Award Categories
Operational and Technological Excellence
This award is given to a supplier that has consistently provided outstanding operational and technological excellence to Border States and our customers. Suppliers are nominated for this award based on performance-based metrics. This supplier is clearly a step ahead of the rest through technology-driven excellence in logistics and on-time delivery, superior customer service, ease of doing business, service quality, inventory performance and communications with a true spirit of partnership. Suppliers are nominated for this award based on objective measures and subjective input from Border States’ branch and corporate personnel.
Sales and Marketing Excellence
This award is given to a supplier that has consistently provided outstanding sales and marketing excellence to Border States and our customers. Suppliers are nominated for this award based on a combination of objective and subjective measurements. Nominees are leaders in profitable sales growth, gross margin improvement and product and sales training. These suppliers excel in joint sales and marketing strategies, customer-focused marketing programs, innovative marketing promotions, market development funding and sales tools and materials. They provide catalog content, support industry initiatives (NAED, AD, IDEA/IDW), local branches and new business opportunities in a true spirit of partnership. Suppliers are nominated for this award by Border States’ corporate sales and marketing teams and branch sales teams.
“Above and Beyond” Service Excellence
This award is given to the supplier (or in exceptional cases, a representative or agency) that has exhibited unprecedented support to both Border States and our customers and recognizes efforts that are above and beyond any other supplier effort to resolve an almost impossible situation—a supplier that has truly stepped up in a time of critical emergency and demonstrated outstanding effort and support. Branch sales management and corporate purchasing and marketing management nominate suppliers for this award.
Supplier Sales Representative or Agency of the Year
This award is given to the top supplier sales agency, agent or representative as determined by various elements of the sales and marketing criteria, “Going Above and Beyond” criteria and the operational and technological criteria outlined by Border States. One award is given for nearly all Border States regions: East, Northeast, Northwest, South Central and Southwest.
Final Selection and Judging Process
Suppliers are nominated by corresponding branch and corporate staff. The Border States Supplier of the Year Awards Committee considers all nominations and selects five to six supplier finalists in each award category. An electronic survey is sent out to all relevant management (branch and corporate) asking for subjective input on finalists in each award category. Survey results and quantitative metrics for all finalists are forwarded to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee acts as final judge and determines the winner in each respective category. |
