We recently received accreditation from SAFEcontractor, a programme which recognises very high standards of health and safety practise amongst UK contractors.

Under the SAFEcontractor system, businesses undergo a vetting process, which examines health and safety procedures and their track record for safe practice.

Those companies meeting the high standard are included on a database, which is accessible to registered users only via a website, www.safecontractor.com

The category we were runners-up for is The Learning Pays Award. Something we are particularly proud of as it demonstrates the commitment we have in training our team members to exceptionally high standards.

Click Here to visit The Sussex Business Awards Website for more information.

This standard is a business improvement tool designed to advance an organisation's performance through its people. The process has taken twelve months to work through and involves planning, putting the correct processes in place, interviews with staff by an Assessor and regular feedback and development amongst other strict criteria.

As a business striving to deliver the best in customer care, it is important that our staff regularly attend training courses to maintain and develop their skills. We also have regular meetings where any particular issues can be raised and resolved.

All the staff are highly valued and we are committed to their ongoing training and development as we believe that staff who are motivated and achieve job satisfaction are more likely to deliver a high rate of customer care and the business being run as effectively as possible. We were also delighted with the positive feedback received from all the staff who were interviewed as part of the assessment process.

We are sure that this will lead to the ultimate aim for you, our customers, to receive top class service, better customer care and confidence in our ability to meet your needs.

The competition was extremely tough with shortlisted finalists from various business sectors, and it was therefore a complete surprise to hear Sussex Signs announced as the winner. The judges confirmed that they were unanimous in choosing Sussex Signs as the company that they most wanted to see as the regional winner to go forward to represent the Southern region in the national finals to be held at Claridges Hotel, Mayfair in November.

The BSBC awards tap into the rich seam of business success stories normally hidden from view, and help to focus broad attention on the invaluable contribution small firms make to their customers, employees and the communities in which they operate in every part of the United Kingdom.

The last twelve months have certainly been eventful for Sussex Signs. In November last year we won the Sussex Small Business Award 2003 followed by the Newhaven Business of the Year Award 2003 in December. Much of this year has been spent amongst dust and debris whilst building works have been in full swing upgrading and modernising the factory whilst we have also invested in new staff and technology.

A recent review of our sales revealed that a staggering 85% of our business comes from repeat customers and recommendations! However, we don't take this for granted and customer care is right at the top of our list of priorities. We have systems in place to keep a very close eye on ensuring that strict time deadlines are met and that the customer is completely satisfied with the end product.

None of our success would have been possible without our customers, staff or industry partners, so a big THANK YOU to all of you that have played a part in or contributed to our success in whatever way.

"I am overwhelmed," Norman said afterwards, "This is the fruition of so much hard work by the staff and support team, and my heartfelt thanks goes to everyone who is involved with the business. Most importantly, I want to thank our customers, some who have been with us since we first started ten years ago."

The award, which was open to any business with 25 or fewer employees, was sponsored and presented by Seeboard Energy. The criteria they were looking for included entrepreneurial flair, marketing success and sound financial management.

Denise Wareham, the principle judge, said, "What we liked most about the company, apart from the obvious business success, was a real community involvement and excellent staff relationships."

The Sussex Sign Company have come a long way from their modest origins. The family business which originally just supplied basic vehicle livery, now supplies signs, graphics and print across the country and handles over 100 orders per month.

Congratulations to all the staff and thank you to all of our customers!