Wow - what a night we had at the Herald Scottish Family Business Awards! We were absolutely delighted to win the Customer Service Excellence Award. Customer service is the foundation of our family business so we were very proud to be recognised for the importance it plays in running our cruises. However, unknown to us, the best was yet to come. Completely out of the blue for us, Hebrides Cruises was awarded the overall micro Scottish Family Business of the Year.
We are delighted to receive these accolades but only too aware that we couldn’t provide the service that we do without our outstanding ship crews, behind the scene crews, shore support and all our wonderful guests who are always a delight to welcome on board.
Attending the awards was a real pleasure, allowing us to finish our season on such a high. It was a wonderful evening of family businesses coming together to celebrate the hard work we all put in. We are over the moon to receive these two prestigious awards, it means so much to our family business because family means so much to us. The four of us had a lovely evening celebrating and enjoying networking with the other finalists. Congratulations to all the other family businesses who took part in the awards ceremony, it was truly inspiring to meet them and hear their stories.
The statements provided by the Awards Team outlined why we had been chosen for two awards:
“Your remarkable achievement is a testament to your dedication, hard work, and excellence within your industry and to the wider Scottish Family Business Sector. We are truly honoured to have had you participate in this prestigious event. We will proudly display it as a symbol of your outstanding achievements as a leader amongst Scottish Family Businesses”
The voiceover from the night highlighted the Judges key points from our entry:
Customer Service Excellence
The Judges were impressed with Hebrides Cruises track record of feedback from customers and repeat business which demonstrated the effectiveness of their approach taken to tailoring each passengers stay onboard. The crew to passenger ratio underlines the personal level of service given. Overall a very interesting and compelling submission from a very small business, with authenticity in the narrative.
Scottish Family Business of the Year (Micro) – sponsored by Business Gateway
The Judges agreed that Hebrides Cruises' commitment to customer service, alongside their deep-rooted community spirit promoting local businesses and using local suppliers made for an excellent overall Scottish Family Business of the Year Micro-Business. Their continued growth benefits the local communities and tourism industry, whilst maintaining their family business
“Congratulations on your outstanding achievement and your inspiring commitment to the communities you are part of and the Scottish economy. Your dedication to excellence is an inspiration to all and we look forward to witnessing your continued success in the future.”
This a beautiful cruise and full of interest, whether you like wildlife, scenery, engineering or all three. There was plenty of time for on shore excursions. The crew, as usual, were all great.
Dennis & Mary Pike: 1 October 2016Loch Linnhe, the Caledonian Canal & Loch Ness