A CALL centre in Tunbridge Wells has rung up a treble of top accolades.

AXA PPP healthcare is the new European Call Centre of the Year 2004. The company also won two other awards - Best Call Centre Recruitment Practice and Call Centre Adviser of the Year.

An independent panel of industry experts chose the West Kent complex for its supreme honour after being impressed by its "best practice" approach to operating its sales centre for individual business.

AXA PPP healthcare saw off 45 other finalists from Britain and beyond, from banking and financial services providers to high street retailers and utility companies.

Judges visited the Tunbridge Wells call centre to see for themselves how the medical insurer does business.

AXA PPP won the Best Call Centre Recruitment Practice for successfully developing and implementing an effective and measurable recruitment programme.

Tina Brown was named Call Centre Adviser of the Year for being top sales person for 12 years, providing exceptional service to her callers and for the inspiration she has been to her colleagues.

John Anderson, AXA PPP healthcare head of individual sales and marketing, said: "We really appreciate the judges' recognition of the hard work that our sales centre has put into improving our service, processes and business results.

"This award acknowledges that achievement and gives us a solid foundation to build on that success to make it easier for customers to do business with us."

The European Call Centre of the Year Awards are organised by publisher CMP Information, the business-to-business arm of United Business Media.