Local Guthrie Bowron supreme store of the year
By Pauline Stewart.
We congratulate the Guthrie Bowron team and especially Rachael and Julian Lee on being the winner of the ‘GB Supreme Store of the Year 2022/2023’ in New Zealand. Awarded annually among 52 stores throughout the country, it is a huge achievement in overall excellence at a time when the country was coming out of covid. These awards are a wonderful recognition and appreciation for the previous year's hard work - pre-Cyclone Gabriel and the storms of February.
The local GB team also received two further awards – ‘Store of the Year for the Flooring Category” and the highly coveted and very competitive ‘Store of the Year for Window Fashions Category - Curtains and Blinds’ which was something beyond their expectations.
Voting is carried out by suppliers and GB Store Support with the voting criteria covers many facets, including:
Store look and feel
Quality of the store team
Positive attitude and engagement with suppliers
Training and Upskilling
Compliance and payment history
Sales performance and volume
Strategy engagement and Systems (best practise)
Mystery Shopper results
Customer feedback
So, well done Guthrie Bowron, Whitianga! We believe there is an element in business that transcends the deal – or the transaction. It is valuing the customer as a person beyond the store or business that’s what sets a business apart.
This valuing the customer and remembering them describes the attitude of Rachael, Julian and all their team, and it comes to the fore in the huge community engagement Guthrie Bowron has in their supporting of local programmes, events, and charitable causes. We are proud of you Guthrie Bowron and somehow feel included in these outstanding achievements. Rachael and Julian are the first to thank their skilled and committed GB staff, suppliers and trade clients, and especially their customers, for their business and their support Julian says, “We feel honoured to receive these three top awards,’ says Julian. “We are locally owned and operated and do our utmost to invest ourselves in the community. It’s important to everyone at GB to sponsor local events, to volunteer and to give back to Whitianga and Mercury Bay.”
Rachael adds, “We are super appreciative of our dedicated GB team and thankful for the support of great suppliers and customers including our trade clients. There are so many local businesses receiving great awards lately and punching above their weight from our small community. We congratulate you all. We are proud to be Whiti town locals,” says Rachael
LOOK OUT FOR THESE UPCOMING GUTHRIE BOWRON WHITIANGA COMMUNITY EVENTS:
Master Class in Bed & Breakfast Interior Styling – presented by Felicia of FeStyle on Nov 16th
Giving by Gifting - Community Christmas Tree – commencing 28 November – Instore!
Visit their inspiring showroom and talk with their friendly team of specialists, phone or email for a free in-home measure, consultation and quotation.
Caption: The Guthrie Bowron team Front row from left: Pam Tarrant-Hoskins, Debbie MacDonald, Karmen Hoar, Rachael lee, Julian Lee, Jody Costello, Lesley Yeoman.
Back row from left: Allan Nicholson, Ange Price, Georgia Teklenburg, Andrew Mullins, Emily Johnston, Ginny Walker.
Missing: Jessie Mort-Begley, Kimberley Leckie, Steve Barclay.