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Centrical Announces 2024 Customer SELECT Award Winners
The awards recognize leaders and organizations transforming frontline employee performance experience and innovation across industries.
NEW YORK, Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Centrical today unveiled the winners of the 2024 Customer SELECT Awards, celebrating organizations and individuals that have redefined excellence in employee performance experience management and innovation. These trailblazers have leveraged Centrical’s solutions to transform their workplaces, empower their frontline teams, and achieve remarkable results.
“The Centrical Customer SELECT Awards shine a spotlight on the incredible achievements of our customers and the remarkable individuals within their organizations,” said Daphne Saragosti, Chief Customer Officer at Centrical. “Each winner embodies what’s possible when technology, innovation, and a commitment to people come together to unlock extraordinary outcomes. Their success inspires us all, and we are proud to be their partner on this journey.”
Team Award Winners:
- The Scholar: Arise Virtual Solutions
Arise redefined training with a dynamic onboarding and certification process for its service partners. Through competency validation, personalized learning paths, and real-time analytics, Arise set a new standard for service partner readiness and performance. Their approach resulted in faster, more effective training processes and improved client satisfaction.
“With the launch of Centrical and using many of its tools, we’ve been able to reduce speed to proficiency by almost half. This means where it was taking three months to reach a particular level, we’re now achieving that in half the time. Our service partners feel more supported, and this translates into better metrics and exceptional results for our clients and their customers.”— Sonia Brant Mullins, Vice President of Service Partner Experience, Arise Virtual Solutions
- The Innovator: IHG Hotels and Resorts
IHG Hotels & Resorts launched IHG Climb to empower frontline colleagues with targeted resources, including training and tools to enhance guest experiences and boost Enrollment Efficiency and Loyalty Recognition. Since its launch, the program has improved loyalty recognition scores year over year and surpassed pre-pandemic enrollment levels, driving increased direct bookings and guest retention.
“IHG One Rewards members are our most profitable and valuable guests. They’re loyal to our brands and help drive revenue to our hotels with each of their repeat stays. We really wanted to see a step change performance heading into 2024 and make sure that our branded hotels are delivering the program day in and day out, while finding new ways to engage with our frontline team members.” — Natasha Scott, Senior Vice President, Americas Revenue Management and Commercial Teams, IHG Hotels & Resorts
- The Gamechanger: Purpose Financial
Purpose Financial, a leader in financial services, introduced an innovative gamification platform powered by Centrical that transforms routine tasks into engaging, interactive challenges. By combining performance tracking with gamified goals, the platform has improved performance metrics, reduced turnover, and fostered a purpose-driven culture. The solution empowers managers along with field, call center and collection agents across more than 800 U.S. branches to achieve new milestones while equipping managers with actionable insights to deliver impactful coaching and real-time recognition. This approach has boosted productivity and strengthened team cohesion, setting a new standard for employee engagement within the organization.
“Purpose Financial’s gamification platform has changed the way we work. It’s not just about hitting targets; it’s about creating an environment where our agents feel valued, motivated, and equipped to succeed. The impact on engagement and performance has been remarkable.” — Michelle Goldsberry, Senior Business Integrations Specialist, Purpose Financial - The Captain: Wix.com
Wix empowered its managers and teams by centralizing workflows and aligning coaching processes. With over 70% of managers adopting Centrical’s coaching feature immediately, the company scaled its leadership strategies, boosting engagement and performance.
“There was a lot of excitement among managers to finally have a tool that aligns processes and supports them in coaching their teams more effectively.”— Helene Zerbib, TLV Customer Care Delivery Site Lead, Wix - The High Performer: Capita Experience
Capita Experience transformed its approach to performance management by leveraging Centrical to unify workflows, enhance collaboration, and provide real-time insights. Through gamification and tailored coaching strategies, the organization empowered its remote workforce and fostered measurable improvements, including a dramatic increase in customer resolution rates and efficiency gains across all service lines.
“With Centrical, we’ve not only reduced Average Handling Time by 9.9%, with some teams achieving a 13% reduction, but we’ve also enhanced the support we provide to both our managers and employees. The platform has become a key enabler of collaboration, engagement, and performance improvement, even in a fully remote environment.” – Gianni Petrillo, Senior Operations Manager, Capita Experience
- The Nurturer: Teleperformance Samsung
Teleperformance Samsung tackled hybrid work challenges with innovative solutions like daily wellness checks, gamification, and AI-driven performance insights. These initiatives fostered transparency, well-being, and a remarkable +70 NPS.
“With Centrical, team leaders conduct daily wellness checks, particularly focusing on employees working remotely. These checks provide insight into individual well-being, making Centrical a conversation starter and ensuring employees feel supported and acknowledged, even in a remote work setting.”— Marco Brouwer, Contact Centre Manager, Teleperformance Samsung
Individual Award Winners:
- The Visionary: Liz Millington, Head of Digital Transformation, Ascensos
Liz Millington exemplifies visionary leadership through her people-first approach, driving cultural and operational excellence at Ascensos. By leveraging real-time data insights and fostering collaboration, she inspired transformative changes that empowered employees and elevated client outcomes for organizations like Selfridges and John Lewis. - The Employee Experience Champion: Michelle Goldsberry, Sr. Business Integration Specialist, Purpose Financial
Michelle Goldsberry redefined employee engagement, inspiring a culture of growth and high performance within Purpose Financial’s customer contact center. Her leadership drove remarkable business outcomes, including a 163% increase in new money contributions and a 134% rise in calls handled. - The Creative Content Pioneer: Izabella Mendes, Learning Designer, Foundever Brazil
Izabella Mendes revolutionized learning for Foundever’s Technical Operations team by embedding soft skills into client communication through SCORM-based games, animated podcasts, and personalized content. Her creative approach ensured learners stayed engaged and inspired through meaningful learner experiences.
Celebrating Excellence
Congratulations to all the 2024 Centrical Customer SELECT Award winners! These innovators have set new benchmarks for employee engagement and organizational success, demonstrating the transformative potential of Centrical’s solutions.
For more details about the winners and their exceptional programs, including additional resources, visit Centrical Customer SELECT Awards 2024.
About the Centrical Customer SELECT Awards
The Centrical Customer SELECT Awards, now in their fifth year, celebrate organizations and individuals who exemplify excellence and innovation in leveraging Centrical’s solutions to drive business success. These awards recognize both teams and individuals who have set new benchmarks in employee engagement, operational performance, and innovation. Building on the success of past years, the 2024 awards continue to highlight achievements across industries, including new categories for individual excellence. Winners demonstrate the transformative power of Centrical’s platform in fostering continuous growth, performance improvement, and measurable business impact.
About Centrical
Centrical, the Performance Experience Platform, empowers best-in-class customer experiences for the world’s leading brands by building highly engaged and productive frontline teams. The platform personalizes the employee experience, guiding individual success and growth, through AI-driven performance, coaching and quality management, personalized microlearning, and voice of the employee—all wrapped in industry-leading gamification to make the experience both fun and rewarding. In addition, Centrical’s AI copilot empowers frontline managers to develop their teams through more effective and efficient coaching.
Centrical was founded in 2013 and serves customers in 150 countries in 40 different languages. Centrical has offices in New York, Tel Aviv, and London and customers include leading multinational enterprises such as IHG, Teleperformance, DHL, Synchrony Financial, and more.
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- Work is more important to professionals in ‘Global South’ countries than it is to their peers in Western countries.
- They also place more value on working longer hours, with a significant percentage of professionals in China and India willing to work more than 40 hours a week.
- Westerners lack leadership ambition – only 42% of respondents express a desire to lead or establish a business. In the Global South 65% hold this aspiration.
- Global executive search & leadership advisory firm Amrop surveyed 8,000 people in Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Poland, the UK, and US on the meaning of work.
BRUSSELS, Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Professionals in Western countries are less ambitious and less interested in work than their ‘Global South’ peers, a new global study by Amrop, a leading global executive search and leadership consulting firm, reveals.
“The drive and ambition in India, Brazil, and China highlight a contrast with the aging societies in the West. As Western nations also face a scarcity of qualified professionals, the ambition of their workforce becomes a decisive factor for growth, economic success, and wealth preservation,” states Annika Farin, Global Chair at Amrop. “Stakeholders should encourage entrepreneurship and foster interest in both professional and personal growth in workers.”
Notably, 92% of Indians and 87% of Brazilians say they enjoy working, while the sentiment is lower in Germany (71%), the US (69%), and the UK (68%), as well as other European countries. Significant variations emerge in how respondents prioritize their careers: 84% in India assert that a successful career is crucial for a good life, with high agreement also in China (71%) and Brazil (70%). Conversely, only 43% in Germany, 40% in France and 37% in Poland share this perspective. In other Western countries such as the US and UK, over half of respondents consider their careers vital for a good life.
India Leads with Impressive Work Ethic and Work-Life Balance
However, divergent work ethics surfaced among Western countries as well, with 70% in the US prioritizing hard work, contrasting starkly with the 35% in France who share the same belief. In this context, India leads at 75%, surpassing Brazil (55%) and China (63%). Chinese professionals also lean more towards career over private life. Work hours reveal distinctions: 46% in China and 42% in India are willing to work over 40 hours, while 29% in the UK, 27% in Germany and only 16% in France, are open to longer working hours. At the same time 73% in India and 59% in China assert that they have a healthy work-life balance, contrasting with 45% in France and 49% in Germany.
“This observation is intriguing. Working fewer hours doesn’t necessarily improve one’s perception of work-life balance. If any connection exists, it appears to be the other way around – professionals willing to work longer hours also seem to have a greater sense of work-life balance. In Europe, especially, we need follow-up studies to find out where these sentiments are coming from, so we know how to reignite the passion for work,” says Farin.
The Lack of Leadership Ambition Extends to Politics
Further results from the survey show that the Global South countries demonstrate a higher aspiration for leadership roles and entrepreneurial ventures. Notably, 76% in India express a desire to run or manage a company, followed by 66% in Brazil and 54% in China. In contrast, the UK (52%), the US (49%), France (37%), and Germany (36%) trail in these aspirations. The global lack of leadership ambition extends to politics, with respondents deeming it the least desirable career across most countries. Only 19% express a motivation to make a positive impact, with 51% prioritizing financial stability and 39% aiming for a specific lifestyle.
Looking at these results, Farin emphasizes a further concern, “In surveying individuals with at least a bachelor’s degree across various countries, our results prompt a crucial question: If most professionals lack ambition for high-level leadership, who will shape the future of economies and societies? Our societies rely on people, their expertise, and motivation. Are we approaching a future where we question not only corporate leadership but also national leadership?”
About the Survey
An online survey was conducted and gathered insights from 8,000 participants, with 1,000 respondents from each of the following countries: Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Poland, the US, and the UK.
The survey aimed for representativeness across these diverse nations, capturing perspectives from individuals aged 20 to 60 (Gen Z: 20-26, Young Millennials: 27-34, Old Millennials: 35-42, Gen X: 43-60), all possessing at least a bachelor’s degree. Where applicable, reported results represent the top two answer sets (strongly agree/agree).
About Amrop
Amrop is a global leadership consulting firm, offering retained executive search, Board and leadership advisory services. We advise the world’s most dynamic, agile organizations on identifying and positioning Leaders For What’s Next – adept at working across borders, in markets around the world. Established in 1977, Amrop operates in Asia, EMEA and the Americas across 69 offices in 57 countries.
Contact:
The Amrop Partnership SC
Rue Abbé Cuypers 3
1040 Brussels, Belgium
T. +32 471 733 825
E. [email protected]
Brigitte Arhold, COO
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Siraj Finance PJSC signs an agreement with Azentio for iMAL core and digital financial services solution subscription optimization
SINGAPORE, Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Siraj Finance PJSC, a leading Islamic Finance Company in the UAE, has signed an agreement with Azentio, a pioneer in the core banking technology service provider. The agreement represents the collaboration for implementation of the core and digital banking solution to further enhance the operational capabilities and digitization of Siraj Finance’s product and service offerings. The step is directly in line with Siraj Finance’s goal of providing diversified Islamic financial products and services via channels that are innovatively utilizing latest technology while remaining customer centric and regulatory compliant.
Mr. Amjad Hijazi – Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Joseph Daniel – Chief Business Intelligence & Strategy Officer, Mr. Syed Moosa Kaleem Al Falahi – Chief Business & Investment Officer and Mr. Fazal Nassim – Chief Governance & Compliance Officer represented Siraj Finance, whereas Mr. Rahul Arora – Chief Sales Officer, Mr. Harkaran Singh – Senior Vice President, Middle East & Africa, Mr. Zaher El Khatib – Vice President Global Islamic Banking Sales, Mr. Alfred Quertier – Director Global Sales Engineering and Mr. Bhushan Kelkar – Vice President Sales represented Azentio, in the signing ceremony.
Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Amjad stated, “We are delighted to be working with Azentio as our technology partner of choice to empower our ongoing business growth. For us, iMAL and its comprehensive functionality coupled with the adherence to Islamic principles, align with our goals, allowing our team to streamline processes, enhance productivity and elevate the omnichannel customer journey.”
Mr. Rahul added, “We are extremely pleased to partner with Siraj Finance to deliver a user-friendly digital financial services experience to both their retail and corporate customers. This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to empowering financial institutions in the region with cutting-edge technology designed to meet both current and future needs.”
About Siraj Finance
Siraj Finance is a private joint stock company based in Abu Dhabi and regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE. Established in 1999, it proudly offers a multitude of financial products, designed in compliance with the Sharia principles. It caters to Corporates, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and individuals, with the objective of providing a variety of tailored product and service options that are best fit for their aspirations and needs.
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DAZN ADVANCES GLOBAL EXPANSION WITH ACQUISITION OF FOXTEL, A LEADING AUSTRALIAN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA GROUP
- Milestone deal for DAZN’s position as the global home of sport.
- This acquisition establishes DAZN’s sports platform in Australia, one of the world’s most attractive sports markets.
- Foxtel Group will leverage DAZN’s global reach, industry-leading technology and extensive content portfolio to further enhance the viewing experience for Australian sports fans.
LONDON, NEW YORK, and SYDNEY, Dec. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — DAZN, a world-leading sports entertainment platform, has today announced an agreement to acquire Foxtel Group (‘Foxtel’) from its majority shareholder News Corp and minority shareholder Telstra at an enterprise value of US$2.2 billion, subject to regulatory approval.
The acquisition establishes DAZN as a leader in sports entertainment in Australia – a highly attractive sports market – while also expanding DAZN’s global footprint and enhancing the group’s standing as the global home of sport. The addition of Foxtel to DAZN brings the Group’s pro-forma revenues towards US$6 billion and provides the additional content, expertise, and expansion opportunities to accelerate DAZN’s growth trajectory.
Foxtel is one of Australia’s leading media companies, with 4.7 million subscribers, who will benefit from DAZN’s extensive portfolio of sports content, platform technology, and global reach.
From its beginnings as Australia’s original pay-TV innovator, Foxtel has evolved to become a digital and streaming leader in sports and entertainment and the proposed transaction positions Foxtel for continued expansion as a digital-first, streaming-focused business. Foxtel will maintain its local character, led by the CEO, Patrick Delany, and his world-class management team.
DAZN, a sports streaming platform with a truly global reach, is committed to growing the global audience for domestic Australian sports across the 200 territories in which it is available.
Under the terms of the transaction, News Corp and Telstra will become minority shareholders in DAZN, enabling them to retain an interest in Foxtel.
Shay Segev, Chief Executive Officer of DAZN, said: “Australians watch more sport than any other country in the world, which makes this deal an incredibly exciting opportunity for DAZN to enter a key market, marking another step in our long-term strategy to become the global home of sport. Foxtel is a successful business that has undergone a remarkable digital transformation in recent years, and we are confident that our global reach and relentless pursuit of innovation will continue to drive the business forward and ensure long-term success.
“We are committed to supporting and investing in Foxtel’s television and streaming services, across both sports and entertainment, using our world-leading technology to further enhance the viewing experience for customers. We are also committed to using our global reach to export Australia’s most popular sports to new markets around the world, and we will continue to promote women’s and under-represented sports.
“We’re looking forward to working closely with Patrick Delany and his team, as well as News Corp and Telstra as shareholders in DAZN, to realise our ambitious vision for the future of sport entertainment.”
Siobhan McKenna, the Chairman of Foxtel, said the agreement with DAZN was international recognition of the transformation of Foxtel from an incumbent pay TV operator to a sports and entertainment digital and streaming leader. “Over the last seven years the Foxtel team, with the strong support of News, have achieved an extraordinary turnaround in an intensely competitive environment.”
Foxtel Group CEO, Patrick Delany, said: “Today’s announcement is a natural evolution for the Foxtel Group, having reinvented the company over the past five years as Australia’s most dynamic technology-led streaming company.
“Kayo and Foxtel provide Australian sports fans with access to the best Australian and international sport and shows, including AFL, NRL and Cricket with 4.7 million subscribers.
“We are excited by DAZN’s commitment to the Australian market. They are experts in the sports media business and can play a significant role in supporting Foxtel as the business grows its streaming capabilities, bringing a bigger and better service to customers across entertainment, news and sport. They are a perfect match for us as we look toward this next era of growth.
“We have been grateful for the support of News Corp while we reimagined the future of Foxtel. In 2019, when we merged Foxtel and Fox Sports we had many people questioning our future.
“After launching Kayo later in 2019 and BINGE in 2020, today we are the largest Australian-based streamer of sport and entertainment, we have stabilised our Foxtel base and launched Hubbl to help consumers find all the streamed content they love all in one place. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support and encouragement of News Corp.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
About DAZN
As a world-leading sports entertainment platform, DAZN streams over 90,000 live events annually and is available in more than 200 markets worldwide.
DAZN is the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL internationally. The platform features the biggest sports and leagues from around the world – Bundesliga, Serie A, LALIGA, Ligue 1, Formula 1, NBA, Moto GP, and many more including the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
DAZN is transforming the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, play, buy, and connect. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.
DAZN partners with leading pay-TV operators, ISPs and Telcos worldwide to maximise sports exposure to a broad audience. Its partners include Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Sky, Movistar, Telenet, Vodafone, and many more.
DAZN is a global, privately-owned company, founded in 2016, with more than 3,000 employees. The Group generated $3.2bn in revenue in 2023, having grown its annual revenues by over 50% on average from 2020 to 2023, through diverse revenue streams comprising subscriptions, advertising, sponsorship, and transactional. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com.
About Foxtel
The Foxtel Group is one of Australia’s leading media companies with 4.7 million subscribers. Its businesses include subscription television, streaming, sports production and advertising. The Foxtel Group is owned 65% by News Corp and 35% by Telstra.
The Foxtel Group’s diversified business includes Fox Sports, Australia’s leading sports production company, famous for live sports and shows with the best commentators and personalities. It is also the home of local and global entertainment content and continues to be the partner of choice for the widest range of sports and international content providers based on established, long-term relationships, growing streaming audiences, and position as the largest Australian-based subscription television company.
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