2025 OnCon Icon Awards: CX Lessons from Top Teams

2025 OnCon Icon Awards: What CX Leaders Can Learn From the World’s Most Recognized Teams

The Monday Morning Crisis That Reveals Everything About CX Culture

It’s 8:47 AM. Sarah, a VP of Customer Experience at a mid-market SaaS firm, stares at her Slack messages. Three separate reports just landed: a customer escalation that jumped from support to sales to product without a single update, a heated debate about whose “CX initiative” takes priority (hint: everyone’s), and her data analyst asking again why the sales team won’t share their customer interaction logs.

Sound familiar?

This fragmented reality defines the CX profession in 2025. Teams have the tools. They have the will. But they lack the alignment, AI clarity, and integrated systems that separate “good CX” from award-winning excellence.

That’s exactly why the 2025 OnCon Icon Awards, announced across the spring and fall of this year, matter more than you might think. These peer- and community-voted honors aren’t marketing fluff—they represent real recognition from peers who’ve actually observed how these winning teams operate. And their stories reveal a blueprint for solving CX’s three most pressing problems: siloed teams, AI gaps, and fragmented customer journeys.

What Are the 2025 OnCon Icon Awards and Why Should CX Leaders Care?

2025 OnCon Icon Awards are annually recognized honors celebrating the world’s top professionals and teams across 13 functional areas—including Marketing, HR, Technology, Operations, Data & Analytics, and beyond. Unlike awards based on applications alone, winners of 2025 OnCon Icon Awards are determined entirely through peer and community voting, with criteria focused on observable impact: organizational influence, thought leadership contributions, project innovation, and exceptional leadership.

In 2025, the awards recognized Top 100, Top 50, Top 10, and “of the Year” winners in each category. Winners were announced during virtual ceremonies on October 21, 2025 (team awards) and will be announced April 28, 2026 (individual awards).

For CX leaders, here’s what makes this 2025 OnCon Icon Awards significant: These aren’t awards for “best customer service” or “highest NPS.” They’re recognition of teams solving complex organizational challenges—teams that break silos, lead with data, embrace innovation, and create cultures where customer obsession becomes default behavior.

In other words, they’re proof points for solving the exact problems your CX team faces right now.

Key Insight: Award-Winning CX Teams Solve Three Critical Problems

The 2025 OnCon Icon Awards winners share one unmistakable pattern. Whether it’s Cross Country Healthcare’s #1 Marketing Team, COCC’s #1 Executive Team and Top 10 HR Team, or SugarCRM’s Top 100 Talent Acquisition and Top 50 HR teams, each tackled a fundamental CX challenge:

1. Breaking Down Organizational Silos

What the problem looks like: Most poor customer experiences aren’t caused by bad intent—they result from disconnected teams and conflicting priorities. Your support team operates in one data universe. Sales lives in another. Product is isolated in a third. The customer exists across all three, but no single team sees their complete journey.

How award winners solved it: They built cross-functional alignment with shared KPIs, clear accountability for experience ownership, and unified data visibility. COCC’s executive and HR teams, for example, built a workplace culture where every function understood its role in customer value creation. Cross Country Healthcare’s marketing team didn’t just create campaigns—they integrated analytics, design, and storytelling with sales and service teams, transforming siloed talent into a unified brand narrative engine.

Data supporting this: Organizations that have broken silos see 5.7x higher revenue growth in omnichannel environments compared to functionally isolated competitors.

2. Closing the AI Implementation Gap

What the problem looks like: CX teams face a paradox. Agentic AI (autonomous AI systems handling end-to-end customer interactions) promises to free agents from repetitive work, personalize at scale, and reduce burnout. But most organizations lack three critical elements: transparency (understanding why AI makes decisions), integration (connecting legacy systems to modern AI), and skills (teams trained in new AI workflows).

The result? Teams either over-automate (robotic, frustrating experiences) or under-automate (agent burnout, operational bottlenecks).

How award winners solved it: They invested in deliberate, transparent AI adoption paired with continuous team upskilling. Rather than viewing AI as replacing agents, they positioned it as augmentation. Real-time dashboards showed decision-making logic. Training programs evolved continuously. Feedback loops allowed teams to surface when AI recommendations missed the mark.

Data supporting this: Companies deploying AI-powered agent assist saw 40% reduction in transaction cycle times and 30% improvement in forecasting accuracy when paired with proper integration and training.

3. Eliminating Journey Fragmentation

What the problem looks like: Customers expect seamless omnichannel experiences. In reality, they’re bounced between channels, forced to repeat information, and handed off without context. A customer reaches out via chat. Gets transferred to voice. Now on email. At each step, they re-explain their problem.

How award winners solved it: They implemented unified customer profiles, omnichannel orchestration platforms, and escalation workflows that preserved context across handoffs. They mapped the entire customer journey—not individual channel experiences—and identified where information got lost.

Data supporting this: Omnichannel organizations with unified data governance see 89% higher retention rates compared to multichannel competitors.

Framework: The 7 Es of Award-Winning CX Excellence

What separates award-winning CX teams from the rest? Analysis of the 2025 winners reveals a consistent framework grounded in seven critical dimensions:

Dimension	Definition	Award-Winner Approach	Your 2025 Priority
Expectation	Clarity on what “great” means across the org	Defined at C-suite level; cascaded to all touchpoints	Align leadership on CX vision
Emotion	Intentional emotional design throughout customer journey	Mapped emotional moments; tested reactions	Identify 3-5 critical emotional touchpoints
Engagement	Active, ongoing dialogue with customers	VoC programs; real-time feedback loops	Launch quarterly listening tour
Ease	Frictionless interactions across all channels	Workflow automation; omnichannel integration	Audit top 5 friction points
Effectiveness	Delivering promised outcomes consistently	Data-driven measurement; continuous iteration	Define success metrics per journey stage
Execution	Reliable delivery without surprises	Cross-functional coordination; escalation clarity	Map handoff processes; assign owners
Empowerment	Enabling frontline teams to create delight	Training budgets; decision-making autonomy	Increase agent empowerment ceiling

Award winners mastered all seven. Most organizations optimize two or three, leaving gaps that competitors exploit.

Real-World Case Study: How Cross Country Healthcare Became #1

The Challenge: Cross Country Healthcare, a mid-market workforce solutions firm, faced a classic CX problem. Its marketing team operated separately from sales. Sales didn’t trust marketing data. Neither collaborated closely with service teams. Customers received disjointed messages across channels.

The Transformation:

Broke silos through data unity. They unified customer data across marketing, sales, and service systems, creating a single view of the journey.
Built a modern marketing framework. Rather than traditional campaigns, they merged analytics, design, and storytelling into a single narrative engine. CMO Gerald Purgay noted: “This team has redefined what marketing excellence looks like. We’ve established a modern marketing framework that prioritizes performance, is guided by insights, and embraces innovation without reservation.”
Embraced cutting-edge AI and digital. They didn’t shy away from AI—they integrated it strategically into workflows, using it to enhance (not replace) human storytelling and decision-making.

The Result: Cross Country won the #1 Marketing Team award in 2025, with recognition specifically for “measurable influence” and “ability to translate intricate concepts into compelling brand narratives that drive tangible business success.”

Lesson for your team: Excellence in CX isn’t about perfect processes or flawless technology. It’s about integration—merging data, storytelling, and human judgment into a unified customer-first operation.

Common Pitfalls Award Winners Avoided

Pitfall #1: Treating CX as a Soft Skill

Award-winning teams didn’t treat CX as a “nice to have.” They embedded it into business metrics. They tied CX performance to revenue, retention, and operational efficiency. COCC’s executive team, for example, connected customer experience directly to strategic business objectives—it wasn’t a separate department; it was the department.

How to fix it: Define CX metrics tied to revenue (customer lifetime value, retention rate, upsell velocity) alongside experience metrics (NPS, effort score, sentiment). Report both to the C-suite monthly.

Pitfall #2: Over-Automating Without Transparency

Many organizations deploy AI, then struggle when outcomes disappoint. The issue? They didn’t involve agents in implementation. They didn’t explain why AI made certain decisions. And, they didn’t measure against baselines before change.

How to fix it: Before deploying any AI solution, establish baseline metrics (current resolution time, current satisfaction). Involve frontline teams in pilots. Build transparent dashboards showing AI decision logic. Measure weekly for first 90 days.

Pitfall #3: Siloing CX Insights

Award winners didn’t hoard customer insights. They shared them widely—to product, to sales, to executives. They created feedback loops where insights directly influenced decisions. C5MI’s HR team, a Top 50 winner, shared employee/customer experience insights across the organization, making those data visible and actionable.

How to fix it: Create a shared Slack channel or dashboard where weekly insights land. Require monthly reviews with key stakeholders. Tie insights to specific action items with owners and deadlines.

2025 OnCon Icon Awards: CX Lessons from Top Teams

Key Insights: What the Data Reveals

Insight #1: Peer Recognition > Self-Promotion

The 2025 OnCon Icon Awards were determined entirely through peer voting. No fees. No application essays. Just: “Did this team make observable impact?”

This reveals something crucial: award-winning teams focus on outcomes, not awards. They build exceptional cultures and deliver results. Recognition follows naturally.

For your team: Stop chasing awards. Build exceptional culture. Solve real customer problems. Excellence becomes visible.

Insight #2: Cross-Functional Integration is Non-Negotiable

Every award-winning team mentioned in this research operated at the intersection of multiple functions:

Cross Country’s marketing team worked with sales and service.
COCC’s executive team aligned directly with HR.
SugarCRM’s HR team partnered closely with business operations.

For your team: Map your three closest collaborators outside CX. Meet with them monthly. Build shared KPIs. Create joint initiatives that benefit both teams.

Insight #3: Technology is a Facilitator, Not a Solution

The most successful award winners didn’t rely on technology to solve problems. They used it to scale human judgment. Automation handled repetitive work. Data platforms unified fragmented views. AI provided recommendations. But humans remained accountable for outcomes.

For your team: Audit your tool stack. Ask: “Does this tool help my team make better decisions or just faster decisions?” Prioritize tools that augment judgment.

The Four-Part Framework Award Winners Used to Eliminate Fragmentation

Award-winning CX teams followed a consistent playbook for addressing journey fragmentation:

Phase 1: Map the Actual Journey (Weeks 1-4)

Define every single touchpoint where customers interact with your organization. Don’t assume you know them. Interview customers. Interview frontline teams. Walk the journey yourself.

Output: A visual map showing every interaction point, data system involved, and current handoff logic.

Phase 2: Identify Data Bridges (Weeks 5-8)

Find where customer information gets lost between systems. Ask: “Does the support agent see what marketing knows? Do escalations carry context from prior interactions?”

Output: A diagram showing which systems talk to each other and where manual work fills gaps.

Phase 3: Design Unified Handoffs (Weeks 9-12)

Build workflows that pass complete context between teams. Not just tickets. Not just data dumps. Intelligent, contextual handoffs with clear ownership.

Output: Standard operating procedures for each major handoff, with clear escalation logic.

Phase 4: Measure and Iterate (Ongoing)

Track three metrics: time between touchpoints, information completeness at handoff, and customer satisfaction post-handoff. Measure weekly. Iterate monthly.

Output: A dashboard showing fragmentation reduction over time.

FAQ: Questions CX Leaders Ask About Award-Winning Excellence

Q1: Do we need a large team to achieve award-winning CX?

No. COCC, SugarCRM, and C5MI varied significantly in size. What they shared wasn’t headcount—it was clarity of purpose, cross-functional alignment, and relentless focus on execution. A small team with unified vision outperforms a large team with siloed priorities every time.

Small teams actually have an advantage: they move faster, involve more people in decision-making, and naturally break down silos when everyone sits close to each other.

Q2: How long does it take to shift from “good” to “award-winning”?

Based on the 2025 award winners’ timelines, expect 12-18 months from commitment to meaningful transformation. First 6 months: alignment and foundational changes (frameworks, data cleanup, team restructuring). Months 7-12: early wins and cultural shift. Months 13-18: sustained excellence becomes visible.

The companies that won awards in 2025 invested in this multi-year journey 2-3 years prior. Awards recognize excellence that’s already deeply rooted.

Q3: Can we become award-winning without AI?

Technically yes. Realistically, it’s harder in 2025. AI isn’t optional anymore—it’s table stakes. But AI alone doesn’t win awards. What wins is thoughtful, strategic AI integration paired with human excellence. Agentic AI that augments agents. Predictive analytics that informs strategy. Automation that frees humans for higher-value work.

The award winners didn’t deploy AI recklessly. They integrated it deliberately, with transparency and continuous measurement.

Q4: How do we measure progress toward award-winning CX?

Track these five metrics:

Cross-functional alignment score: Survey teams monthly on perceived collaboration. Target: 80%+ agreement on CX priorities.
Data completeness at handoff: % of customer context passed successfully between systems. Target: 95%+.
Journey friction index: Customers’ perceived effort across journey stages. Target: Reduction of 20%+ year-over-year.
Thought leadership: # of team members speaking externally, publishing content, or contributing to community. Target: 50%+ of CX team active annually.
Business impact: Revenue per customer, retention rate, NPS trend. Target: 10%+ improvement annually.

Q5: How do we sell this to executives who want quick wins?

Show the business math. Award-winning CX organizations see 5.7x higher revenue growth in omnichannel environments. Cross Country Healthcare’s CMO tied every initiative to “outcomes that propel growth.” Your executive conversation should sound like: “This 18-month transformation will generate $X in incremental revenue through reduced churn and increased upsells.”

Then deliver proof points every quarter. Quick wins matter—they build momentum and buy-in. Just don’t let them distract from the bigger transformation.

Q6: What if we’re starting from deep silos? Is it too late?

No. The best time to break silos was five years ago. The second-best time is today. Award winners didn’t all start perfectly aligned. They made a deliberate choice to change, then committed to the messy, uncomfortable work of integration.

Start with a single cross-functional initiative that solves a real customer problem. Get a quick win. Build momentum. Scale the approach.

Actionable Takeaways: 8 Direct Steps Your CX Team Can Take This Week

Award-winning excellence isn’t theoretical. Here’s how to start building it:

1. Audit Your Current Fragmentation (Do this Tuesday)

Map the customer journey exactly as it happens today, not how your documentation says it happens. Involve frontline teams. Identify the three biggest fragmentation points. Document where customers get stuck, repeat information, or lose context.

2. Launch a Cross-Functional Alignment Meeting (Schedule for Friday)

Invite one representative each from Sales, Product, Support, and Marketing. Agenda: “We want to understand how our teams collaborate on the customer journey. What’s working? Where’s the friction?” Record the conversation. Don’t judge. Just listen.

3. Establish a Shared CX Dashboard (Start next Monday)

Pick one metric you all care about: customer effort score, journey completion rate, or resolution time across departments. Create a single source of truth where all teams see it daily. No arguing about definitions—just visibility.

4. Define Your “7 Es” (Complete this month)

For each of the Seven Es framework (Expectation, Emotion, Engagement, Ease, Effectiveness, Execution, Empowerment), write one sentence: “Award-winning performance in [dimension] means…” These become your guiding principles.

5. Identify Your AI Integration Gaps (Complete within 2 weeks)

List every tool your team uses that has AI capabilities. Ask: “Are we using this? Do we understand how it works? Do our teams trust it?” For each gap, define a 90-day pilot to address it properly.

6. Create CX Champions in Other Departments (Identify within 1 week, activate this month)

Find the person in Sales, Product, or Support who naturally gravitates toward customer-centric thinking. Ask them to formally champion CX initiatives in their department. Give them cover from their manager. Empower them to share insights widely.

7. Publish One Piece of Thought Leadership (Target: next 4 weeks)

Have a team member write about one of your CX breakthroughs—even if modest. Share it on LinkedIn. Speak at an internal all-hands. Contribute to an industry publication. Thought leadership isn’t reserved for executives. It’s how teams become visible to peers.

8. Measure Your Impact on Business Metrics (Review quarterly)

Stop measuring CX in isolation. Every initiative should connect to revenue, retention, or operational efficiency. Every quarter, show your leadership: “This CX improvement generated $X in incremental revenue.” This is how awards get won—through undeniable business impact visible to peers.

The Bigger Picture: Why Award-Winning CX Matters Now

The teams that won 2025 OnCon Icon Awards didn’t do it for plaques. They did it because customer experience has become the primary differentiator in saturated markets. When products are commoditized and prices converge, experience is what customers choose.

But here’s what the data also shows: most organizations are not executing well. Silos persist. AI remains misunderstood. Journeys fragment across channels. The bar is lower than it appears.

Which means there’s enormous opportunity for your team. If you invest in breaking silos, integrating AI thoughtfully, and eliminating journey fragmentation—the three problems award winners solved—you’ll immediately differentiate.

And maybe, two years from now, your team will be the one winning peer recognition.