Previous Winners & Judges Feedback
Akbati Shopping Mall, Instanbul
Commenting on the award to Akbati Shopping Mall, Instanbul, in the Best Corporate Social Responsibility category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“By being the first to create a lifestyle centre rather than a shopping mall, Akbati has capitalised on its uniqueness and created something of a media storm. Through its There's Life Inside multi-faceted PR campaign using its website; timely and interesting news releases; social media; and through building relationships with journalists and organising site visits, it has produced stupendous results. Only opened in 2011, in just a year the campaign had dramatically increased footfall in half the projected time, increased sales by a quarter and generated a third more media coverage than anticipated.”
WWS Scenery Manufacturer
Commenting on the award to Mark Jutsum and Martin Rees, WWS Scenery Manufacturer, in the Outstanding Personal Achievement category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“Against extreme adversity when he was fighting cancer, Mark Jutsum has shown extraordinary resilience in turning his hobby of model soldier painting into a global business. Discovering that there was very little model scenery available, such as grass and trees, he started to create his own and sell it online. Fellow model enthusiastic Martin Rees was enlisted and together the pair have turned it into a successful global business. Quite amazing - and a great example of turning a hobby into not just a business, but a global enterprise.”
GoLocalise
Commenting on the award to GoLocalise, in the Best Product/Service category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“Audiovisual translation company GoLocalise has given much larger players a run for their money with its one-stop shop concept. The company has set a new trend by being the first to offer audiovisual translations, subtitles and voice overs under one roof. It saves clients from having to go from one service provider to another and speeds up the process of translating audiovisual material, such as audiobooks. Using state-of-the-art recording studios and process management systems, GoLocalise has streamlined the process and brought audiovisual translation into the digital age.”
Akbati Shopping Mall, Instanbul
Commenting on the award to Akbati Shopping Mall, Instanbul, in the Best Corporate Social Responsibility category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“By being the first to create a lifestyle centre rather than a shopping mall, Akbati has capitalised on its uniqueness and created something of a media storm. Through its There's Life Inside multi-faceted PR campaign using its website; timely and interesting news releases; social media; and through building relationships with journalists and organising site visits, it has produced stupendous results. Only opened in 2011, in just a year the campaign had dramatically increased footfall in half the projected time, increased sales by a quarter and generated a third more media coverage than anticipated.”
The Body Coach
Commenting on the award to The Body Coach, in the Best New Product/Service category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“The 90 day SSS Plan (Shift Shape and Sustain) online body programme from The Body Coach with its common sense way of losing weight has quickly become an internet sensation. It is different from other diets in that it is tailor-made for each client and takes into account what users eat, when they eat and how they exercise to maximise the body's fat burning ability. As it is an online business, it is not constrained by geography, and by producing good results, the service is proving popular with English speakers worldwide.”
Zurich Insurance Plc
Commenting on the award to Zurich Insurance Plc, in the Best Customer Focus category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“After placing customers first, and including helpfulness, clarity of information and friendliness as a measure of success, Zurich Insurance Plc has dramatically improved its customer ease scores to 86% in February 2015 from 79% the year before. As part of the transformation process in personal lines to become customer centric, the company identified 54 ways for improving customer service. One of these was training staff to recognise certain types of customers. This is an innovative and clever way of responding to customers' needs and dealing with their query quickly.”
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- How to write a successful award entry
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- How to start your business awards programme
- How to impress the judges
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BCR Associates Ltd
Commenting on the award to BCR Associates Ltd, in the Best Small to Medium Sized Business category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“With businesses keen to cut their running costs, BCR Associates has just the solution. It conducts an audit of company's costs for free and will then contact suppliers to negotiate cheaper deals. By obtaining commissions from suppliers, BCR passes on the full 100% of the savings to its customers. Formed in 2005, to date BCR Associates has saved clients a whopping ??7 million. On average clients can cut running costs by 27%. By being able to make such great savings for clients, BCR Associates has a brilliant future.”
TASSCAR??
Commenting on the award to TASSCAR??, in the Best Innovation category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“R-ISC Investigation & Surveillance is helping to keep insurance costs down with TASSCAR??, its unmanned surveillance solution that captures video footage covertly around the clock. The footage is used to provide high-quality evidence for insurance claims, which helps to validate genuine claims and drive out fraud. With clients under budgetary pressure, TASSCAR?? is not only innovative; it operates beyond the exiting limits of 7am to 5pm and is 25% cheaper than similar surveillance products on the market. With insurance fraud costing each policyholder ??50 a year, TASSCAR?? has benefits for everyone.”
Michelle Jay – Bumps, Babies and Beyond Events
Commenting on the award to Michelle Jay, founder of Bumps, Babies and Beyond Events, in the Outstanding Personal Achievement category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“When Michelle Jay decided to take redundancy after her third child and set up her own business, it was the best thing she's ever done. Finding a gap in the market with nothing between large national shows and small events in church halls, she launched regional toddler and baby events. Michelle has turned her idea into a fast growing business with 10 regional events being held this year and 20 next year. Congratulations to Jay for spotting an opportunity and turning it into a sustainable business.”
David Garc??a-Gonz??lez – GoLocalise
Commenting on the award to David Garc??a-Gonz??lez, founder of GoLocalise, in the Outstanding Entrepreneur category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“Congratulations to David Garc??a-Gonz??lez for taking on the giants in the localisation sector with GoLocalise - his one-stop shop boutique concept. After working as a translator for more than 15 years, David decided to go it alone and start his own business. With a considerable investment in his own recording studios, it was a risky move. But with translation, voice over and subtitling services under one roof, he has streamlined the audiovisual translation service, introduced new efficiencies for clients and given the larger players a few sharp shocks.”
The Body Coach
Commenting on the award to The Body Coach, in the Best New Product/Service category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“The 90 day SSS Plan (Shift Shape and Sustain) online body programme from The Body Coach with its common sense way of losing weight has quickly become an internet sensation. It is different from other diets in that it is tailor-made for each client and takes into account what users eat, when they eat and how they exercise to maximise the body's fat burning ability. As it is an online business, it is not constrained by geography, and by producing good results, the service is proving popular with English speakers worldwide.”
Gate One
Commenting on the award to Gate One, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“From a standing start, niche management consultancy Gate One has grown in less than two years to have 20 consultants with many blue chip clients who are delighted with the company's unique hands-on service of not only designing change strategy but also helping to implement and deliver it too. Congratulations to Gate One for bringing a breath of fresh air to management and transformation consultancy and demonstrating how its 'ripple effect' approach delivers real results.”
Founder - Y2 Learn Driver Training
winning this last award has got me an invitation to join the Institute of Master Trainers Association. I’m really pleased
Director of Marketing, Solihull College
Winning a Best Business Award has provided us with a platform to raise our profile via the media. Since winning we have secured press coverage in key national and regional publications regarding the great work we are doing and we have attracted students to the college that may not have otherwise heard about us.
I would recommend the Best Business Awards to any dynamic organisation that wants to prove to stakeholders that it is delivering.
co-founder of Concert Live
If you are a young business without much marketing spend, then entering awards can be a cost-effective way of generating positive marketing and PR, because you are thrown into the spotlight. It also offers a seal of approval.
Potential customers can look at that and think “I’m happy to do business with this company”, because they have that recognition.
Boom Ents
Commenting on the Best Business Award to Boom Ents for Best New Business, the chair of the judges said::
“Run by former dancer Dawn Farrow, Boom Ents is winning rave reviews in the West End and entertainment sector for offering a highly successful new approach to marketing and advertising shows. Just three years old, Boom Ents has worked with some of the biggest West End shows and theatre groups, as well as cinemas and arena spectaculars, providing either a full-service or a Pick and Mix option from its range of services. In a male-dominated sector, Dawn Farrow has clearly demonstrated she is a star performer - many congratulations to Dawn and Boom Ents for achieving great success.”
Moorhouse
Commenting on the award to Moorhouse, in the Best Customer Focus category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“Consultancy business Moorhouse has excelled by concentrating on behaviours and the relationship with clients rather than just the technicalities. By focusing on engaging clients, managing projects jointly and having clearly defined values, the company goes to great lengths to involve customers in the development of the design of a service. It runs seminars with clients and conducts extensive research, and really goes behind the scenes to find out about the values of the company to enable it to produce the highest quality of work.”
Mark Pearson
Commenting on the Best Business Award to Mark Pearson for Outstanding Personal Achievement, the chair of the judges said::
“From starting as a commis chef at Claridges under Gordon Ramsay to running a chain of gastropubs and creating the UK's first discount offers website MyVoucherCodes, Mark Pearson has had a remarkable career. Starting with just ??300, Mark turned MyVoucherCodes into a business worth tens of millions thanks to his extraordinary drive and innovation. What is even more remarkable is that he created a series of firsts in digital marketing after teaching himself the various disciplines and techniques. Now fully committed to helping other entrepreneurs and promoting entrepreneurship, Mark is an exceptional business leader who has changed the face of internet shopping for millions of customers.”
Environment Agency
Commenting on the Best Business Award to the Environment Agency for Best Employer, the chair of the judges said::
“With 11,000 employees the Environment Agency (EA) has clearly demonstrated that it believes its greatest asset is its team. This is highlighted by the care the agency has taken to encourage members of staff to live healthy lifestyles by introducing a Keeping Healthy and Feeling Great programme. In addition to a monthly programme of wellbeing tips and events, the EA also focused on the two main causes of long-term absence - back-pain and mental ill-health. The pro-active approach to improving mental outlook, Healthy Minds: Happier People, is particularly innovative, allowing people to access support without stigma. Many congratulations to the Environment Agency by setting a new standard as a caring employer.”
Diane Doran
Commenting on the Best Business Award to Diane Doran for Outstanding Female Entrepreneur, the chair of the judges said::
“Diane Doran has transformed what was a failing hotel in North Nottinghamshire into a much sought-after holiday and short-break destination as well as a highly popular venue for weddings and other events. Within just two years of taking over the hotel, Diane has put it on a steady trajectory of business growth, improvement in service and made it one of the hottest venues in the region. At the core of Diane's strategy has been a meticulously drawn up business plan for the Mansfield Manor Hotel. Within her sights is gaining four-star accreditation - and if the past two years is anything to go by Diane will achieve this well ahead of schedule. Many congratulations to Diane Doran for fantastic entrepreneurship in a competitive market.”
Jones FM
Commenting on the Best Business Award to Jones FM for Best Customer Focus, the Chair of the judges said::
“It is part of the DNA of Jones Facilities Management (Jones FM) that the maintenance and engineering company goes the extra mile for its customers. This is highlighted by the extraordinary initiatives the company has undertaken to reduce costs and save energy for businesses using premises and offices that Jones FM is responsible for maintaining. From installing LED lighting to providing automated meter reading so businesses can monitor their energy use at a glance, Jones FM puts its customers first - and this in turn has driven growth. Many congratulations to Jones FM for making customers their No 1 priority.”
Willowbrook Foods
Commenting on the Best Business Award to Willowbrook Foods for Best Innovation, the chair of the judges said::
“Willowbrook Foods has fond a recipe for success by creating two unique food products - curry-flavoured mayonnaise and curry-flavoured coleslaw. The company drew on its expertise and ten-year experience in making its own mayonnaise to develop the new delicacies which required considerable skill in creating the right consistency and texture. Sales have been a runaway success in a highly competitive food sector against major global corporations. Very well done and congratulations to Willowbrook Foods for demonstrating outstanding innovation in the development of new food products to tempt our appetites.”
Michael Chandler
Commenting on the award to Michael Chandler, in the Outstanding Entrepreneur category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“Security expert Michael Chandler has risen up the ranks in the covert world of private protection and investigations and now runs an international empire. He originally started his business Vanquish Security & Investigation Consultants in London with ??350.00. Today he provides training for security personnel, he has an online shop that sells security and surveillance equipment, and he offers specialist protection services. The company has also just expanded into the US. His career path has the hallmark of a serial entrepreneur. Michael is a true entrepreneur with a talent for spotting opportunities and turning them into thriving businesses.”
Cotman Housing Association
Commenting on the award to Cotman Housing Association, in the Best Housing Association category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“Cotman Housing Association is an impressive community-centred organisation that has made a real difference to the lives of vulnerable people in East Anglia. It is efficiently run by a talented team of people who have produced a healthy set of figures including a 20% leap in turnover. As a not-for-dividend company, money is ploughed back into the business to provide housing services for more people in the community. It is a highly innovative organisation that sources funding in a creative way and always goes the extra mile in everything it does.”
Places for People Homes
Commenting on the award to Places for People Homes, in the Best Employer category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“By offering people careers rather than jobs, property regeneration company Places for People Homes Group has built up a staff of motivated people who are committed to the company's mission to create sustainable neighbourhoods. Using skills gap analysis, talent management and succession planning, the company has developed its staff and sourced the right people to cope with constant change and cuts in public spending. Communicating with staff is top of the management team's agenda and, consequently, the firm has seen a giant-sized leap in staff engagement of 10% over the past year.”
Santander
Commenting on the award to Santander, in the Outstanding Innovation category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“Santander has taken the fear out of checking your bank balance with its SmartBank mobile app, which displays information in a friendly, meaningful way. Users can personalise their figures so they can check how much is coming in and how much they are spending at certain retailers or restaurants etc. For the bank, it helps them understand their customers and offer them other products. Proving how popular it is, already more than 60,000 customers have downloaded the SmartBank app. A brilliant product by a smart bank that others are sure to copy.”
Captain Mark Hopking
Commenting on the award to Captain Mark Hopking, in the Outstanding Achievement category, the Chairman of the Judges said::
“With compliance of regulations in the maritime world increasingly onerous, Captain Mark Hopking has revolutionised onboard processes with his unique Policy and Procedure Manual (PPM). Taking eight years to develop, Captain Hopking's PPM gives management a fully integrated document, distribution, tracking and auditing system. The tool gives transparency over all onboard admin, streamlines the HR function, creates consistency across all processes and cuts the admin burden by a quarter. By making admin much easier to manage, Captain Hopking has made a great contribution towards increasing compliance and improving safety at sea.”
