Good or bad, customer service has always been closely tied to the fortunes of businesses and brands. But, the dominance of social media, review sites and easy online searching is increasingly magnifying that relationship. Experiences are being shared more widely than ever before and determining whether customers become loyal to a business.
To showcase the importance of customer service to the Dorset economy, Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital is encouraging firms to put themselves forward for the Nuffield Health Excellence in Customer Service Award in this year’s Dorset Business Awards in association with Daily Echo and Dorset Echo.
This Award will recognise the business that can demonstrate across its practices its commitment to providing the very highest level of customer service and in doing so be described as truly customer-focused. Previous winners include Blandford-based C.G. Pitcher & Son Ltd, Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park Ltd in Poole, BCHA in Bournemouth, and Weymouth-based Altogether Care.
The current titleholder is LV= and on winning Emma Banks, head of corporate communications at LV=, says: “Customer service is at the heart of our business and core to the success of our company. This award is a reflection of the importance we place on customer service and is a fantastic accolade for our teams that deal with our customers. We run lots of initiatives to constantly refresh and improve what we do and we were very proud to win a Dorset Business Award which has pride of place in our awards cabinet.”
This category is open to any company which has a BH/DT postcode or is based in Dorset. The Award is not restricted to any specific sized company and businesses can nominate themselves or be nominated by customers, clients or suppliers but the business needs to complete the entry form.
Nuffield Health Excellence in Customer Service Award checklist
Entrants will need to:
- Summarise the customer care policy
- Describe the initiatives in place to ensure all staff understand and put into practice the principles of the customer care policy
- Highlight how the business monitors the quality of customer care provided and reacts to feedback
- Demonstrate how the business has made improvements in customer satisfaction
- Explain how the business is planning to maintain and / or improve performance in the future
Julie Frew, customer services manager at Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital, says: “As trading conditions become increasingly competitive, what often makes the difference for a business and sets it apart from the competition is the standard of its customer service. There is a real skill in building and sustaining strong customer relationships and the foundation lies in a team that knows how to treat customers. So if you know someone who is a cut above in the customer service stakes or if your own performance is crème de la crème then why not enter?”
The Awards are also backed by the South’s leading radio station Wave 105 and are free to enter. Entrants can submit an entry via www.dorsetbusinessawards.co.uk or print off an entry form and submit a paper-based entry. The closing date for entry is Tuesday September 10. Entrants do not need to be a member of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
For further information about the Awards, sponsorship opportunities or to reserve tickets for the Gala Dinner which will take place at the Lighthouse, Poole, on Thursday November 28 please contact Shirley Ewart on 01202 714812.
Sponsor profile
Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital is part of Nuffield Health, the UK’s largest health care charity. It provides medical, wellbeing and fitness services to private patients and employers.
The Bournemouth facility was the first Nuffield hospital to be opened in 1957 and currently offers a comprehensive range of specialist services including diagnostic, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy facilities and a private GP service incorporating health screening.