CCA | Expert Network

Our Expert Network

We engage with business leaders who have a passion for improved customer experience, inviting them to contribute their wisdom and experience to support the growth of professionalism across the CCA network and beyond.

Introducing CCA Ambassadors

As long-standing members, CCA Ambassadors offer firsthand insights into the numerous advantages of being part of CCA, from access to valuable resources and industry insights to opportunities for networking and collaboration. They are passionate about sharing their knowledge and experiences to help new members navigate the complexities of customer service operations and maximise the benefits of membership.

At CCA, we believe in the power of community and peer support. CCA Ambassadors play a pivotal role in fostering a welcoming and supportive environment for all members. Whether providing advice, sharing success stories, or simply offering a listening ear, they are dedicated to helping others succeed and thrive within our network. To find out more get in touch.

Supplier Partners

CCA partners with a select group of organisations recognised for innovation, best practice, and superior service and/or product proposition. Partners gain exclusive opportunities to sponsor CCA sessions, commission bespoke research, and engage in meaningful discussions and debates with leaders in the CCA network.

By collaborating with CCA, partners can elevate their brand visibility, contribute to thought leadership, and forge valuable connections within the industry. These relationships not only enhance the quality of CCA conferences and research but also provide partners with a unique platform to showcase their expertise and influence the future of customer service excellence.

For more information and a detailed outline of the opportunities available, please get in touch.

Excellence Awards Judging Panel

The CCA Excellence Awards peer review judging process relies entirely on an independent panel of judges - industry practitioners, managers, leaders and business specialists - who undertake the challenging role of assessing all Award applications.

You can apply to become a CCA Excellence Award Judge here.

Please note, applications from consultants and suppliers are not permitted.

Assessment Team

CCA Accreditation© is designed to identify strengths in customer service, producing in-depth, real-time reports to inform board strategy and operational delivery. These programmes affirm an organisation's commitment to its workforce, aiding in the recruitment and retention of necessary talent. Additionally, they highlight weaknesses against industry benchmarks, enabling informed investment decisions to drive continuous improvement.

CCA Accreditation© is supported by a team of independent assessors. All assessors are industry practitioners with 30+ years’ experience of managing and leading customer service operations.

Find out more about the CCA Assessment Team here. To find out more about CCA Accreditation© click here.

Meet the assessment Team

Penny Bayley

Penny has spent the vast majority of her career managing and leading Contact Centres across a number of different industries. Her career started in the banking world before she moved across to outsourcing and then for the last 12 years the social housing sector.

As a Director of Customer Contact she has increasingly become involved in the development and implementation of digital services sitting alongside the traditional telephone channel, working towards a truly omni-channel experience that allows customers choice of channel and the organisation the opportunity to deliver a personalised and tailored service.

A qualified coach in Executive Coaching and Leadership Mentoring, Penny recognises and appreciates the impacts a quality workforce can make on a business – service delivery is only as good as the people delivering it, and the continued development of individuals and teams are one of her drivers and motivators.

Throughout her career in Contact Centres, CCA has played an integral part in providing the compliance and quality assurance for robust management practices. In 2018 her current Contact Centre was given the silver award for achieving 10 years continuous assessment.

Martin Gilhooly

With over twenty years’ experience in the contact centre sector, across both public and private arenas, Martin has vast practical knowledge of our profession, borne out of his 10 years with organisations including: leading home shopping giant, Freeman Grattan Holdings and world brand leader, McCain foods.

Martin has worked extensively in the social housing sector and also has wide ranging experience in learning and development design and delivery and is a leading complaint management and continual improvement specialist.

Martin first started working with CCA in 2000 running CCA Global Accreditation gap-analysis workshops, and over that past ten years has undertaken more than 200 independent assessments across a wide range of customer contact operations.

Margaret Mullins

Margaret is an extremely accomplished Enterprise Leader who has 40 years’ experience in financial services. She has vast practical knowledge of operational leadership and extensive expertise in the contact centre sector.

She is accustomed to working within highly regulated and governed environments, having worked in both banking and insurance industries.

Margaret has worked tirelessly throughout her career to build high performing teams for the organisations in which she has worked.

A passionate advocate for the delivery of excellent customer service, she takes pride in her award-winning employee engagement and transformational change performance.

Margaret has been involved in CCA activity since 2013 and has been an Excellence Award judge since 2015. In 2022 she joined the CCA team as a new independent assessor for CCA Global Accreditation.

Marie Waterson

Marie is an extremely experienced senior operational manager who has worked across a range of client service settings, both private and public sector, including telecoms, airport engineering and the NHS.

She is accustomed to working within highly regulated and governed environments and is familiar with contact centre/customer management systems and developing digital capability.

Her career in contact centres/customer service began in a front-line customer service role at Cable & Wireless in the late 90's progressing finally to support the operational management and development of services within NHS24.

Excellent customer service is a passion for Marie who believes that the service we deliver to users is the responsibility of everyone in an organisation.

Marie has been involved in CCA activities since 2003, has been an Excellence Award judge since 2006 and is now a member of CCA Excellence Awards Committee. Marie also trained with BSI and works as an independent assessor for CCA Global Accreditation.

Latest News

Latest news from CCA

The Power of Standards in an Age of Uncertainty - Reflections from CCA's VIP Leadership Lunch

30 April 2025 Industry news

Across sectors, leaders are navigating extraordinary pressures - from economic uncertainty and talent shortages to shifting regulatory landscapes and the seismic impact of AI. And yet, what emerged from our conversations wasn't a sense of overwhelm, but o

Setting the Standard: Customer Service Leaders Recognised at CCA Global Excellence Awards 2025

25 April 2025 Press release

Hundreds of senior customer service leaders from across the UK and beyond gathered yesterday to celebrate the winners of the 2025 CCA Global Excellence Awards - the leading event that recognises world-class achievement in customer service and experience.

Supporting Working Carers & Vulnerable Customers - April's Best Practice Forum

In this session, Lynn Forrest and Derek Haig from Standard Life, will share their personal and professional experiences in advocating for and supporting fellow working carers and vulnerable individuals.