA members – thank you for being part of this wonderful network. Thank you for sharing your insights at our leadership forums, contributing to our research, supporting your peers and continuously pushing this industry forward.

Your commitment to best practice, your willingness to learn from each other and your determination to champion contact centre careers make an enormous difference.

You understand what the best organisations know instinctively: that wellbeing isn’t optional, it’s essential – especially during peak periods such as now. You understand that flexibility and respect for diversity matters. That small moments of joy and kindness are what differentiates us. And that recognition of your colleagues’ achievements during this time means everything. That team spirit and great leadership are what hold everything together when the pressure ramps up.

Exciting Times Ahead

Contact centres have often been misunderstood or undervalued by wider society. But those of us who know this industry understand its incredible value. You’re the voice, the reassurance and often the only human connection someone has with an organisation they’re relying on. You make people’s lives work.

As we head into 2026, I’m excited about what’s ahead for this industry. Yes, artificial intelligence and disruptive technologies will continue to transform how we work. Yes, there will be challenges to navigate. But the fundamental truth remains – behind every successful customer interaction is a skilled, dedicated professional who cares about getting it right.

So from myself and the entire team at the CCMA – thank you. Thank you for being there when it matters most. And thank you for being part of a membership and network that we’re so proud to serve.

Here’s to you, and to another year of making a difference. One interaction at a time!