Effort worth it, says award-winning business owner

Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards Media Release
4 May 2007 - For immediate release

‘The effort is worth it’ says award-winning business owner

John Beck, owner of last year’s supreme winning business at the Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards, says that the hours of effort invested into entering, and winning, a business award pays for itself many times over. The successful business has reaped rewards in the form of recognition from existing and new customers, and has not spent a cent on advertising since being named Westpac Manukau Business of the Year in 2006.

John Beck submitted his company, Styrobeck Plastics Limited, to the scrutiny of Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards judges twice before securing victory. Motivated by the media exposure that he had seen others gain from a win, he was looking for a way to make more people aware of the services provided by his innovative manufacturing company.

“It was very simple - we were trying to raise our profile without spending massive dollars on advertising,” he says.

The first year Styrobeck entered, it came away empty handed, although they were a finalist in one category. John Beck and his team were disappointed, but took the judges’ feedback on board and spent time improving the presentation of their entry.

The second year, Styrobeck not only won two categories, including the EMA Excellence in Manufacturing & Services Award, and the Excellence in Innovation and Strategy Award, it also took away the overall prize as Manukau’s best business for 2006.

What resulted was an influx of publicity. The company’s name was on billboards and event advertising, and it also received editorial in national and local newspapers and magazines, and a great increase in recognition by other businesses in the region.

“It has certainly given us a lot more respect,” says Beck. “Our existing customers are proud to deal with us, and have confidence that we know what we are doing.”

The result was both improved and more confident business relationships, and significant savings in advertising spend. “We haven’t advertised since we won the award, we haven’t needed to,” says Beck, and it is only now, nearly a year later, that the company is launching a new advertising campaign.

Beck also says that for Styrobeck, the process of entering the awards, and spending time assessing all aspects of the business’ methodologies and processes also made a difference to his perception of the company.

“It has helped us to measure performance, to see what strategies were right and wrong, and to analyse what we were doing,” he says of the process which requires entrants to answer a series of written questions about their company, and also includes a visit from judges for those that become finalists.

Other past winners of the Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards are Kiwi Discovery, Villa Maria Estate , Epic Packaging, and Rayglass Boats.

“The standard of the businesses that enter the Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards and become finalists is always remarkable,” says Bruce McLaughlan of sponsor Westpac. “Those that win are extremely high achieving businesses, not only in terms of financial results, but in terms of all aspects of the way the business is run.”

Entry categories include employer of choice, exporting and tourism through to small business, manufacturing, innovation, customer service, emerging business, workplace safety, and community contribution.

“The awards are designed so that there is a chance for any type of business to succeed,” says McLaughlan. “Past winners have included both big and small companies.”

Staff from Enterprising Manukau are available to assist businesses with their entries, and a series of free workshops are available. Entries close on 22 June, with finalists announced at a cocktail function on 19 July.

Business managers and owners interested in entering the Awards should visit www.bizawards.co.nz or contact Enterprising Manukau on 09 262 2244.

The Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards are delivered by Enterprising Manukau on behalf of Manukau City Council and have been a firm fixture on Manukau’s business calendar for 15 years.

ENDS

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