Awards entry process simplified

Preparations are underway to make next year's Business Excellence Awards bigger and better - with organisers hoping to lure some of Rotorua's most iconic businesses to take part as the event marks its 25th anniversary.

Moves are being made to help simplify the entry process as well as encourage more business owners to organise their entries early, instead of leaving it until the last minute.

Chamber of Commerce chief executive Darrin Walsh said much of the entry process would remain the same, but wording would be made simpler so the forms were easier to complete.

He said the chamber would be encouraging people to start thinking about their entries from early in the new year.

"I'd like to think for the 25th anniversary we will be able to get some of the bigger, iconic businesses to enter again."

He thought some businesses had been put off entering because of a misguided belief that businesses had to provide full financials to enter.

Once a business was selected as a finalist, they had to provide some "key financial data" to an independent accountant who ran some ratios to provide a green light to judges. But judges weren't given any details of the financials, Mr Walsh said.