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Entry to Awards benefits businesses

There are many good reasons for Indian-Kiwi companies and businesspersons to enter the Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards 2011.

It is a competition between businesses to celebrate the best in each category and the best of the best for the ‘Supreme Business of the Year Award.’ The winners and finalists in each category will be announced at the Gala Awards Night dinner in November. The guests at the event, media and New Zealanders in general will see the winners and finalists as successes.

All businesspersons are proud of their businesses and their success.

I have interviewed hundreds of business owners over the years, all of who are keen to talk about their business, identifying the key factors that have made them successful, compared with their competitors.

Business people are competitive; the market conditions in which they operate require them to excel in understanding customer needs and provide services or products better than their competitors do.

Whilst many businesses may be cautious about disclosing their key information, they do not miss an opportunity to be seen as a top class business by competitors and customers, provided there is a secure, independent and confidential process for reviewing their information.

Secure & Confidential

The judging process is secure and confidential, carried out by independent judges and hence the entrants can be sure that their key information will be protected.

Most businesses have a plan for success, but often it remains in the owner’s head. The structure of the IBA 2011 entry form provides a great opportunity to review that plan under carefully chosen headings.

The questions review the business in a modified ‘Bell Mason Diagnostic Format,’ asking about goals and strategies, products and services, markets and sales, people and governance and systems for management.

Then there are more specific questions under individual categories.

There is a phrase, which has become a cliché in management circles; it is important to take time to work On the business and not just In the business.

It highlights an issue for many business owners; they work hard on day-to-day issues but do not spend enough time on where the business is headed in the next three to five years, and on a plan to get there.

Staff involvement

Entering the Business Awards encourages the senior management or business owner to pause and reflect on their business, using some carefully chosen questions, and identify gaps, which must be addressed to remain successful.

Our Awards Scheme boosts your staff and customers.

Staff will receive a lift in two ways. The first is by involving them in completing the entry form, enabling them to share the owner’s pride in the business and become better advocates. The best entries are usually the result of forming a team of staff members to gather the information and write the first draft of the various answers. Some of the staff will bring good insights and perspectives, and they may have special skills in writing and presentation. One company, which has entered a number of business awards with regular success, always forms a new team for each year, and after a number of years there is now a widespread group of employees who understand more about the business and feel more committed to its success.

The other benefit for staff and for customers is that they all want to be associated with success. If your business is among the finalists or a category winner, your staff will share your pride, and your customers will be thrilled to be dealing with an acknowledged leader in its field.

I am always interested and impressed when visiting businesses to see the framed certificates of award finalists or winners in the reception area, and I am sure your customers and bank manager will feel the same.

Business success is worth celebrating.

Demonstrate Pride

A further reason for all Kiwi-Indian businesses to enter IBA 2011 is to demonstrate pride and support for the contribution made to the New Zealand economy by the vibrant Indian business community.

There are about 120,000 New Zealanders and about 5000 businesses of Indian origin. Many of these have grown to be large players in their particular markets, and with a few exceptions, we do not know enough about them.

I believe that all Indian owned Kiwi businesses should be an example and inspiration to younger Kiwis of all ethnicities.

Chad Wilkie is Executive Director of Ignition Partner, a consulting firm operating in New Zealand and overseas, and an experienced adviser on shaping businesses for growth, and structuring deals to achieve business growth. He is also the Chairman of the Panel of Judges of IBA 2011.

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