UKSBS marks National Customer Service Week 2026

Recognising the colleagues, skills and ideas that shape good customer service.

NCSW 2026 Slide Deck 2

UKSBS is marking National Customer Service Week, led by the Institute of Customer Service, by recognising the contribution colleagues make to customers every day. UKSBS’ Head of Customer Support Services, Deborah Carey, shares why customer service matters and how the organisation is using AI to support colleagues without replacing their judgement.

This year’s theme focuses on the people, skills, innovation and leadership involved in providing good service. The week’s activities include an AI quiz, a customer empathy session, Customer Advocates network and Operational Excellence drop-ins. UKSBS is also running its own National Customer Service Awards on Friday.

Customer service starts with all of us

Deborah Carey 08

“Clear, accurate and timely support builds trust and gives customers a better experience of working with UKSBS.

Customer service is not limited to one team or role. Colleagues who speak directly with customers, as well as those who manage the systems, services and processes they use, all influence the quality of that service.

“Customer feedback helps UKSBS identify where services could work better and where changes would make interactions simpler. We’re also using AI in telephony and contact resolution, with colleagues responsible for more complex decisions and advice.

“Customers may not see every process we complete, every system we maintain or every decision we make, but they feel the impact of all of them.”

Deborah Carey, Head of Customer Support Services
UKSBS

This National Customer Service Week, we’re celebrating excellence in customer service across UKSBS, recognising the work of our colleagues,  celebrating their achievements and considering how UKSBS can remain easy to work with, reliable and responsive to customer needs.

Using AI to support customer service

UKSBS is also using the week to look at how artificial intelligence can help customer service teams, with colleagues remaining responsible for decisions and advice.

Hannah Lipski

“Copilot helps me quickly find relevant information and draft a response, giving me confidence that I’m heading in the right direction. But it’s still my responsibility to review the information, apply my judgement and make sure the advice is right for that customer’s circumstances. For me, Copilot is a useful assistant, but people are still at the heart of great customer service.”

Hannah Lipski, Customer Experience Manager
UKSBS
Janae Francis

“What has stood out to me since joining UKSBS is how naturally colleagues have adopted Copilot into their day-to-day work and the benefits it brings. I use it to analyse customer survey feedback, helping me quickly identify common themes and trends. While Copilot helps surface the insights, it’s still up to people to interpret what they mean and decide how we respond. By spending less time analysing data, I can spend more time understanding our customers’ experiences and helping shape improvements that make a real difference.”

Janae Francis, Customer Experience Coordinator
UKSBS

The week will feature examples of good service and practical ways to improve the customer experience.

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