RETAILBUSINESS Awards 2019 are commencing
For the 17th consecutive year, DIRECTION BUSINESS NETWORK and RETAILBUSINESS magazine are staging the RETAILBUSINESS AWARDS, first launched in 2002 and now the most important event of Greek retail sales and industry.
Along with the 17th RetailBusiness Awards begins the large celebration of Retail and Industry in Greece, which looks to the future. With a “futuristic” concept with regard to communication and always following the trends, needs, and developments in the market, the tradition is renewed with new categories and other innovations related to the competition portion of the event.
The period for making submissions has already begun, and awarding of prizes to the Best in Retail Trade and Industry is scheduled for February 2019.
Faithful to their engagement
The RETAILBUSINESS AWARDS 2019, for yet another year, keep their engagement and reward sound forces in Greek Retail Trade and Industry which continue to demonstrate their potential. Those who continue to invest, to create jobs, that reduce prices despite increasing charges. Those who wage their daily battle for growth, within and outside Greece, driving the industry forward and demonstrating all the more that Retail Trade continues to be a powerful pillar of growth.
It is worth mentioning that the Awards Ceremony during which the top awards for Retailer of the Year and Retail Manager are awarded are honoured each year by the participation of Ministry leaders and more than 800 guests that include senior executives of Greece’s largest retail enterprises and major industries.
The RETAIL BUSINESS AWARDS are held under the aegis of the Ministry of Economy and Development in cooperation with the Hellenic Retail Business Association (SELPE) and the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE).
The Process
The process begins with the submission of nominations per award category. The awards are given by the Evaluation Committee, upon the approval of submission folders by the Organising Committee. The Evaluation Committee is comprised of the market’s leading personalities, academics, individuals from the research field and representatives from institutions of the Greek business world, while KPMG will again this year be the auditing firm that will oversee the entire procedure so as to ensure the credibility and validity of the results.
The categories
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
The event’s most significant award which showcases the top retailer of the year. Selection criteria include its total position on the market, its momentum for growth, the health of its financial results, its relationship with and image towards the consumer, as well as the overall progress in the Greek retail sector.
RETAIL MANAGER
The winner of this category is the most effective manager in Greek Retail for 2018, who stood out this year, based on the criteria of successful strategy and the decisions they made for the benefit of their company.
RETAIL FRANCHISOR OF THE YEAR
Many retail chains invest in franchise systems, and the related concepts are constantly improving and becoming more efficient. In this category, the Retail Franchisor who has stood out during the current year is awarded, criteria such as the size of their network, the growth they have recorded over the current year, the power of branding, the geographical coverage achieved and introduction of their brand on the market.
CSR RETAIL STRATEGY
Award for the best CSR practices. At a time when the environment is ever-changing, and the concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility seem to shift on almost a daily basis, we believe that the role of companies in the industry is very important. The aim is to highlight, to showcase, and to reward those “best practices” of every company in the Retail sector that has already invested in a Corporate Social Responsibility program and campaigns with specific activities and actions.
RETAIL CAMPAIGN
An advertising campaign on television, radio, in print and on-line advertising. The industry’s best promotional campaign is awarded, with a view to increasing the efficiency and the impressions made on the public over the past year.
SOCIAL MEDIA RETAIL STRATEGY
As Social Media become more and more both a part of consumers’ everyday lives as well as an invaluable tool for information, promotion, and communication for Retailers, this category awards the industry’s best campaign, taking into account the effects and the impressions left on the public over the past year. Nominations may be submitted by Retailers for their campaigns on social networks.
NEW CATEGORY OMNI RETAILER (complete Physical & Digital presence)
Super Market
Electrical goods-Electronics3
Clothing and footwear
Restaurant services (Restaurants + Coffee stores + Fast Food etc.)
Telecoms
Banks
GAS Stations
Dry Cleaners
Vapour Stores
The aim is to promote an integrated strategic approach to company consumers-customers in their respective categories of chains in which they do business, in order to provide an integrated experience and satisfaction, both with regard to offline and online markets through Marketing, Sales, and Customer Service actions.
Submission of applications should present, in a comprehensive manner, the Omni Channel strategy and, in particular, the practices for the customer experience & satisfaction throughout its whole range, which is defined by: brick-and-mortar shops, e-commerce, web portals, mobile applications, chat boxes applications, social media, call centers.
NEW CATEGORY (ONLINE) Ε-SUPER MARKET
This new category pertains solely to purely online super markets without the existence of a brick-and-mortar shop.
The following parameters will be assessed and awarded: innovation, breadth and depth of product categories, offers, ease of navigation, ease of making a purchase, flexibility with regard to the time and place of order delivery, reliability, and level of safety of purchases.
NEW CATEGORY LOYALTY REWARD CARDS/PROGRAMS
A new category with a view towards highlighting the “smartest”, most effective in terms of increased sales, and most popular cards of all Retailers.
RETAIL STORES
RETAIL STORE SUPER MARKET
The 3 best shops in the domestic organised food retail market are awarded. Basic criteria for evaluation include the implementation of innovative solutions for customer service, accessibility of the point of sale, the level of services provided, the interior design for the consumer’s “journey”.
RETAIL STORE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND ELECTRONICS
The 3 best shops are awarded. This distinction pertains to the top shops with regard to service, performance and overall image, in the extremely important field of electrical equipment/electronics for the domestic market, which is dominated by “smart” technology and innovative points of sale.
RETAIL STORE FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY (RESTAURANT CHAINS – COFFEE STORES – BAKERY – FAST FOOD)
The 3 best shops are awarded from each sub-category in the food service industry, which remains a particularly important area of the domestic retail market, with the main selection criteria being design, functionality, location, level of service, and the importance of the point of sale for the financial performance of the winning chain.
RETAIL STORE CLOTHING/SHOES
The 3 best shops in the particularly demanding field of clothing and footwear are awarded, with the criteria for awarding being design, location, level of supplying innovative and technologically advanced services vis-a-vis customer service, and the importance of the point of sale for the financial performance of the winning chain.
NEW CATEGORY RETAIL STORE TELECOMS
The 3 best shops with regard to customer experience are awarded, with friendly innovative functional services that aim towards rapid customer service and multiple provision-access to telephony products (fixed and mobile) as well as entertainment services.
NEW CATEGORY BANK RETAIL STORE
The 3 best shops with regard to issues of technology and digitalization, environmentally friendly, innovative, functional, and easily accessible, that aim towards rapid customer service and multiple provision-access to banking products and services.
NEW CATEGORY RETAIL STORE GAS STATIONS
The 3 best shops with regard to their functionality and their accessibility, with innovations in customer service, a wide range of additional services, environmentally friendly, and with a high level of customer satisfaction.
NEW CATEGORY RETAIL STORE VAPOUR STORES
The 3 best shops are awarded that have the widest range of products, level of service, interior design, level of customer experience.
NEW CATEGORY RETAIL STORE DRY CLEANERS
The 3 best shops are awarded with the most comprehensive level of service, both direct and complementary, delivery time, technological equipment, ease of access, and customer service methods.
RETAIL MALL & PARK
Awards the one which is the most functional, easily accessible, with a variety of shops of various types, environmentally friendly, customer experience. An important criterion is their role in the development of retail, in attracting investment for the creation of new shops and jobs, as well as the promotion of good practices in the field of Real Estate.
THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE WILL SELECT THE WINNERS IN EACH AWARD CATEGORY
SUPPLIERS OF THE YEAR AWARDS
The “SUPPLIERS OF THE YEAR” awards in the categories FOOD & DRINK, NON-FOOD, TECHNOLOGY and APPLIANCES and RADIO/TELEVISION EQUIPMENT are awarded through research processes in collaboration with the Athens University of Economics and Business, Department of Business Administration. Mr. Georgios G. Panigyrakis, Professor of Marketing, is the Scientific Head. To carry out the investigation, a specially designed questionnaire is sent to the Purchasing Managers of chain stores. The questions pertain to the overall quality characteristics that govern to the entire range of customer-supplier cooperation.
The new categories of awards pertain to the brands of suppliers in the following markets:
Food & Drink, Non Food, Technology, Appliance – Radio/Television Equipment.
NEW CATEGORY SUPPLIER’S CSR CAMPAIGN
The 3 best CSR practices are awarded as a recognition of the importance of the role of companies, particularly during the economic crisis that we are experiencing. The aim is to highlight and promote those “best practices” of all suppliers that belong to Trade and Industry, who have already invested in a Corporate Social Responsibility program and campaigns with specific actions and activities.
NEW CATEGORY SUPPLIER’S BRAND CAMPAIGN
Awarding of supplier’s brand campaign on television, radio, in print and on-line advertising, exclusively for the brand(s) they wish to highlight. The 3 best advertising campaigns in the industry are awarded, with a view towards increasing the efficiency and the impressions made on the public over the last year.
NEW CATEGORY SUPPLIER’S BRAND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
As Social Media become more and more both a part of consumers’ everyday lives as well as an invaluable tool for information, promotion and communication for all brands, this category awards the 3 best campaigns that pertain to brands, taking into account the effects and the impressions left on the public over the past year. Nominations may be submitted by suppliers for their brand campaigns on social networks.
NEW CATEGORY OF SUPPLIER’S BRAND BTL ACTIVITY
Awarding of the 3 best strategies and practices in BTL actions, according to the criteria of effectiveness, creativity, ingenuity, innovation, and art design. The importance of these actions is reflected through an increase in sales and Brand awareness for the products promoted.
THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE WILL SELECT THE WINNERS IN EACH AWARD CATEGORY
