THE UK INDUSTRY AWARDS

CRITERIA & SUBMISSION INFORMATION

The following information provides all you need to prepare and present your Written Submission in the Industry Awards of the 2012 Agent Achievement Awards. If you have any questions or need further information about entering any of the Industry Awards categories please contact Franciszka Ozog at Kingley Event Management Solutions on 020 7631 3879 or email franciszka.ozog@kingley.co.uk

GENERAL CRITERIA

• Entry to the UK Industry Awards is open to all leisure retail, online and call centre agents
  based in the UK
• Self-nominations from UK leisure agents are welcomed
• All Written Submissions must refer to work accomplished in the UK during 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2011
• You may enter as many award categories as you wish
• There is no restriction on the number of branches or the overall company turnover of any agent company entering a Written Submission in any of the UK Industry Awards
  
  

AWARD CATEGORIES
The Industry Awards categories are listed below. To view the criteria for individual Awards please continue to scroll down the page.

WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS
A Written Submission is required for entry in all of the Industry Awards categories

Please see below in the individual category that you plan to enter the specific details of the submission required. Entries may be emailed or mailed to the organisers

Supporting Materials: Any relevant materials that support your entry are welcomed. Please provide a separate list of the materials that you are supplying with your Written Submission. NB - Photos/adverts if emailed should be no more than 4 Mb as a jpg or gif file. Videos should be either supplied as a DVD playable on a pc or if emailed should be an AVI file.  Supporting materials will not be returned unless specifically requested and postage supplied.

2 EASY WAYS TO SUBMIT YOUR SUBMISSION:
1. Email: franciszka.ozog@kingley.co.uk

2. Post to: Franciszka Ozog • Kingley Event Management Solutions
    • 40-44 Newman Street • London W1T 1QD
    • Contact Tel: 020 7631 3879

KEY DATES

REMEMBER THE CLOSING DATE FOR WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS IS 19 JANUARY 2012

JUDGING
An expert panel of judges will review the Written Submissions in all award categories and select the finalists.

Categories – Travel Promotion / Innovation & Travel Website
The judging panel will review the Written Submissions and the Website URL’s and select the finalists.

Categories – High Street Manager, Call Centre Manager & Homeworker
If your entry is short-listed (there will be up to 5 short-listed in each of these categories) you will be invited to London to meet with the judging panel of expert judges on 6 or 7 February 2012.

Category – Young Travel Professional
The initial entry to this category must be made by the nominating company by submitting details about the individual. If a company’s Written Submission is short-listed (there will be up to 5 short-listed in this category) the individual will be invited to London to meet with the judging panel of expert judges on 7 February 2012.

AWARDS CEREMONY
The Awards Ceremony will take place on 26 March 2012 at the Lancaster London Hotel, London W2.  Dress code - black tie. The winner in each category will be announced at the Awards Ceremony. Finalists will be invited to attend as guests of the event sponsors.

Finalists in all Awards’ Categories will be notified by 14 February 2012 and invited as guests to the Awards Ceremony on 26 March. Details of the finalists will be announced on www.e-tid.com and www.kingley.co.uk.


CRITERIA FOR INDIVIDUAL INDUSTRY AWARDS CATEGORIES

TRAVEL PROMOTION / INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
Agents may enter initiatives that focus on either Travel Innovation or Travel Promotion or a combination of both.

Travel Innovation entries may have lead to the generation of new business OR the implementation of cost saving measures OR the introduction of technology.

Travel Promotion entries may have been conducted in conjunction with industry partners but must clearly have been led by the agent.  Please note that the Travel Promotion /Innovation project must have been initiated and completed during 1 Jan - 31 Dec 2011.

HOW TO ENTER
Write a paper (maximum 2 x A4 pages) providing details that clearly illustrate what you set out to achieve, the target audience, the strategies were implemented, the timescale and the final results of the promotion or innovation.

WHAT ARE THE JUDGES LOOKING FOR?
The Judges will be looking for successful promotions or innovations that have:

• Recognised and embraced relevant market needs
• Created appropriate ideas to capture their potential value achieving success through effective management, processes and organisation
• Evidence of the resulting commercial or business achievement of the project must be clearly demonstrated in the Written Submission

TRAVEL WEBSITE OF THE YEAR

• Tell us the URL of the website that you wish to enter
• Provide in writing 3 reasons why you believe that your travel website should the winner of this award.  Your Written Submission should refer to the points indicated below.

WHAT ARE THE JUDGES LOOKING FOR?
Judges will be looking at what makes your website outstanding and will be considering the following elements:

• Use of leading edge technologies
• User friendliness
• Design of the visual elements
• Quality and usefulness of content
• Comprehensive search process
• Online booking capabilities
• Dynamic packaging ability
• Effective and creative communication to both consumers and trade partners
• Excellent customer service

HOMEWORKER OF THE YEAR
All Homeworkers working for a UK travel agent during 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2011 are eligible to enter this category.

HOW TO ENTER
Write a brief paper (no more than 500 words) providing evidence of your sales and marketing activities that clearly demonstrate a very successful business performance during 1 Jan - 31 Dec 2011 and why you merit this award.

WHAT ARE THE JUDGES LOOKING FOR?
Judges will be looking for details of what makes you different and your Written Submission should refer to the points indicated below:

• Marketing and promotional activities
• Products and destination knowledge
• New business customer acquisition
• Dynamic packaging skills
• Customer services levels
• Retention of existing clients
• Sales Performance and margins – this must be confirmed in writing by your company

YOUNG TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
Entry is open to any Young Travel Professional who has worked a minimum of 12 months for a UK leisure high street agent or call centre and who is under 22 years at 31 Dec 2011.

HOW TO ENTER
The company that employs the Young Travel Professional is required to write a brief paper (maximum 500 words) illustrating the attributes listed below and stating why you believe the young person in your employ merits this award

WHAT ARE THE JUDGES LOOKING FOR?
Judges will be looking for a young person who has made an instant impact within their agency during 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2011 and demonstrated a high level of achievement and personal contribution in the following areas:

• Sales ability
• Customer care
• Creativity and innovation
• Dedication and willingness to learn

CALL CENTRE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Entries will be accepted from Call Centre Managers in a front line position who have direct management responsibility for a team of not less than 6 call centre staff

HOW TO ENTER
Write a paper (no more than 500 words) focussing on some of the issues indicated below, and why you believe you merit this award

WHAT ARE THE JUDGES LOOKING FOR?
Judges will be looking for the Call Centre Manager, working in either an offline or online environment, who can clearly demonstrate success and achievement in the following core capabilities during 1 Jan - 31 Dec 2011:

• Customer service focussed with the ability to work under pressure and to changing deadlines
• The ability to problem solve and deal with escalated customer complaints
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to plan, coach and motivate a team
• The ability to drive customer service, up-sell and minimise call handling time
• The ability to maximise the potential of the team and the creation of an upbeat and customer friendly service
• An outstanding record of sales growth in the period 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2011

LEISURE HIGH STREET MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Leisure High Street Managers entering this award category will have the responsibility for a team of a minimum of 3 during 1 Jan - 31 Dec 2011.

HOW TO ENTER
Write a brief paper (no more than 500 words) on your views of the importance of and how to improve, one of the two topics below

1. Product Knowledge

2. Customer Relations

WHAT ARE THE JUDGES LOOKING FOR?
Judges will be looking for a successful manager who has demonstrated outstanding achievement during 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2011 by:

• Leading and motivating a team of at least 3 staff in a customer-facing role
• Displaying strong commercial awareness
• Possessing exceptional people management skills
• Identifying and delivering high level customer care