CCMA Announces Appointment of Steve Blood as Research Director – Former Gartner Vice-President and Analyst to take up post with immediate effect
Steve Blood is considered one of the most experienced and respected advisory authorities on the contact centre industry
Appointment follows retirement of incumbent CCMA Research Director, Stephen Yap
The CCMA (Contact Centre Management Association) has announced the appointment of Steve Blood as its new Research Director.
Steve is one of the contact centre industry’s most experienced and respected advisory authorities on customer operations, with more than 35 years of insight spanning operational performance, contact centre technology and customer experience.
Having spent more than 20 years as a Vice President and Analyst at Gartner, Steve has advised customer experience and contact centre leaders around the world on technology strategy, operational improvement and investment decisions.
During his time at Gartner, Steve authored and contributed to some of the industry’s most influential research, including the Magic Quadrant for Contact Center as a Service, market guides, strategic forecasts and best practice research covering customer service, digital engagement, analytics, automation and AI. His work earned recognition as a trustedomer service organisations
Steve will replace the CCMA’s outgoing Research Director, Stephen Yap, who has announced his retirement.
The appointment comes at a vital time for UK contact centres, with a number of competing and disrupting forces presenting significant challenges for industry leaders, including the introduction of AI, difficult economic headwinds and the ongoing evolution of workforce practices. Against this backdrop, the CCMA’s position as a respected authority for credible industry research is more important than ever.
Leigh Hopwood, CEO, CCMA, commented,
“It is with great enthusiasm that we announce Steve’s appointment as CCMA Research Director,”
“Steve is one of the most respected voices in our industry, and his deep understanding of its challenges and its opportunities will be invaluable to our members as they navigate a period of real change.”
“It has been a pleasure to work with Stephen Yap to evolve the CCMA’s reputable research programme over the past six years, and I would like to thank him for his outstanding contribution. We look forward to building on those strong foundations with Steve, whose fantastic experience and global perspective will ensure our research continues to give contact centre leaders the credible, practical insight they need to understand the direction of travel in our industry and make decisions with confidence.”
“I’m delighted to be joining the CCMA as Research Director,” said Steve Blood.
“Stephen Yap and the CCMA team have built a strong reputation for producing research that is independent, credible and grounded in operational reality. In an industry that is often overwhelmed by noise and competing claims, that role has never been more important.
“Organisations are under pressure to improve customer experience, increase efficiency and understand where technologies such as AI can genuinely add value. My focus will be on delivering research and insight that helps leaders make confident decisions based on evidence, not hype.”
Steve will take up his post as Research Director with immediate effect.
