ABSL CZ awarded the most interesting innovations in the IT and business services industry in 2024

The Association presented nine Diamond Awards and two special awards at the gala evening of its Annual ABSL Conference 2024: The Czech Edge.

ABSL again this year awarded the companies that have contributed most to the development of the IT and business services industry in the Czech Republic over the past year, raising the standard of services, customer experience, talent development or work environment through innovative projects. The winning projects were selected by a seventeen-member independent expert jury from nearly seventy nominations in seven categories. The winners received their ABSL Diamonds awards during a gala evening on the occasion of ABSL’s 11th Annual Conference. 

“This is the 11th year we are recognizing outstanding projects that are moving our entire industry forward by leaps and bounds. Each year, we are amazed at how much invention and creativity lies within our centres, how innovatively they approach new challenges and how seamlessly they have been able to enter a new, fully digital and yet so very human era,” says Jonathan Appleton, Managing Director of ABSL Czech Republic, adding: “In addition to the projects, this year we have decided to recognise the Business Services Centre of the Year and A Leader of the Year for their outstanding and long-term contribution to the industry and society as a whole. We congratulate all the winners and hope their efforts motivate and inspire not only our industry but also businesses and organisations across all sectors.”

This year’s winners include:

Centre of the Year – SAP Services. For 20 years of its existence in the Czech market, this centre has been at the forefront of both innovation and awareness of the entire IT and business services industry. Today it is one of the largest centres in the Czech Republic.

Leader of the Year – Jan Skoták, AVP, Head of CEE+UK Region of Infosys Czech Republic. A leader who inspires his team and also strives with full commitment to cultivate the Czech business environment and promote the Czech Republic as an excellent destination for the operation of business service centres, talent development and innovation.

Two companies were awarded in the Employee Engagement and Development category. The first diamond goes to Zebra Technologies CZ for the Succeed as One project: Collaborative Employee Engagement. This local initiative aimed at improving the work environment and increasing employee engagement through a company culture and activities centred on the employees, who feel valued and respected. As a result, the company’s engagement index rose to 82%.

The second diamond was awarded to Kenvue – JNTL Consumer Health (Czech Republic) for its Funpack initiative, which was created by employees for employees to foster a sense of belonging and connection. When Kenvue separated from Johnson & Johnson and grew rapidly, many new colleagues lacked local support networks. Funpack organises a variety of activities, including charity events, cultural celebrations and social gatherings, offering something for everyone. It also allows employees to form their own clubs and societies focused on common interests. More than two-thirds of the company’s 400 employees are involved. When Kenvue was spun off from Johnson & Johnson more than a year ago, it was of paramount importance to Kenvue as a newly independent company to build a work environment in which all Kenvue employees felt they belonged, connected to each other and together shaped the company’s new identity.

In the Employer Branding Excellence category, Kyndryl Client Center won the award for its outstanding work with young talent. As part of the Empowering University Talents Experience, the company set out to recruit 100 student interns who then had the opportunity to take part in real projects and work in real jobs. At the end of this internship, they shared their experiences with their mentors and other Kyndryl employees, which also provided an opportunity to further improve the design of the internships.

The initiative was developed and prepared locally and reached a total of 4,500 students. For Kyndryl, it plays a key role in employer branding and demonstrates employees’ commitment and enthusiasm for mentoring and developing young talent.

In the Technology Innovation category, MANN+HUMMEL Service was awarded for its internally developed PredictO application for debt recovery. The application, which uses predictive analytics, has contributed to improving the company’s cash flow. PredictO analyzes historical data, identifies patterns that indicate potential late payments and makes this information available to responsible employees, including prioritized recommendations. The following steps are partially automated (pre-prepared emails including documentation, etc.). Instead of mass communication, the result is targeted communication tailored to individual cases.

In the Workplace Innovation category, the Diamond Award went to Sandoz, which has created new offices in Prague that are fully focused on the needs of employees and supporting flexible working. A key element of this project was involving employees from the very beginning – through meetings and questionnaires that helped shape not only the design of the offices but also their furnishings. A strong focus has been placed on ergonomics and employee health, with the latest technology used in the offices to improve efficiency, promote collaboration and increase productivity. In addition, the new space is in line with the company’s sustainability goals. However, this project is not only about creating a modern working environment but also about changing the company culture. Sandoz, an innovative leader in the medical field with a strong link to IT technology, focused on making the change in environment as pleasant as possible for employees, with realistic expectations, resulting in high levels of satisfaction with the new working environment.

The winner of the ESG Strategy category is Novartis Czech Republic, which actively promotes an ESG strategy with an emphasis on equal pay, gender balance and transparency. Novartis is achieving specific measurable results, for example by increasing the number of women in leadership positions and reducing the pay gap. These principles are embedded in the company and are also implemented in the supply chain.

The jury awarded two diamonds in the Business Innovation category. The first goes to Deutsche Telekom Services Europe – Czech Republic, which has developed an AI-powered translation tool that provides accurate, real-time translations into multiple languages using models based on neural networks and machine learning. The system significantly reduces translation time, increases accuracy and is customisable for specific industries, which means a high potential for widespread adoption and integration with other applications. The tool features adaptive learning capabilities, improving and refining translations over time based on user input and corrections, making it ideal for use in global enterprises, customer support and content localization. The improved quality of multilingual communication reduces the risk of costly misunderstandings, enabling increased productivity and speed. Inclusive communication incorporating a diversity of languages strengthens brand value and provides a clear advantage for clients. The tool processes translations in real time and reduces typical translation times by more than 90%. Over 85% of users who adopted the tool during the pilot phase continue to use it and satisfaction rates (measured through surveys) consistently exceed 90%.

Medtronic Czechia’s “EMEA Invoice to Cash 360° Optimization” project was awarded the second prize in this category. This innovative initiative has revolutionized Medtronic’s cash collection and accounts receivable (AR) process management. The project involved the development and implementation of a set of interconnected dashboards and related automation that provide comprehensive control and visibility of cash collection, AR management and collection company activities in the EMEA region, with the ability to expand for global functionality. The project aimed to improve the predictability and visibility of cash flow, and default risk, improve operational efficiency and governance, optimise customer data quality, and communication and standardise AR management processes. The successful streamlining of the process in line with the company’s strategic business objectives underpinned the excellent results achieved during the last fiscal year, such as a significant increase in collections and a 10% reduction in overdue receivables.

In the Customer and Operational Excellence category, Atlas Copco Services won the award for its Customer-Centric Sales Operations Journey project, which led to significant improvements in customer satisfaction (50%), Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) metrics (40%) and replacement parts sales (23%). The project generated revenue of €5 million, streamlined operations by automating administrative tasks through artificial intelligence and robotic process automation, and enabled a reallocation of work towards better customer interaction.

About ABSL Czech Republic

ABSL (Association of Business Service Leaders in the Czech Republic) is an association of companies operating in the shared business services sector, which represents a strong generator of employment in the Czech Republic. ABSL was established in 2013 to foster companies in the business services sector, share best practices and help to develop the activities of its members and other entities operating in this segment. At the same time, ABSL provides support to foreign investors who want to establish their business services centres in the Czech Republic. Currently, there are nearly 400 centres in the Czech Republic employing 160,000 people. For more information, please visit www.absl.cz.