Tuesday’s elections are over, but there’s still time to vote for the Napa Chamber of Commerce Large Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Citizen of the Year and Customer Service Person of the Year. In fact, nominations for the four categories are open through this Friday, Nov. 7; voting will begin on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
At the Napa Chamber of Commerce annual meeting and lunch in January when we usher in our new board of directors, we will announce the award winners nominated and voted on by members of the community.
For Business of the Year, we are looking for small and large businesses that have distinguished themselves by implementing innovative ideas and employing creative methods. We want to celebrate businesses that make a difference here and perhaps have even made the choice to “do the right thing” at the expense of making a profit.
The Citizen of the Year must be a community stakeholder who demonstrates vision and service to Napa through expenditure of his or her time, energy and resources, someone who has inspired others to serve.
A new category for 2015 is the Customer Service Person of the Year. In many ways, customer service delivered at the highest level creates a competitive advantage. I would venture to guess that businesses that understand the importance of quality service and the commitment required to provide it on a regular basis will likely be nominated in the Business of the Year category.
In many cases, the people/employees most responsible for creating the ultimate positive customer experience are hardly acknowledged, because they are just doing what is expected of them. But every now and again there is that special someone who “rises above the rest,” “goes above and beyond” or simply dedicates him or herself to making sure that your day will be better because of your encounter or interaction.
I’m hoping that this category receives the most nominations, because I personally know that Napa is full of people deserving of the award.
Please visit our website at NapaChamber.com, nominate in one or all four categories — and mark your calendar to vote on Nov. 12 for the winners. Then join us in January to celebrate and honor the businesses and individuals who make this community so special.