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 2010 Massey University Wanganui Business Awards
SOME TESTIMONIALS:
Q-West Boat Builders - ACC Workplace Safety Award 2009
To be quite honest, entering the Massey University Wanganui Business Awards initially seemed a rather daunting task for us and a huge distraction from our core business. In retrospect however, I am very pleased to say that the effort was very well worth it and our business has benefitted significantly as a result of learning so much more about how and why we do things and where we are going. Although we didn't enter to win the ACC Workplace Safety Award, it turned out that it was an area we did very well and we were recognised for it which was very humbling expecially given the calibre of all who had entered.
To sum it up, the entry process provides business owners and managers with a platform to be able to look at their operation in as much or as little detail as they like. Importantly it provides essential and valuable knowledge and it's basically free.
Myles Fothergill
New World Wanganui - Training For You Management Excellent Award 2009 &
Wanganui Chamber of Commerce Retail Excellence Award 2009
The benefits for entering the Massey University Wanganui Business Awards went well beyond the recognition of receiving a prize for New World Wanganui. It allowed me to stand back and take a 360 degree look at my business and its processes, to see where we've come from and where we're going. This was reward in itself.
Brendon Jones
Anndion Lodge Apartments & Conference Centre - Wanganui INC Leisure & Tourism Award 2009
The entry process was a big learning experience and a great insight to our business. The recognition we received was such a boost and encouraged us to keep moving forward. To be able to say "The award winning Anndion Lodge" is always a great feeling and honour".
Dion & Anne Ngatai
J T Tailor Ltd - Markhams Wanganui Ltd Micro Business Excellence Award 2009
For me, entering the Business Awards was about taking the time, with respected business professionals to focus entirely on my business. Where we had come from, where we were going and most importantly, how we were going to get there. It's not all about the award, it's about what you do with the insights and the info discussed. Before last years award was announced I had already implemented one of the ideas discussed at my meeting with the judges (who are not at all scary!) and to this day it has continued to create revenue. Entering the Massey University Business Awards was definitely one of the best decisions I made in 2009, I'm going to make the same great decision in 2010.
Jade Teki
Top Draw Lingerie & The Edge Beauty Studio Ltd - Whanganui Community Foundation Contribution to the Community Award 2009
The entry process, it can be quite challenging to complete, but worth the effort, as it opens up your ideas about your business. The benefits received from entering, recognition for my business and made people more aware of what small businesses can actually do and achieve. Winning the Whanganui Community Foundation - Contribution to the Community Award shows that you don't have to be a big business to achieve.
Paula Wade
Wanganui Security Services Ltd - Ministry of Social Development Innovative Award 2009 & Whanganui UCOL Service Business & Importing Excellence Award 2009
Wanganui Security initally entered the awards to have the business practices and procedures scrutinized by the expertise and business acumen provided by the Massey University judges. It turned out to be more than this. For the first time ever, we really looked at the inner mechanics that drove the business and learned more than we could have imagined. The judges feedback told us what we needed to know to take the business to the next level. Four times category winner, I recommend entering the business awards to all who are serious about their business. It really is a tool for growth.
Bronwyn Paul
2010 entry form
4. HISTORY (5/100)
Please provide a brief history of the business. (Where has your business come from to get to where it is today?)
The discussion should focus on how the business's history has contributed to the current business. Particular attention should be directed at learning through mistakes and the development of industrial and management techniques.
This is about where your business has come from, its 'growing up' stage. What has shaped your business, include the good, the bad and the ugly as these are all development stages and how you have learned from these. What processes have you put in place over the years to manage and grow your business. This gives the judges a snapshot of your business history.
5. VISION (15/100)
What is the business' vision and/or what is the business mission? What is it that the business is trying to achieve?
The mission or vision should communicate the business's core ideology and goals. If should include the core values, core purpose and visionary goals and be relatively independent of the product or service life cycle.
You have now anwered where your business has come from but where to in the future? Vision. This is probably one of the most important questions. Vision provides a picture of where you see your business in the future. It is not a question or answer set in concrete but a story of where you want your business to expand in terms of markets, product, services and location? Are you looking at diversification? Vision is made of dreams, make it real for the judges.
6. GOVERNANCE (10/100)
Describe the business ownership and governance structures, including information on your reasons for choosing this structure and the role of governance in your business.
Business governance focuses on resolving and maintaining relationships between stakeholders and shareholders. The governance of micro-business is not expected to be as formal as that observed in medium to large businesses unless there is a third party equity capital involved.
This means who is involved in running your business. Is it a one man band or board of directors? How do you make decisions for the business. It's not just about successionary planning but what happens to the business tomorrow if the owners are rendered incapable of managing the business? This is a concern that faces so many businesses today, especially family owned businesses. Who will take over? How does one learn the 'not written down'? When the owners want to retire, what happens to the business? This can range from a complex plan to a simple solution, ranging from selling the business, a family member taking over, a complete management succession team trained specifically for this, or another governance structure?
7. ESSENTIAL BUSINESS CHARACTERISTICS (20/100)
What are the key characteristics of your business? Where is your business today?
Include information on the following:
1. Innovation and creativity, especially new initiatives. For example, new products or services or new technology.
2. Excellence in business practices. For example, staff training, ISO certification, safety and health, compliance
requirements.
3. Unique positioning in the market place.
4. Business goals achieved over the past year, 5 years and in the next 5 years. For example, sales targets, net
profit, new products, awards etc ...
5. Ways in which your business has added value to the Wanganui economy. For example, new jobs, more visitors,
new facilities.
6. Moves towards sustainability. For example, reduced emissions, reduced energy consumption.
7. Key processes used for marketing your business.
What is special about your business? What is the company integrity? What initiatives does the company have? What drives you? What philosophies underpin the business?
8. STRATEGY (20/100)
How does your business plan for the future? How will the business achieve its vision? Include information on:
1. What strategies are used for growth and development?
2. Over what time frame is business planning conducted?
3. How does your business prepare annual budgets, 3 yr or 5 yr budgets?
4. What key milestones have you identified in your current plan or will be monitoring in the future?
5. How are long term strategies translated into shorter term plans?
Business strategy refers to the course of action (and resource allocation) that will be used to achieve the business vision. It is expected to be coherent and will understood.
What plans do you have in place to move the business forward? What are the threats and the opportunities to your business? Knowing this, how will you incorporate this into a strategy of growth, development or knowledge for your business?
9. PEOPLE MANAGEMENT (10/100)
Number of full-time equivalent employees at 1st May 2010?
Number of full-time equivalent employees at 1st May 2009?
How many people have left your employment during the past year and why did they leave?
What is the composition of your current staff (management, technical, sales etc ...) and what key human resource documentation (job descriptions, employment agreements etc ...) do you have in place. Include details of when these were last updated:
Explain (in not more than 500 words) what you have done in the past year to train and develop your staff. Do you have any innovative policies that help to recruit, train and retain staff?
Human Resources, how do you manage your staff. E.g. Recruitment process, employment agreements, performance critiera and reviews, training, incentives and rewards. Do you have a health and safety plan? Does your business have accreditation, ISO, industry compliance etc?
10. CUSTOMERS (10/100)
How do you drive, deliver and measure customer satisfaction? Describe the orientation of your customer focus. How do you compare with your competitors?
Who are your customers? What makes your customers keep coming back? What is your unique selling points and how do you apply this to marketing to existing and future customers? Do you have contacts with your customers? Do you have a customer care plan?
11. MANAGING CHANGE (5/100)
How do you manage change processes within the business?
Change management is not an easy task. Change management refers to making change in a planned and systemic manner.
How does our business manage change? It is resistant or adaptable? How do you plan and transfer change to your staff and customers? If relevant industry requirement changes, how do you incorporate those changes into your business. If no changes happen within your business, if it did how would you manage that?
12. CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY (5/100)
Describe the contribution your business makes to the Wanganui community?
How does your business contribute to the community? Do you donate or sponsor money to community causes or projects? Do you or staff members donate time during business hours to community groups or projects? What other ways does your business improve benefits to the community through your business?
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