These are the finalists for the CCMA Future Award 2026
Almost every AI-Story is about cutting costs. The three finalists of the Future Award 2026 did so for another reason: making their teams stronger.
The CCMA Future Award, powered by Yource, is for innovators who demonstrate how customer contact is evolving. It is for those who use technology intelligently, build new solutions, and simultaneously keep an eye on what ultimately makes customer contact personal.
This year, Linda Çiftçi-Albers from VGZ, Remco Smit from Landal, and Tom Webbink from Qbuzz are in the finals. Each of them has taken a new step in customer contact in their own unique way, ranging from AI support for employees to voice AI and a digital assistant for travelers.
The finalists
Linda Çiftçi-Albers, VGZ
Aimy: AI that supports employees during customer calls
Linda Çiftçi-Albers is Digital Cooperation Catalyst, Innovation at Coöperatie VGZ and the driving force behind Aimy. This in-house developed AI assistant helps Service Experts during phone calls by automatically surfacing relevant information from the knowledge base.
This allows employees to spend less time searching, creating more space for the conversation with the customer. At VGZ, those conversations often revolve around matters that truly matter: illness, concerns, and costs. Aimy is therefore not intended to replace people, but rather to enhance their knowledge and expertise.
AI can never replace a human, because of attention and empathy. But it is incredibly good at providing support, and we are nowhere near getting the most out of that yet.
Remco Smit – Landal
Voice AI in guest services
Remco Smit is Head of Guest Services at Landal. Under his leadership, voice AI was introduced into guest services in January 2026. Within two months, all guest service telephony was being handled by AI.
The voice AI identifies the guest, creates a case, and connects the guest to the right employee when necessary. But this innovation is not just about technology. Bringing the team along in this change also plays a major role in the nomination.
Let's reinvest the capacity we gain back into human connection.
Tom Webbink – Qbuzz
Quby: AI for travelers and employees
Tom Webbink is Customer Manager at Qbuzz. Under his leadership, Qbuzz launched Quby, an AI assistant that provides travelers with instant answers and supports employees during conversations.
Quby works with real-time travel information from Qbuzz's systems and can answer questions in six languages. For complex or emotional inquiries, the conversation is intentionally handed over to an employee, including all relevant context. The philosophy behind this is clear: digital where possible, human where necessary.
When someone is angry, you don't get into an argument with a chatbot.
Counting down to November 19
Who will take home the Future Award 2026? We’ll find out on November 19. That’s when the winner will be announced during the CCMA Manager of the Year award show.
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