While a career in PR isn't likely to leave you with as many good
tales to tell the grandchildren as a job in something like international
espionage might, it does have its fair share of moments where
you can sit back and think "that was pretty cool". Of course,
public relations does tend to involve a lot less being shot at as
well (particularly bad review meetings aside), and you don't have
to ask the grandkids to sign the Official Secrets Act either, both
of which are integral parts of the Octopus benefits package.
A few of the Octopus gang were privy to one of those "Ain't It
Cool" moments just recently, as we brought together the judging
panel for Cisco's Customer
Kings campaign - a partnership with Real Business magazine to
find the UK's best customer focused small firms, and one that
Octopus and Cisco picked up a
PR Week award for in 2009, thankyouverymuch.
Joining Cisco's head of SME and Commercial , David Critchley,
the judging panel included MoneySupermarket genius and small
business supremo Simon Nixon (now running the fabulous travel guide
SimonSeeks), The Daily
Mirror's resident careers, finance and small business expert Tricia
Phillips, and Real Business' Charles "I've written
about more brilliant SMEs than you've had dinners, hot or
otherwise" Orton-Jones.
With our four judges assembled, it was a bit like having a small
business version of the A-Team in the room; the SMB-Team, if you
like. And a good thing it was too, because we needed every iota of
their entrepreneurial and small business expertise to pick the
winners from the many, many fantastic entries to the competition.
Yes, this day was cool for two reasons - not just for being
slightly star-struck at our judging panel, but also for being able
to see the raw brilliance and passion on display from our
entrants.
Quite
literally just like the judging day...
From those that have come up with a smart, unique idea and just
run with it to those who have spent years crafting their business
into a well drilled, slick and yet - dare we say it - lovable
company, Customer Kings is a wonderful reaffirmation of the breadth
of talent and drive that exists amongst the UK's small businesses.
When times are tough, these businesses continue to put the customer
first, and that's what has made each and every single one of our
winners not only a Customer King, but also a roaring success of a
small business in their own right.
Stay tuned for the announcement of the winners when the March
8th edition of Real Business hits the
streets. We love it when a plan comes together.
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