News

After three months, an exhaustive judging process and more than 750 nominations for 434 businesses, 29 winners have been awarded top honours in the 2019 Quality Business Awards.

Category award sponsors presented each winner with a trophy recognising their achievements in front of 800 of their peers, at a glittering gala dinner at TRECC.

Tamworth Business Chamber President Jye Segboer congratulated the individuals and businesses recognised as part of the Awards and praised their contribution to the Tamworth region business community.

“On behalf of the Chamber, I’d like to congratulate all the individuals and businesses who have received Awards for their exceptional contribution to the Tamworth Region business community.

“The quality of all entries to this year’s Quality Business Awards was outstanding and we are disappointed that we can’t acknowledge more businesses for high quality service and the level of innovation they display.

“It’s fantastic to see the enormous passion of all business-owners and their staff whose daily hard work and dedication goes into producing great customer experiences.
“This sense of passion and pride is what truly makes business in Regional NSW stand out and makes the Quality Business Awards such a special event” said Mr Segboer.

A total of 29 awards were presented including the highly prestigious Noel Park Award which saw local musician, philanthropist, sports and business person John Muller join the honour role.

Eighteen of the night’s categories were awarded for excellence in customer service, as nominated by the general public. Those judging these awards were instructed to score solely on their customer experience, ignoring the business size and whether it was a franchise or recognised brand.

Those business who entered categories aligned to the NSW Business Chamber, and who are members of the Tamworth Business Chamber automatically progress as a finalist in the 2019 Regional Business Awards, whilst the winner of Excellence in Workplace Health and Safety automatically progress as a phase 2 entrant into next year’s SafeWork State Awards.

2019 QUALITY BUSINESS AWARDS WINNERS
Excellence in Customer Service in Retail - Small HCF
Excellence in Customer Service in Retail - Large Pulse Kitchens & Interiors
Excellence in Customer Service in Hospitality - Accommodation The Rex Tamworth
Excellence in Customer Service in Hospitality Food and Beverage - Small Gloria Jean's 
Excellence in Customer Service in Hospitality Food and Beverage - Large Williamsburg
Excellence in Customer Service in Education & Training Birrelee MACS
Excellence in Customer Service in Health & Wellbeing 11:11 Yoga
Excellence in Customer Service in Professional Services - Small Rebel Heart Photography
Excellence in Customer Service in Professional Services – Large Telstra Business Technology Centre Northern NSW
Excellence in Customer Service in Hair &-or Beauty Urban Vogue Day Spa
Excellence in Customer Service Employment & Recruitment Workforce XS
Excellence in Customer Service in Motor Transport Sales/Service Leicht's Tyre & Auto
Excellence in Customer Service in Manufacturing/Construction/Rural Andromeda Industries
Excellence in Customer Service in Trades & Services Stain Busters
Excellence in Customer Service in Tourism, Sport & Entertainment Northwest Tennis Academy
Excellence in Community Involvement West Tamworth League Club
Excellence in Workplace Health & Safety Westpac Rescue Helicopter
Excellence in Mental Health Recovery Headspace
Excellence in Innovation AMPS Agribusiness Limited
Outstanding Employer of Choice Teys Australia
Excellence in Micro Business Designer Bunches
Excellence in Small Business Tamworth City Dance Academy
Excellence in Start Up Superstar Ben Coombes The Welders Dog
Outstanding Young Employee Libby Campbell - Everingham Solomons
Outstanding Young Entrepreneur Brooke Carrington - Myo & Barn
Outstanding Business Leader Lorraine Legge - Kirinari Community Services
Excellence in Business Obieco Industries
People's Choice Award Birrelee MACS
Noel Park Award John Muller

All retail shops have their own 'hot', 'cold' and 'warm' spots which reflect the level of interest by customers.

You have the ability to influence customer traffic flow, keep hot spots hot and turning cold spots warm.

Here are some helpful tips:

• The entrance to your shop is a hot spot for passing traffic.
• Research suggests that the majority of customers turn left after entering a shop making this area a hot spot.
• Cold spots tends to be at the back of a shop or an area hard to get to because of displays.
• Display popular or essential items in your cold zones to make them warm
• Your point-of-sale area is a hot zone to up-sell so be sure to display goods that encourage impulse buys
• Warm spots include those areas around fitting rooms and mirrors so capitalise on them with accessories.
• Department stores and supermarkets often arrange fixtures and display racks in a grid pattern to form aisles which direct traffic flow.
• Giftware and fashion stores prefer a more flowing, random displays to more customers through the store
• Regardless, always consider access for prams, wheelchairs and customers with vision impairment.