Get out the entry forms - the annual Westpac Business Excellence Awards start this month.
Westpac sponsors and supports several regional business excellence awards throughout New Zealand, from Northland to Otago.
Start times vary by region, and the scheme runs until October.
As a growing number of successful New Zealand businesses of
all sizes have found, a small time-investment in reviewing their businesses can reap a wealth of rewards.
Why enter?
Entering the awards gives an organisation the opportunity to examine the way it does business.
It is also a chance for achievements to be assessed outside their industry, before the regional business community.
If firms are striving for excellence, the awards raise the bar across all aspects of business and provide a nationally recognised benchmark.
How to enter
Entering the awards is easy.
The process covers the business' history, goals and achievements and the way it relates to staff and customers.
Westpac provides workshops with local chambers of commerce and business enterprise organisations to help with award entries.
Contact your Westpac business manager or local chamber of commerce to find out how to enter.
What are the advantages of entering?
Companies that have entered previous awards have found that the process provided:
* A self-review of business performance.
* Access to free business expertise.
* Opportunities to network with other local companies.
* Constructive feedback from judges.
* Opportunities for raising business profile.
* Regional and national media exposure for entrants and winners.
* A staff morale-booster.
* An entree to new business and markets.
* Inspiration, benchmarking and knowledge.
Dates Entries for the awards close six to 10 weeks before the awards ceremony.
Scheduled ceremony dates are:
* Wellington Regional Gold Awards, May 15
* Waikato Business Excellence Awards, June 20
* Manukau Business Excellence Awards, June 26
* Northland Business Awards, July 23
* Enterprise North Shore Business Excellence Awards, August 29
* Taranaki Business Excellence Awards, September 26
* Champion Awards (Christchurch), October 2
* Tauranga Regional Business Awards, October 18
* Hawke's Bay Business Awards, October 31
