The CAT Awards are back on February 9 2023 and we’re pleased to say that you can now nominate your favourite people and companies right away!
All we need from you is a quick note sent to cat.awards@haymarket.com with an explanation of who, or which firm you wish to nominate, in what category – and most importantly why you wish to nominate them.
You don’t have to write an essay, just a quick note to say why your nominee deserves the most prestigious prize in the automotive aftermarket. Something along the lines of: “I nominate Company X for the Environmental Award for it’s ceaseless and well-publicised work with sea turtles” Well, maybe not like that, but you get the idea.
A question we are often asked is if people are allowed to nominate themselves or the company they work for. The answer is yes, as long as they feel they have a genuine reason for nominating it is allowed. After all, you can’t expect anyone else to blow your trumpet for you, can you?
Our categories are as follows:
Training Programme of the Year
New for 2022, our Training Programme Award is open to all of the many courses and events available to people in the aftermarket. Judging this Award will be tricky, but we’ll be considering the greatest benefit vs cost to trainees. We’ll also be looking for innovative training methods and looking at the quality of the assessments.
Environmental Award
You might have heard about the ‘circular economy’ where things are refurbished and resold. Well, that’s something that the aftermarket has been doing for many years… and now we’re celebrating remanufacturing, reuse and other methods of making a positive impact on the world in which we live by launching the Environmental Award. This Award is open to companies that support reuse including remanufacturers and vehicle dismantlers. It is also open to firms that have recently achieved a significant environmental accreditation or have otherwise reviewed their business practice to reduce their carbon footprint or amount of waste.
Rising Stars
Can you think of anyone, be it an individual or a group, who has shrugged off adversity to rise in the industry? Let us know. The previous years that this Award has been presented, it has gone to students of FE colleges who have come from diverse and often underprivileged backgrounds to become skilled and make careers in the motor trade. If you have any suggestions for this Award, we’d be deligted to hear them.
Garage of the Year
Nominate the best garage, whether it is an independent, or a branch of a chain that offers particularly good customer service or has a reputation for technical excellence. Competition is fierce in this category, so please remember to explain why you are nominating! The category is also open to mobile technicians and specialists, such as auto electricians.
Accessory Shop of the Year
The oldest of the CAT Awards, this category is also open to independent factors who make a substantial amount of their income from consumer retail. If you can think of a shop that is ship-shape, then don’t hesitate to nominate them.
Factor of the Year
Open to all light vehicle and CV motor factors, both independent, chain and VM-owned regardless of the number of branches. Has your local factor looked after you this year? Let us know in a few words and they could win this most coveted award.
Branch team of the Year
Working behind the parts counter can be frantic and there is always another target to hit, but delivering excellent customer service must be paramount. If you know a branch team, independent or chain, trade, retail or both that all pull together to make the impossible happen, then please let us know.
Industry Partner Award
Our Industry Partner Award celebrates the firms in the service industry. IT is open to PR companies, recruiters, software developers, insurers, law firms and anyone else that supports the aftermarket with professional services. Whoever you feel has given you a good service this year, do please nominate them. We’re sure they will be grateful for it.
Achievement Award
This is a special award for an individual (or in rare instances a group of people) that have made an outstanding contribution to the automotive aftermarket. While the winner is chosen by the editor, we welcome any suggestions on who has made a lasting mark on the trade.
Supplier of the Year
One of the most hotly-contested categories, We want to know who you think the best supplier has been this year, and why. Self-nominations are allowed, but we want to hear the reason for nomination!
Don’t forget, email nominations to cat.awards@haymarket.com
Go to comments