Supporting business vital for companies

Supporting business vital for companies

Most companies have entered this year’s Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards 2008 because business support has become such a vital component of their business.

The Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards are New Zealand’s only awards that recognise excellence in the field of business support and entries close on 12 December.

This year’s award entries include CourierPost, a 50/50 joint venture between New Zealand Post and DHL and Jericho, a leading provider of marketing solutions and developer of SmartMail email marketing software.

Jericho provides email services to government, business to business, and business to consumer organisations that include Ezibuy, Progressive Enterprises’ One Card, and Air New Zealand Holidays.

Jericho Marketing Director Roanne Parker says they have entered the awards because as a growth company they like to continually benchmark against other companies. Jericho has experienced 20-40% growth over each of the last four years and says the awards process allows them to be more introspective about how they operate and the services they are providing. “With attractive and profitable online communications for over 600 customer organisations to manage, we have a great responsibility, and business support is very important to us - it's our business,” Roanne Parker says.

CourierPost, another business support awards’ entrant, has developed a range of initiatives over the last 12 months to partner and support small business enterprises including participating in the Fly Buys programme and developing upon its range of environmentally friendly packaging.

“We have put specific strategies in place to support small business enterprises because they are an important target market for us; we are often seen as an extension of their business – as a business partner,” says Mark Gibson, General Manager - CourierPost. “Entering the business support awards was a great opportunity to showcase the initiatives we have put in place to support small business and to recognise how vital that sector is for our business.”

Established in 2005, the Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards are held annually. Founded by small business sector specialist, Sarah Trotman, and sponsored by Vero, the awards are a key event during the annual Small Business Expo – New Zealand’s largest event for business and will be announced at a Black Tie Gala Dinner held during the Auckland Small Business Expo on 17 April.

“The awards acknowledge organisations and individuals who make real contributions to business by providing quality products and services that make life better for business owners,” Sarah Trotman says.
“With 11 award categories, we have had entries from a wide variety of organisations – the entrants represent large, small, private, government sector and not-for-profit organisations – all with an interest in supporting business in New Zealand.”

"We believe the future competitiveness of New Zealand business lies in quality and providing a key 'point of difference’," Roger Bell, CEO Vero, the awards' principal sponsor says. "We are looking for exceptional organisations and people for these awards and the 2008 entrants are looking better than ever."

Last year’s Supreme Winner, Kea, aims to make New Zealand the most globally connected nation on earth. Kea’s Global Talent Centre linking talented people with premium job opportunities and its Venture Mentor Network were key factors in Kea taking out the supreme award.

Another 2007 award winner, wotif.com, described the award process as a great decision for the company. Manager Tania Witherford said it provided an opportunity to foot it with the best in the business arena.

Winners are selected by evaluators from the New Zealand Business Excellence Foundation, a 'not-for-profit' organisation committed to improving the performance and capability of organisations by promoting and utilising a best practice business performance excellence framework, based on established international criteria.

Evaluators this year are looking for companies and people with a history in helping to build successful businesses Sarah Trotman says.

“The rigorous evaluation process coupled with the valuable feedback that applicants receive ensures that the awards offer great value to applicants,” says Mike Watson from the New Zealand Business Excellence Foundation which provides the independent judging process for all entries. “Following the successful roll out of the Small Business Expo in 2007 to the other main centres we expect the profile of these prestigious awards to continue to increase.”

ENDS
www.excellenceinbusinesssupport.co.nz

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