Launch of Good Service Awards 2007

The competition, which was first launched in 2006 and was allegedly highly successful, will run during July and August 2007 in an expanded format. Any OFM listener, chamber of commerce and Sanlam office that deal with small business owners can nominate a business for entry into the competition. Details of how to enter will be broadcast on OFM during these months and OFM listeners stand to win some great prizes for their entries.

Apart from the prestige of winning, each category winner will walk away with his or her share of R60 000 on-air OFM commercial campaign and a trophy to tell the story. All finalists will receive certificates and Sanlam gift hampers to the total value of R12 000 over the competition.

Competition categories

The categories for the competition will be hospitality and tourism, retail outlets, food outlets and services. Participating regions will be:

• Northern Cape
  
• Eastern and Northern Free State
  
• Southern Gauteng,
  
• Goldfields
  
• Bloemfontein
  
• North West Province

Finalists in each category will be judged by their own clientele and by a mystery shopper committee consisting of OFM, Sanlam and an independent person.

Number of aspects

The categories will be judged on a number of aspects, including the front appearance or reception of businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry, staff interaction with customers, value for money, presentation of the product, after-sales service, and also delivery, installation or implementation in the case of businesses that operate in a service environment.

As far as nominations from chambers of business are concerned, Sanlam will make contact with each region's chamber to ask for nominations in the various categories. Three finalists will be identified in each category for the on-air leg of the promotion on OFM. In addition to this nomination process, OFM will run an on-air commercial campaign calling for votes for the nominated businesses.

Full details will be broadcasted by OFM, but customers will, amongst other things, be encouraged to visit the nominated businesses and to vote for them via SMS or online at www.ofm.co.za. OFM listeners who participate in this manner will stand to win gift hampers and cash to the total value of R12 000.

The regional winners in each category will be announced at a special function that will be hosted by Sanlam and OFM in the latter half of August.