The Golden Service Awards | Suzanne Howe Communications

KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*

Background

The Golden Service Awards (GSA) were created in 1991 by KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* and are the most prestigious prize-winning event in the cleaning and support services industry. Designed to reward top quality cleaning by individuals, in-house cleaning teams and contract cleaning companies, all finalists are invited to the Lancaster London hotel for an exciting awards ceremony and lunch.

In 2008, KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* (K-CP*) conducted a major overhaul of the programme and appointed Suzanne Howe Communications (SHC) to take over the organisation and promotion of this bi-annual event.

Objectives

Organise the entire programme including the application and judging process and the awards ceremony itself.

Work with Cleaning & Maintenance magazine to provide copy for a monthly page on the GSA.

Secure sponsorship.

Promote the awards in the industry and to both consumer and trade press.

Strategy

Launch: SHC launched the Golden Service Awards 2011 via a trade press release, and an html e-mail to our database of contract cleaning companies and in-house cleaning teams, encouraging them to enter.

Application Process: SHC worked with the judging committee to revise the application form and then carried out an extensive telemarketing campaign to encourage companies to enter. We achieved a total of 133 entries which raised £13,300 in entry fees for the 2011 programme.

Judging: SHC organised the preliminary judging session to determine the finalists and then worked with the judging committee to arrange visits to all 79 finalist sites, located throughout the UK and Ireland.

Awards Ceremony: SHC organised the awards ceremony which took place at the Lancaster London hotel in early November 2011. A record 600 guests attended. SHC was responsible for organising the venue, menu, drafting the MC speech and awards ceremony Powerpoint presentation, producing trophies and certificates for the winners, organising a sponsor’s area, producing an opening video, the set design, publicising the event and arranging photography.

Results

Press coverage of the Golden Service Awards 2010/11 achieved a total of 335,360 in circulation figures and an advertising equivalent of £126,678 to date.

SHC raised £13,300 in entry fees.

SHC raised £82,500 in awards ceremony ticket sales.

All participants and sponsors received press coverage in the cleaning trade media throughout the two year campaign.

Feedback

Marta Longhurst, Regional Marketing Manager, UK, Ireland and Benelux, KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*

On behalf of KCP I’d like to thank you for all the hard work that you’ve put into organising this year’s Golden Service Awards.

So far I’ve heard great feedback about the event and everyone has been very complimentary and praised this year’s standard. It was very professional, classy and the excellent MC and Voice of God certainly gave the GSA that extra sparkle!

Personally, I’d like to thank you for guiding me through the whole event organisation – it was much easier working on this project with your guidance and advice. I could totally rely on you and your judgment and I think the event has been a great success. Not to mention that it has been a pleasure working with you on that – you’ve been very professional but also fun to work with.

Deborah Bland, Sector Marketing Leader BSC – UK, Ireland, Spain and Portugal, Diversey (Gold sponsor)

Just a quick note at this stage to thank you all for a great event – once again very well organised, some fabulous entertainment and some very happy sponsors and clients!!!

Neil Nixon, Editor, C&M magazine (Ambassador sponsor)

Congratulations – the best GSA ever! I look forward to working with you on the 2013 event.

Lynn Webster – Guest

I wanted to just pass on my congratulations to you and your team for organising such a wonderful event for the Golden Service Awards yesterday…

…I have been to a number of these over the years and this had to be the best yet!!