Tourism worker rewarded for great service

Written on the 1 June 2016 by Gold Coast PR Company Consulting Hall

Surf City Transfers booking consultant Karen Grixti has been named as the Gold Coast's first winner of the city's Be My Guest Service Award.

Ms Grixti was presented with the honour at the Gold Coast Business Excellence Award ceremony held at the City of Gold Coast council chambers this week.

The Be My Guest Service Award is a result of the Gold Coast Tourism Corporation and the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards teaming up to promote better service at tourism destinations in the city.
Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards president Ian Cousins said Ms Grixti received seven nominations from different clients during the past month.

"All the nominations noted that Karen is prompt, professional, courteous and efficient,'' said Mr Cousins.

"In fact, most of the people who nominated Karen said they were so impressed with here service that they would have no hesitation in recommending Surf City Transfers to their friends and family."

The Be My Guest Service Award is the latest category to be added to the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards, which are regarded as the city's most prestigious business honours.

Each year six winners will be presented with an award and a gift card at the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards' ceremonies between May and October. An annual winner will also be named at the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards' gala dinner in November.

The Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards, which are turning 21 this year, is a non-for-profit awards program that is designed to reward and promote the city's corporate achievements.
The winners in the other categories were:

Emerging Business Award: Aston Milan Homes
Aston Milan Homes is a leading Queensland home building group. The company designs and builds a range of high quality, affordable homes that can be customised to suit the lifestyle and needs of its customers. Formed in 2011, the company has quickly grown to now employ 38 full time staff at the Southport head office and it hires about 100 sub-contractors across the South East Queensland region.

Family Business Award: Bentleys Camera House
Camera retailer Bentley's Camera House has what is arguably the best range of Digital Cameras and photography accessories on the Gold Coast. Members of the Bentley family have been selling cameras on the Gold Coast since the 1980s and the Bentleys now have two stores on the Gold Coast, Pacific Fair and Robina Town Centre.
Manufacturing and Construction Award: Coffee Roasters Australia
Coffee Roasters Australia specialises in designing, manufacturing and supplying high quality coffee roasting equipment. Established in 2002 as a distributor for Coffee Roasting machines, the company now manufactures its own coffee roasting equipment; its designs and creates coffee roasting software which is now sold internationally, it manufactures coffee capsules and it provides industry training. The company is now expanding internationally.

Mayor's Innovation GC Award: Guvera
Guvera is a music and entertainment streaming service that gives its 16 million global members free access to millions of tracks from local and international artists, legally. With more than 30 million songs licensed globally, Guvera is a one-stop destination for music lovers. First developed a little more than eight years ago to combat the piracy that was crippling the global music industry, the company now employs 150 people.
Retail, Wholesale and Distribution Award: ABC Brick Sales
ABC Brick Sales is among the largest supplier of building, construction, landscaping and gardening equipment in South East Queensland. Its range of products includes bricks and blocks, pavers, soils, cements and glues, builders hardware, tools and steel reinforcements. The company was first set up 35 years ago and has grown to become a multi outlet chain with a booming online store.

Tourism, Hospitality and Events Award: Crema Espresso
Crema Espresso Franchising is a franchisor of high quality coffee shops. Crema Espresso was initially set up as a single store in Tedder Avenue, Main Beach in 2005. The first franchise was sold in 2007 and the company now has 16 franchisees. The company is now expanding throughout Australia.
Trades, Professions and Services Award: Tailored Media
Tailored Media is one of the Gold Coast's largest advertising and marketing agencies. Owned by husband and wife Brendon and Helen Sinclair, the company has enjoyed significant growth of the business over the past two years. The company has opened a second office in Melbourne and is now servicing the needs of customers internationally as well as throughout Australia.

Knowledge Management and IT Award: Medical Rescue
The Medical Rescue Group has continued to grow exponentially since starting on the Gold Coast in 2011. The Group provides an array of services encompassing air ambulance services to the private insurance sector, rescue training services and remote clinical services. As well as its Tugun headquarters, Medical  now also operates in Brisbane, Perth, Broome, Melbourne, Sydney, Queenstown and Wanaka, New Zealand.
Environment and Sustainability Award: e-CBD
Launched 18 years ago, e-CBD is now a full service digital agency providing web design, internet marketing, social media monitoring, search engine optimisation and graphic design services. E-CBD is a fully accredited user of Green Power. The office roof holds 65 solar panels capable of providing e-CBD with all the electrical power the company needs for its day-to-day operations. E-CBD has been recognised by the Australian Government for its commitment to creating a carbon neutral footprint.

Health and Wellbeing Award: Home Instead Senior Care Gold Coast
Home Instead Senior Care Gold Coast is a specialist, national providers of high quality in-home care for older Australians. The company helps seniors live independently and comfortably in their own homes. The number of caregivers employed by the company has grown since the company was launched in 2006 from six to 146.

The awards' major sponsors include City of Gold Coast; Suncorp Bank; Department of Industry, Innovation and Science; Regional Development Australia Gold Coast; Flight Centre Business Travel; Choice Homes; OntheNet; Griffith University; Gold Coast Airport; Gold Coast Tourism Corporation and Pindara Private Hospital.

The awards' media sponsors include the Gold Coast Bulletin, NBN Television, 92.5 Gold FM and 90.9 Sea FM.

The GCBEA's major supporters are KPMG,SMARTMcCann Worldgroup, Document Solutions Australia, Bloomtools, Consulting Hall, Jupiters Gold Coast, Regina King Photography, Bruce Lynton BMW, Land Rover and Jaguar, Bond University, Gold Coast Suns, Dreamweavers.