Laurence Leach, an esteemed industry leader, has been chosen for the second time to serve as a judge on the prestigious finalist panel for the Customer-Centricity World Series.
The awards consist of the European Series and the World Series, organized by Arquette, Global. They aim to recognize achievements in the customer experience domain, covering a wide range of award categories. ACF Technologies is a previous winner of the awards for an outstanding and world-changing project in the healthcare industry.
The Project
In 2019, Leach spearheaded a groundbreaking project that involved the successful delivery of a state-of-the-art system for the UK's National Health Service (NHS). This visionary system played a critical role in facilitating COVID-19 vaccination bookings, becoming the primary platform utilized across the entire country. With an astounding user base of over 40 million customers, it effortlessly handled a staggering number of 100 million appointments, while seamlessly processing billions of page views and requests.
As the lead architect, Leach takes immense pride in the flawless performance of the system and its remarkable success in the UK. His work with his team at ACF has made a lasting impact on the nation's healthcare infrastructure, ensuring the efficient and streamlined delivery of essential vaccination services to millions of people.
Gaining Recognition
Following this achievement, Laurence and the team decided to submit the project for various awards, believing that their work deserved recognition. Despite not winning on their first entry, they reflected on their submission and realized the need for improved focus and clarity in conveying their accomplishments to the award committee.
Undeterred, they persevered and submitted the project to other awards, resulting in winning the prestigious European Customer Centricity Awards. Laurence and the team at ACF Technologies were motivated to take their success to an even greater level. They set their sights on competing on a global scale, showcasing their exceptional work in international award ceremonies, and taking home more attributes to their success, such as the SME Positive Impact Award.
Since then, Laurence and the team have received several other accolades, proudly displayed on his desk.
Embarking on the Path to Becoming an Industry Leader
The recognition prompted Laurence to get more involved in the community, reaching out to an awards ceremony to offer assistance as a judge. While some organizations were initially skeptical due to his lack of experience, one surprising acceptance led to the request for his resume. Laurence highlighted their previous participation and success in the awards, which provided familiarity with the entry process and sparked curiosity about the judging process. After receiving training, Laurence eagerly took on the role of a judge for the Customer Centricity World Series, judging both the CX Solution of the Year and Best User Experience categories.
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The awards process consists of approximately 10 different categories, encompassing topics such as customer-centric culture, complaint handling, employee experience, and design. Various innovative companies submit their projects that focus on improving customer experience and Net Promoter scores or offer specific solutions tailored to their respective fields.
As a judge, Laurence reviews written entries and accompanying video presentations submitted through a form. He evaluates them based on judging guidelines and his own rubric system, providing feedback and asking follow-up questions if necessary. The comprehensive evaluation process includes analyzing written explanations, supporting documentation, images, and presentations. Each entry is ranked, notes are taken, and total scores are assigned. To address the challenge of comparing diverse entries, Laurence uses specific rubrics and marking criteria, considering factors such as whether they addressed the project's objectives, provided data and statistics, and made a social impact. User experience is also a significant factor in determining the best entry.
On the Horizon
Laurence's goal is to continue judging throughout January and move on to become a judge for other awards as well. He emphasizes the importance of participating in award ceremonies such as the Customer Centricity World Series, SME Positive Impact Award, European Customer Centricity Awards, and the 2022 Global Good Awards to strengthen the company's standing as an industry leader. With his experience as a judge, Laurence now has a better understanding of what constitutes a strong entry and is a leader that can foster future applications for success.
“It's a privilege to be able to use my experience in the industry and, as a previous entrant and winner of the awards, to be able to recognize the leading solutions in the customer experience space.” - Laurence
Conclusion
Leach's vision for ACF Technologies has always been clear - to provide customer-focused tech solutions that go beyond the norm. By aligning ACF's mission with the rapidly evolving digital landscape, he has ensured the company stays in the vanguard of innovation. His forward-thinking approach has been pivotal in the development of solutions that effectively bridge the gap between businesses and customers, improving overall customer experience.
One of the key attributes that sets Leach and ACF Technologies apart in the industry is their commitment to excellence. Their products and services reflect their unwavering dedication to delivering the highest level of quality, and this sentiment permeates the entire organization.
As a result, ACF Technologies has carved a niche for itself in the global tech industry. Leveraging his rich experience in the field, Leach has been instrumental in key strategic decisions and innovative practices that have solidified ACF's position as an industry leader.
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