1. Read the categories – decide which ones you want to enter
2. Check the hints and tips for writing a great entry
3. Begin writing your entries – check against the criteria and include any images, graphs, quotes, testimonials, KPIs to support your nomination – when it’s completed create a single pdf document to upload via the CnectWales website
4. On the Enter Now page, complete the online entry form with details of the individual or team category being nominated
5. Upload your entry and submit – done!
Please Note: You can enter more than one category as appropriate. However, only three entries per category, will be accepted.
1. Cnect Wales Awards are open to any contact centre, shared service centre or centralised customer contact function based or delivered in Wales, employing a minimum of five staff. They are free to enter.
2. You can enter more than one category as appropriate. However, only three entries per category, will be accepted.
3. Read the Categories section to select the category you would like to enter and remember to check the criteria carefully for any specific requirements to be included in your entry and make sure you address each element in your response.
4. Please read the Terms and Conditions section below to ensure that you are eligible and meet the entry requirements.
5. To make a nomination complete the official online entry form which requires specific information for each entry. We suggest that you cut and paste the brief company overview for each entry to save retyping each time. Nominations or attachments submitted without the entry form or which are incorrectly filled in, may not be accepted.
6. Any activity or initiatives nominated must have been delivered within Wales during 2025 and up to May 2026.
7. Individual Categories
Nominations for the Individual categories must be nominated by a manager within the organisation. These entries should be written in the third person, and the person nominated must approve the entry. Individual nominations should not be more than 6 x A4 pages written in a 12-point typeface. The number of pages should include any images or separate attachments.
8. Team/Company Categories
Nominations for the Team/Company categories should be written by the team themselves and endorsed by a departmental manager. Team/Company entries should not be more than 10 x A4 pages written in a 12-point typeface. The number of pages should include any images or attachments.
9. Organisations can submit up to three entries per category, and as many categories as they wish.
10. Nominations should include sufficient evidence to support the entry. These may include:
• Testimonials or feedback from customers, clients, peers, leaders, managers or other departments in your organisation
• Product/Business data, targets, statistics or research
• Performance review document, amendments or improvements to processes based on feedback or recommendations
• Case studies or any other supporting evidence.
11. Submit your nominations by the deadline – 14 May 2026.
12. All entries will be assessed to ensure that they meet the criteria before being judged by an independent group of industry experts via virtual panel.
13. Virtual panel judging will be held on Tuesday 23 June, 30 June & 7 July. Site visits will be held in Early July. Add the dates to your diary now!
If you have any queries regarding entries please contact lucinda@cnectwales.uk
Cnect Wales Awards are open to any contact centre, shared service centre or customer contact organisation based – or delivering services – in Wales and employing a minimum of five staff.
• They are free to enter for members of Cnect Wales. Not yet a member? Sign up now!
• Any national or regional initiatives must have been delivered within Wales during 2025 and up to May 2026.
• Additional information must be submitted online and uploaded as part of the application process. Cnect Wales cannot accept additional information by post. Cnect Wales cannot accept any liability for loss, damage or cost of submissions.
• Finalists and winners must be willing to take part in any publicity or promotional activity as requested by the award organisers.
• Nominations will be judged on the information provided in the entry so please ensure you provide as much detail as possible and answer the category questions/requirements correctly.
• You are responsible for entering your organisation into the correct category(ies).
• You can enter more than one category as appropriate. However, only three entries per category, will be accepted.
• Information will be treated in confidence and not disclosed to anyone other than the judges, who will also undertake a pledge of confidentiality.
• The judges’ decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into during the Awards’ process and judges may not be contacted by entrants in any way or means during the competition. Any attempt to do so will result in your application being rejected.
• Feedback can be provided at an appropriate time after the winners have been announced. However, feedback will not be provided at the ceremony.
• The closing date for entries is 14 May 2026.
• The first round of judging will establish the list of finalists. Finalists will be announced on Friday 5 June 2026.
• Finalists will be invited to attend a short virtual panel interview on either Tuesday 23 June, 30 June and 7 July.
• Site visits for Best Client Partnership and Business of the Year will be agreed on finalist confirmation and anticipated to be undertaken during early July.
• Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on Friday 25 September 2026 at Cardiff City Stadium. If a finalist is unable to attend the Ceremony, the prize may be collected by a colleague who is attending the event or may be forwarded by post to the address on the application form.
• There will be no cash prizes and no alternatives to the prize offered.
• All finalists will be required to purchase a ticket to attend the Ceremony – there are no free or complimentary seats.
• Companies who enter the awards but decline to attend the Ceremony may be charged an Administration Fee of £500+VAT.
Cnect Wales Awards are judged by an independent panel of professionals working in the UK contact centre industry and with experience of judging or winning awards at a regional or national level. Their expertise and participation in this robust two-step process is essential in determining the winners.
Step 1: Creating the Finalists
All written entries for the Awards will be read by an independent group of industry experts, who will sift the entries according to the category criteria and compile a list of finalists.
Step 2: Finalist Virtual Panel Interviews
The finalists will invited to attend a second stage panel interview which will be held virtually with a panel of industry professionals that have met the criteria for selection. The judging session will take approximately 20/30 minutes, depending on the category.
Please note that at this stage the judges will NOT have read the written entry. The purpose of the panels is for the judges to find out directly from the finalists about their role/function (Individuals) or the entry nominated (Teams).
For the Individual categories it is only the individual finalist who should attend.
For the Team categories a maximum of two may attend from within the nominated Team.
Interview Process
• Brief welcome from the judges.
• The finalists introduce themselves and their organisation.
• Individual Finalists:
All individual finalists should be prepared to give a verbal presentation with an overview of their role and function for a maximum of 10 minutes – highlighting responsibilities, progress and key achievements.
• Customer Contact Leader & Senior Leader of the Year Finalists: Should be prepared to give a verbal presentation with an overview of their role for a maximum of 15 minutes – highlighting their leadership and management responsibilities, key achievements, their impact on the business in driving high performance or change, and any innovative strategies they have implemented that have positively impacted the business and staff.
• Team/Company Finalists: Should give a verbal presentation with an overview of the nomination for a maximum of 15 minutes – highlighting where applicable: key objectives, processes and implementation, innovation and transformation, achievements and results.
Please note that a PowerPoint presentation is not necessary as the format is discussion-based.
However, if preferred, finalists for the Customer Contact Leader of the Year, Senior Leader of the Year and the Team/Company categories may share slides for their presentation, for up to a maximum of 15 minutes.
Evaluation Criteria:
The presentation will be followed by an exploratory question and answer session with the judges for 10/15 minutes. The judges will ask organic questions that arise from the presentation and as part of the category criteria.
Step 2: Site Visits
It is anticipated that the finalists within the categories for Best Client Partnership and Business of the Year will be judged via a 40-minute site visit by the organisers and up to 3 industry judges. Details and requirements for the visit will be confirmed in due course but it is assumed that the visit will include introductions, a 15-minute presentation, 15-minute Q&A plus short tour of the operation with an opportunity to meet key staff and stakeholders of the business.
The winners will be revealed at the Gala Awards Ceremony on Friday 25 September 2026 at Cardiff City Stadium.
2026
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