A local family-owned Tenterfield hardware business has been awarded the prestigious 2016 National Thrifty-Link Store of the Year award for retail and customer service excellence.
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Business owners John Roberts, Geoff Nye and Linda Nye were presented the hotly-contested award at the Independent Hardware Group National Awards Dinner on Wednesday, February 8 on the Gold Coast.
John said it was an honour to receive such an industry accolade and attributed it to the efforts of his passionate and dedicated staff.
“Winning the award is a credit to the tremendous people we have working here. It’s a small group of six but we work together and all have a genuine passion for helping locals. The great culture we have plays a pivotal role in the success of our business.
“At the end of the day, it’s our customers who are the ultimate judge of what we do, and we’re very thankful to the extended Tenterfield community for supporting us over many years.”
The win follows a significant investment by John, Geoff and Linda who have been working hard to perfect the shopping experience for customers with a strong focus on camping supplies, nursery and outdoor furniture for those keen to explore the great outdoors.
“We are very passionate about our customer service. Nothing is too hard for us” said John.
The Independent Hardware Group (IHG) awards recognise the high calibre of retail and trade expertise across its retail banners of Home Timber & Hardware, Mitre 10, True Value Hardware and Thrifty-Link Hardware, acknowledging top performers over the past 12 months at a state and national level. Nominees are judged on performance in core business areas including store standards, customer service, innovation and business strategy.
In the National Store of the Year category there were five Thrifty-Link Hardware stores nominated as finalists for the title. The Tenterfield store also won the Qld Store of the Year state title.
IHG State Sales Manager QLD Patrick Sheehan congratulated the store on their win, adding that the bar has been raised for others in the store network.
“John, Geoff, Linda and the team should be extremely proud of their achievements,” Patrick said.
“Their passion and drive clearly shows their focus to be the best store in town and a thriving and valuable part of their community. They demonstrate the true spirit of what we believe at the Independent Hardware Group – that independence is worth fighting for.”