Big benefits for Fylde coast firms of awards entry

A Fylde business leader has urged firms across the county to enter one of its leading awards which closes for applications this week.
Tony Raynor of Abbey TelecomTony Raynor of Abbey Telecom
Tony Raynor of Abbey Telecom

Lytham resident Tony Raynor, the founder and managing director of Abbey Telecom, said firms would get huge benefits from applying for the Be Inspired Business Awards, the BIBAs, which has 18 prizes up for grabs.

The awards application window closes at 5pm on Friday with hundreds of applications already having flooded in from across the county.

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Blackburn-based Abbey Telecom is sponsoring the Service Business of the Year category and Mr Raynor will lead the judging panel which selects the award for the category.

He said: “We are very proud to be involved in supporting the BIBAs for another year and I am looking forward to seeing a high-quality line-up of finalists coming in front of the judges.

“Through my involvement with the awards I have consistently seen how businesses have benefited from the application process, which gives them an opportunity to take a step back from the day-to-day running of a business and review what they are doing right and what they can do better.

“The unique BIBAs process which sees the judges visit finalists’ premises in a second round of judging means applicants get the benefit of the opinion of some really experienced business leaders.

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“It is almost a consultancy service which the judges are providing and I have been many applicants, finalists and winners change the way they do things because of this process.”

Mr Raynor is joined on the judging panel for the Service Business of the Year by strategy expert Andrea Wallace, Arnold Sumner, of the St Annes Chamber of Trade, and Shru Norris, finance director at Lancashire law firm, Napthens.

When the deadline closes all entries will be eligibility-checked and whittled down to a shortlist for each category which will be announced on May 2.

The shortlisted firms will face the judging panel in face-to- face interviews, which get under way on May 15,

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