Award-winning customer service: Earnest recognized by the Stevie® Awards

By Victoria Holliday | Published on July 23, 2026

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We have some exciting news to share: Earnest has won a Bronze Stevie® Award for Customer Service Department of the Year in the Financial Services category (100 or more employees).

This recognition from the Stevie Awards, often called the "business Oscars" validates what we've always believed: that exceptional customer service isn't just a nice-to-have in financial services. It's essential and it is what sets Earnest apart from other lenders.

Earnest’s customer service is different

The financial services industry isn't known for warm, fuzzy customer experiences. High regulation, complex products, and high-stakes personal financial decisions create an environment where frustration is common and trust is hard to earn.

That's exactly why this award means so much to our team.

The Stevie Awards are judged by panels of business experts who understand these challenges. They know what it takes to build a customer service operation that doesn't just resolve issues, but actually helps people navigate some of the most important financial decisions of their lives, like paying for college or refinancing student loans. Here's what sets us apart: If you need help or have a question, you can talk to a real person for support in under 90 seconds*. No robots. No routing mazes. No endless "press 2 for billing, press 3 for support" call center runarounds.

Our team is US-based and in-house. That means when you call, you're talking to someone who knows our products inside and out, understands the student loan industry, and has the insights to actually help you not just read from a script.

It's about the people behind the numbers

This recognition belongs to every person on our Client Happiness team who shows up every day committed to doing right by our customers. The ones who:

• Take the time to truly understand each customer's unique situation
• Navigate complex regulations to find real solutions and options
• Turn frustrated callers into advocates as shown by our 4.6 Trustpilot score**
• Push us internally to build better products and processes based on what they hear from customers

Our commitment to award winning service continues

Winning awards is nice. But what matters more is what we do tomorrow, and the day after that, and every day going forward.

This Stevie Award isn't a finish line, it's validation that we're building something special. It's fuel for our team to keep raising the bar. And it's a promise to our customers that when they need us, we'll be there with the knowledge, empathy, and dedication they deserve.

To our Client Happiness team: Thank you. This is your win.

And to our customers: Thank you for trusting us with something as important as your financial future. We don't take that lightly.

The Stevie Awards are one of the world's premier business award programs, recognizing outstanding performance in the workplace across multiple categories and industries.

About the Author

Victoria Holliday

Victoria is the Head of Content at Earnest. She brings extensive ed-tech expertise from six years at Chegg, where she developed educational resources reaching over 20 million students nationwide.

With a Master’s in Political Science and experience in public policy from several California campaigns, she’s passionate about creating accessible content that enhances student outcomes in the dynamic world of higher education.

Disclaimer

This blog post provides personal finance educational information, and it is not intended to provide legal, financial, or tax advice.

*Based on average call times from August 2024 to present. Subject to change.
**The Trust Pilot score is accurate as of 02/03/2026.