On November 7th of this year eight businesses in West Nipissing will be receiving recognition for good business practices, one of them for lifetime achievement. It’s the third bi-annual West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce (WNCC)
Business Excellence Awards, and the organizers want your input, your nominations, and your suggestions. According to the chair of the Business Awards Committee, Marian Bergeron, the public has as much interest in the quality of enterprise as business does. He said, “The reason we’re holding these business awards is to reward good business. This is the third time we’re holding it… We need to recognize businesses that go out of their way to help customers, businesses that support the community, businesses that promote the community and, basically, this is a way of thanking those businesses and bringing these facts to the public.”
The Chamber sees the role of the business awards, in part, as a means to encourage positive business practice. Bergeron said, “It will do that — everyone is witnessing the awards, and automatically what comes to mind is that this is good practice. Other businesses will want to follow suit. Not all businesses have the means to do everything, but success is tied into this.”
Marian Bergeron is a business owner himself. He and his wife Jacqueline own and operate La Vie en Couleur / Benjamin Moore Paints in the downtown core of Sturgeon Falls. You’ll often see Marian Bergeron in the early hours sweeping the front of his shop, watering the flowers, keeping the area clean and tidy. He is very conscious of the importance of looking good and being positive; it’s simply good business. “We want nominations from the public as well as other businesses. We will take them from customers, from visitors to the area, from anyone who receives good service. Anyone can make a nomination, and it is not difficult. We have nomination forms right beside our guest book in our business and they are being filled out. Unfortunately, not a lot of people seem to know they can participate in this.”
Nomination forms are currently available at La Vie en Couleur, Economic Partners Sudbury East / West Nipissing, West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce, and they can be downloaded from the WNCC website. The nomination forms are available in French and English, and submissions can be made in either language. Submissions can be made by email.
Submissions are relatively easy. For example, one category is the New Business of the Year (over the last two years because the awards are biannual). Marian said, “If people are interested in nominating a New Business of the Year, get the application. The person nominating enters general information about the company – the owners, name, address, etc. —and then answers the specific question as to why this business deserves this particular award. Each category has specific requirements, and the business has to meet those requirements.”
Any business is eligible. Businesses could be eligible for different awards. “For example, a new business might also be nominated for the Looking Good award, the Most Outstanding Business, the Most Active. It’s basic – Why do they deserve it? And what distinguishes this business from their competitors?”
One category is chosen by the Chamber only, and that’s the Lifetime Achievement Award. Bergeron said, “Life Time Achievement is being chosen by Board members of the Chamber of Commerce. The public can submit names, but the chamber will select a business or an individual for lifetime achievement.” Other than that it’s wide open – even those who have won awards in the past can win again, over and over – except for the Lifetime Achievement. Bergeron said, “If a business keeps the service levels to customers year after year they can be nominated again. A business can end up with a whole collection of these awards.”
The judging will be entirely independent. Bergeron explained, “There will be three independent judges, and judging will be blind – any prior knowledge of the business is to be left at the door and the judging is solely to be done on the material submitted in the package.”
Why should you, as a community member, take the time to nominate a business or two, or three? Marian said, “If you got special service or help from a business, and if you went home and thought, ‘My goodness that was good service! These people went out of their way to give me the information I needed, and they took the time and gave me the help!’ —that would be the incentive to thank them. Usually that’s human nature. If you get help you will like to acknowledge that. …It’s about recognizing that entrepreneurial spirit. You got that service, you probably already said thank you, but it’s going that one step further, recognizing them with their peers.”
Go one step further – acknowledge, recognize and reward Excellence!
And why is that important? “In the long run it will create a chain reaction; other businesses will up their service. It’s definitely good for the economy. Everybody is encouraged to bring up their level of service, which helps bring people from out of town. People will travel just to come here. For example, say I’m traveling through, and instead of seeing boarded-up buildings or streets that are dirty, I see flowers and a healthy business sector– it encourages me to stop and see what’s here. It creates a culture of constant improvement, in appearance and substance – it’s important to economic growth of our community. It’s leading by example, and it usually works. It takes time, but it works. All these businesses make that extra effort.”
Marian says that every business which wins an award is a beacon for other businesses. It’s an encouragement. “The business that has the award on it’s wall, that shows best practice, and that gives info to the customer when they come in. You can’t just buy this!”
A business doesn’t have to be a Chamber member to win, but there is a slight advantage. “The event is sponsored by the Chamber, and of course we have to give a priority to our members, but not much, a very small percentage, so that it will only be a tie breaker if one is not a member.” Businesses such farms are eligible. Tourism operators are eligible. Bergeron admits, “Tourism is in a better position than farms because they have customers, similar to a store, so they can give that service. It’s more complicated for a farm, because you don’t deal with the public normally.” But some farms do deal with the public – so nominate them!
Does your community have a business that deserves recognition?
Sometimes there is only one business in a smaller community that stands out, but there are many businesses in the background – trucking, construction, forestry, agriculture. Bergeron says, “It’s not just about Sturgeon Falls – regardless of where it is in West Nipissing it is eligible. But it has to be in West Nipissing.” Outlying communities may have only one business that stands out; perhaps that business has made wonderful improvements, and has had strong impact on the community, not just by being sustainable, but by reinvesting in their business and providing a service to their community. They might have a lovely storefront. People in Sturgeon Falls may not think of nominating that business because it’s not in their own community. But that one business may be central to its own community. Community member, customers, visitors are are encouraged to nominate that business.
“It’s not just good for businesses— it’s good for whole community. Having a reward for businesses that have good practices and good service is a reward to the people directly. The gala is going to be full of people who are not getting awards, but they can see how it’s done and go back to their work and raise the bar.”
The gala event will be held November 7th, at the Marcel Noel Hall, with music by Mario Arcand and his band Icy Redd, performing very upbeat live 70’s 80’s music, with a tribute to Shania Twain. Everything is local – all vendors will be local; decorators, food, etc., as this ties in with mandate of chamber to promote local business and the use of local services. Bergeron said, “Each awards ceremony changes – we learn as we go, receiving a lot of input from people —what works and what doesn’t. Categories change a little bit every time.” It’s a great gala evening, a good time to celebrate and honor the importance of practicing good business. You may also want to start purchasing tickets soon, or become a sponsor.
Nominations forms can be obtained at:
West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce
West Nipissing Chamber online – for downloading
Economic Partners East Sudbury / West Nipissing
La Vie en Couleur / Benjamin Moore
If you would like to have nomination forms at your business, please call the Chamber.
West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce 