Kilda Cruises scoops top Who Cares Wins award for excellence

Following the success of Who Cares Wins, an awards ceremony was held yesterday (Wednesday March 26) to celebrate the very best in the service sector throughout the Outer Hebrides and recognise the businesses who have achieved Hospitality Assured in the past year.

The awards, divided into five categories: Responsible Business; Taste of the Hebrides; Best Marketing Initiative; Best Employer; and Best Overall Customer Experience were presented by James Martin of Inverness Leisure at a formal awards ceremony held at the Dark Island Hotel in Benbecula last night.

Kilda Cruises from Harris scooped the top award for Best Overall Customer Experience. The company has gone from strength to strength in the three years since it started providing day trips out to St Kilda. Demand has been so high that they have recently purchased a new larger boat to accommodate more passengers for this once in lifetime experience.

Sweeny Codd from Ness came out top in the Responsible Business category. This is another achievement for the fish and chip shop that was also nominated last year. They have been working hard to evolve their product and now serve suppers in recycled packaging, recycle oil into biofuel and source much of their ingredients locally.

Salar Flaky Smoked Salmon in South Uist was presented with the award for the Taste of the Hebrides category for consistently delivering a high quality product and, as a result, enjoy high levels of repeat business.

In the Best Employer category, An Lanntair, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, won the award. The arts centre recently achieved both Investors in People and Hospitality Assured accreditations. The award for the Best Marketing Initiative was awarded to Skoon Art Café in Harris, where resident artists display their work and this, coupled with the cosy atmosphere and home baking, makes customers come back time and time again.

The winners who come from throughout the Outer Hebrides, all received their awards from James Martin the general manager at Inverness Leisure which is currently the top scoring Hospitality Assured business in the Highlands and Islands. James told the audience about the Hospitality Assured scheme and how Inverness Leisure successfully implemented the standard.

A combination of the Who Cares Wins feedback over the past year and self nomination forms were used to select the short listed and winning businesses that demonstrate excellence in the service sector.

Who Cares Wins is supported by HIE Innse Gall, VisitScotland and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. The programme aims to influence the standard of customer service in the Outer Hebrides and recognises the islands as an area that delivers exceptionally high levels of customer care. The awards mark the excellence and professionalism across the service sector, rewarding businesses for their contribution to the area's reputation as a first class visitor destination.

Lorna Macaulay, head of developing skills and customer service for HIE Innse Gall, commented: "It is very encouraging to see such a high calibre of businesses being recognised under each award category. The awards celebrate the positive and diverse range of excellence in the service industry. I am very pleased that HIE Innse Gall is able to support the awards in the Outer Hebrides. May I congratulate all the winners on their achievements as well as all those which have been nominated."

Angus Macmillan area director for VisitScotland Outer Hebrides said: "The awards are a celebration of the very best Outer Hebrides tourism products and to be short listed and then go on to win an award is an outstanding achievement.

"There has been a national target set to grow Scottish tourism by 50 per cent by 2015 which has been agreed by both the private and public sector. To ensure areas like the Hebrides receive a share of this potential increased market it is essential that this drive for excellent service continues. Only by providing visitors with a fantastic experience, can we ensure that they go home with a very positive story to tell their friends and family. These experiences encourage repeat tourism and have a long term economic benefit for the area."