Welcome | Award Categories | The Sponsors | How to Enter | Judging | The Awards Evening

How to Enter

See also: Conditions of entry

The closing dates for entries for this year's awards are:

• Customer Service – Friday 8th April (Non-Chamber members only need advise entry)
• Business Excellence Categories - Tuesday 31 May
• Customer Choice – Thursday 30th June (Voting opens 1 June)

Business Excellence Categories: Those businesses entering the Excellence Categories only must complete the following entry process by the closing date. This entry should include:-

• Cover Sheet
  Please submit a cover sheet (supplied) outlining the category you are entering and contact details
• Official Entry Form
  Your submission must be based on the headings in the official entry form. (Business Excellence category entrants only). Note – businesses may enter a maximum of two (2) excellence categories.

Customer Service Categories. Entry into Customer Service categories is automatic for Chamber members. Non Chamber members must advise either Chamber office by the closing date of Friday 8th April 2011.

Customer Choice Categories. We encourage all members of the public to vote for businesses under the Customer Choice category (the business you believe is the most outstanding in our community). Votes are via either online link (free) and / or text messaging only (20c per text). Each person may only vote twice – one online and one text.

The links/number for this category will be available from 1 June 2011 until 30 June 2011.

ENTRY FORMAT

Business Excellence Categories only

The official entry form is a Microsoft Word document with text boxes that may be completed. You may use your own document but should follow the headings and maximum page guidelines supplied.

You are encouraged to focus on the key areas of your organisation and to use your imagination and initiative. The judges will be focusing on the specific areas identified in the official entry. You may add appendices and supporting documentation, but the official entry should be self-contained.

Outline of Sections

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

To enable the judges to get a quick overview of your business. Include: a brief history and description of your business; a description of what makes the business unique to the market and excellent in business; a summary of key business achievements and results. Why do you believe that your business should be an award winner?

2. LEADERSHIP

Discuss the style of leadership within your business. Describe your vision for the business. How is your vision communicated throughout the business?

3. CUSTOMER FOCUS

Who are the customers of your business and how do you manage and develop customer relationships? How do you measure your customers' satisfaction? What changes have you implemented from customer feedback? What do you have in place to grow your customer base?

4. QUALITY

Describe your business quality management system. Describe how your staff contribute to the quality management system.

5. BUSINESS PERFORMANCE

Describe the financial and operational reporting systems of the business with reference to what data is collected, frequency of reporting and how the information is used in the management of the business. Describe the Key Performance Indicators / Key Measures specific to the business. Describe what element of your company's performance over the last year you are most proud of and why. (You may provide statistics and graphs to support your statement).

6. PLANNING

Explain your business planning process - its format and time frames. How are plans implemented, communicated, reviewed and updated?

7. EXCELLENCE IN WORKPLACE WELLNESS

Explain how your business engenders a healthy workplace environment. What initiatives do you have in place focused on the overall wellness of your staff?

8. EXCELLENCE IN TOURISM / HOSPITALITY

Explain how you define your potential customer. What is your point of difference to other businesses in the similar industry?

9. EXCELLENCE IN INVESTING IN PEOPLE

Describe the organisational structure of your business. Describe how you evaluate the performance of your staff. Outline the incentives that you use to encourage and inspire your staff.

10. EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATION AND KNOWLEDGE

Describe the following – innovative products or services created, processes or technology developed or used, and/or people employed in an innovative role to further a culture of innovation. How do you encourage and introduce new ideas? How do you use innovation and knowledge to manage performance improvement?

11. EXCELLENCE IN MARKETING

Describe your marketing plan. How do you measure and review the effectiveness of the marketing plans and ensure its currency and relevance? Describe a significant opportunity in the market place that you identified and pursued in the last year.

12. EXCELLENCE IN SUSTAINABILITY

Seeking evidence that entrants consider sustainability as a strategic part of their entire organisation and this consideration is implemented in an integrated way. Entrants should look to demonstrate how–

• Your organisation values include a consideration of society, the economy and the environment
  and these values are reflected in internal organisational practices and external relationships.
• Your organisation has an understanding of its environmental impact and has specific
  programmes to measure, manage and mitigate its impact.
• Your organisation has an understanding of its social impact and has specific programmes to value
  staff and contribute to the community.

13. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Supporting documentation is welcome and will be returned after judging – brochures, photographs, video clips etc. All entries and supporting information remains confidential and will be viewed by the judging panel only.

14. FINANCIAL RESULTS

Finalists will be required to provide a written statement from their accountant confirming the financial viability of the business. This statement is included in the entry form.

Requirements for each category

1. Excellence in Business: Sections: 1,2,3,4,5,6,13,14 (All businesses operating within the Waipa District for more than 2 years are eligible to enter)

2. Excellence in Emerging Business: Sections 1,2,3,4,5,6,13,14 (This category is specific to those businesses that have been in existence for less than 2 years)

PLEASE NOTE: THE ABOVE TWO SECTIONS ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE –ENTRANTS MAY ENTER ONLY ONE (1) – EITHER EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS OR EXCELLENCE IN EMERGING BUSINESS

3. Excellence in Not-for-Profit Organisation: Sections 1,2,3,4,5,6,13,14 (Businesses / Organisations that operate as a not-for-profit entity)

4. Excellence in Workplace Wellness: Sections 1,7,13,14

5. Excellence in Tourism / Hospitality: Sections 1,8,13,14

6. Excellence in Investing in People: Sections 1,9,13,14

7. Excellence in Innovation / Knowledge: Sections 1,10,13,14

8. Excellence in Marketing: Sections 1,11,13,14

9. Excellence in Sustainability: Sections 1,12,13,14

10. Customer Service: Chamber members automatically entered and judged via mystery shopper unless requested otherwise.

11. Customer Choice: Public nomination and vote via email and text messaging.

12. Employee of the Year: Selected from Employee of the Month recipients

ENTRY TEMPLATES: 2011 WAIPA NETWORKS BUSINESS AWARDS

To enter the Awards, please refer to the following documents:

• The Search for Excellence – 2011 Waipa Networks Business Awards (Description of each entry category)
• 2011 Waipa Networks Business Awards Official Entry Form
• Pro-forma Financial Viability Statement from Accountant
• 2011 Waipa Networks Business Awards – Customer Choice Voting Form (available from 1 June 2011)

Please submit two (2) copies of your entry to the nearest Chamber Office (see details on entry form). We regret, we are unable to accept electronic copies of your entry form.