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We’re delighted to announce that the shortlist for the Customer Service Champion 2025, sponsored by Hurtigruten has been revealed!
After a 16-year-old autistic customer faced a distressing experience travelling through security at a major European airport, which left her fearful of flying, Carla helped rebuild her confidence. Carla first filed a formal complaint with the airport to raise awareness of what had happened and later collaborated with staff at Inverness airport to arrange a behind-the-scenes visit so her client could familiarise herself with and practice airport security procedures “in a calm, supportive environment”, with staff taking the time to explain each step and ensuring the client felt reassured. Carla’s support and understanding has helped her customer fly again, with the girl’s family describing Carla’s support as a “lifeline” in helping to rebuild their daughter’s trust in air travel.”
While en route to Mexico for her own holiday, Clare received a message from clients on a cruise in Ecuador. The couple were disembarking after the husband had contracted pneumonia and needed urgent hospital treatment. Clare jumped into action and offered to call the insurance company on her clients’ behalf to take away some worry from an already distressed wife, and managed to alert the insurance provider to the situation. Over the following days, Clare kept in contact with her clients and mediated between them and the insurers. After almost a week the husband recovered and was discharged, with Clare given permission to liaise with the insurance company on their behalf, spending the last day of her own holiday organising the couple’s repatriation from Ecuador. Once safely home, Clare’s service and support continued as she made weekly visits to the couple’s home to help them through the insurance process.
Soon after landing in San Francisco, Colman’s client received a call to say his mother had fallen gravely ill at her nursing home in Leeds. Needing to get his client back home as quickly as possible, Colman raced to secure a flight to Manchester via Dublin later the same day. The client was desperately upset and worried about facing the prospect of not seeing his mother before she passed away and Colman kept in constant contact to reassure him. Colman personally went to Manchester airport to collect his client and his wife and, after driving to Leeds, they arrived at the nursing home in time for the client to see his mother and say his goodbyes. Later that night, Colman received a call from his client informing him his mother had passed away with him by her side, just three hours after he got to the nursing home, saying he “could never repay” Colman for his help.
When Thorne Travel customers arrived in the US ready for their cruise – but their luggage did not – David immediately co-ordinated with the client’s insurance company to cover the cost of replacement items. He also liaised with the cruise line to secure early access to onboard boutiques, even negotiating crew discounted rates for the clients. David kept in touch with the airline and, four days into the cruise, learnt the luggage had been located at Glasgow airport. David arranged to retrieve it with the customers’ permission and, despite his own mobility and health challenges, picked up the luggage and kept it safe. Upon his clients’ return, David met them at the airport and drove them – and their reunited luggage – home.
Having received a cancer diagnosis, an elderly customer of Tiffany’s wanted to travel to Thailand to see his family as soon as possible before starting treatment. While helping him plan his trip, Tiffany realised his passport was not valid. The devastated customer was anxious about how to renew it in time, so the following day, Tiffany – on her day off – made a two-hour round trip on public transport to meet the customer and help him with his passport forms, booking him a fast-track appointment at the passport office in London. The only appointment available was the same day as his flight, and to help ease any anxiety, Tiffany, again on a day off, accompanied him down to London. After a successful visit to the passport office, Tiffany took the customer straight to Heathrow – carrying his bags, checking him and and waiting with him until it was time for his flight.
