The process of nominating and deciding newsagent awards needs to be overhauled. We owe it to ourselves to engage in a world’s best practice approach. It is wrong that suppliers who are sponsors nominate newsagents. It is equally wrong that suppliers participate in voting for winners.
I say this as a past and present sponsor of newsagency industry awards.
The result of the closed approach has resulted, occasionally in the past, in the best newsagents in a state or territory being overlooked despite having the best retail business or best distribution business.
All of us who support and participate in the awards at the state and national levels owe it to the future of the newsagency channel to push for change. We need to hold up the very best newsagents who are called the best because they are the best.
For me, the starting point of assessing the best can be found in year on year business performance data. Let’s reward newsagents who are growing their businesses beyond the average. Business numbers are more important than a slick awards submission. Indeed, I don’t think there should be a submission other than business performance data for the data will tell the story of leadership.
Performance data is on my mind because I get to see it regularly through my benchmark studies.
My newsagency software company was ranked 14th in the BRW Fast 100 Awards around eleven years ago. That same year I was a runner up in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year and ranked in the top 25 in the Deloittes Tech Top 25. In each case the assessment was based on business facts with no pitch made from the business itself. The data, the business performance results, were what got you into consideration.
I don’t write this to offend any past winners or those who will win this year. Rather I write this wanting us to break out of an awards model created back in the days of regulation and protection. We’re in a very competitive retail world and our awards should reflect competition.
While suppliers could support the prizes, I think it is time for them (us) to take a back seat in deciding who wins.
Well said Mark,
I dont think suppliers should be on the voting panels as it only makes the awards process look biased and that can only be unhealthy for all concerned.
How do you mean bias?
Shaun, what i am referring to is suppliers voting for stores in the running for awards. An example would be say Coca-Cola voting and one of the stores in the running had a Schweppes fridge……even though it shouldnt matter, surely there leanings would go against that store…..we know it shouldnt but…..
Check out the Independent Achievers Academy which launches today for 2012.
http://www.iaacademy.co.uk
It’s different.
I like the look of this Steve, very much.
I like Theo in The Dragon’s Den very much lol !
But, who funds the Independent Achievers Academy, and why?