Suppliers to the commercial integration industry strive to be the best in their individual category, but being the best isn’t just about engineering and products, it’s about service. That’s why, for the first year, CI is presenting the Quest for Quality Awards, which honor manufacturers and distributors for excellence in customer service.
Throughout the month of May, CI subscribers will be receiving email invitations with links to the ballot. During the tabulation process, votes will be de-duped based on the IP address of the submission so the ballot box can’t be “stuffed.” The deadline for voting is May 27.
The winners will be named based upon results of a readership survey conducted by CI in May. Surveys containing open-ended questions are emailed to CI readers asking respondents to evaluate the quality of service of manufacturers and distributors. The Platinum, Gold and Silver winners will be recognized in the August issue of CI and awards will be presented.
Watch the video below to hear CI editor Tom LeBlanc discuss Commercial Integrator‘s 2016 Quest for Quality Awards.
“Dedication and support of the channel is very important in order for every party to work well together,” says Tom LeBlanc, CI‘s editor-in-chief. “Integrators and consultants, what better way to build channel dedication than to recognize the manufacturers and distributors offering the best support to you and your companies?”
“Our Quest for Quality Program asks you, the integrators and consultants, to take just a few minutes to recognize manufacturers and distributors who are particularly great at things like customer service, technical support, helping with lead generation; the ones that offer great warranty, great training programs and in general just demonstrate that they’re totally dedicated to the channel. We really want to recognize the manufacturers and distributors out there doing it right.”
Objectives of the awards are to evaluate each company on the following attributes:
- Customer Service/General Communication: Phone availability (live or recorded), general courtesy, speed of response, receptiveness to feedback
- Technical Support: Phone and online assistance
- Lead Generation: Online-fed leads, trade show leads, consumer show/home show leads
- Sales/Marketing Assistance: Support literature, demo/display units, dealer incentives (e.g., special prices, credit terms)
- Warranty Policies (Mfrs. Only): Replacement unit availability, extended warranty time span, repair speed, scope of coverage
- Shipping Policies: Tracking/communication, costs, quality assurance, speed, will call option
- Dealer/Integrator Website: Dealer password-protected area, FAQ, download availability, ease of navigation, tracking orders.
- Training Program: In-person product and system training and online product and system training
- Dedication to Channel: Dealer protection against unauthorized sales, consumer-direct policies, unauthorized internet sales and brand erosion
- Trade Show Presence (both industry and consumer shows): Booth design, information availability, training/education opportunities, contact information/data capture
- Social Media Presence: Facebook page—design and content, Twitter postings—frequency and content, LinkedIn—professional contact and group participation
For more information about the CI Quest for Quality Awards, contact Tom LeBlanc, editor-in-chief, Commercial Integrator, at 508-663-1500 x259 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
