In business the customer is king.

Winchester Motor Group, which is sponsoring the Customer Service Award at the Echo-backed South Coast Business Awards for the third year running certainly believe that is the case.

The group is the number one name for Skoda in Hampshire with a territory that spreads from Southampton to Basingstoke and then east to Aldershot and Petersfield.

The firm is also Isuzu Pick Up Truck and Arctic Trucks franchise for Hampshire and, in Winchester, an authorised VW service agent.

Britain’s fastest growing companies and was inducted onto the London Stock Exchanges list of the top 1000 business to inspire Britain in 2015 and 2016.

The firm's managing director Mark Mills-Goodlett, said “Winchester Motor Group is proud to be a partner of the South Coast Business Awards for the third successive year in the category of Customer Service Award. In the ever-changing world of business, customer satisfaction is key for the long term success and profitability of any customer facing organisation and we are looking for businesses to demonstrate that customer service is at the heart of everything they do.”

Judges in this category will be looking which has delivered successful customer service initiatives, objectives and strategy to improve business performance, financial growth and customer retention.

The winner will have clear knowledge of its customers' needs and have evidence of strong staff support, development and motivation.

Last year's winners Right at Home were praised by the judges for putting “the customer at the heart of their business” and a “well-deserved winner”.

The franchised home care company, with offices in Fareham, covering the town, Gosport and the eastern side of Southampton, was set up in 2015 two years ago by husband and wife team Kev and Amy Patel Popat, both in their early 30s..

Kev is an accountant and his wife is an optometrist but as he explained: “We were both brought up respecting our grandparents and our business is about caring for the vulnerable."

Clients receive a minimum of one-hour visits, have a personalised care plan and a 24-hour on-call service.

“We focus on matching the staff and the clients,” said Kev. “It works because many of the clients say they regard our carers as family.”

"The business is doing really good. We've had some great publicity from the award. It was a fantastic reward for our team.

"We're still busy, we have carried on growing and taken on new staff. This last year has been fantastic, we have created another 25 jobs."

The closing date for entries to the awards is April 12

Once again the awards are run in conjunction with main sponsors Trethowans Solicitors and partners Destination Southampton, Santander and Business South.

The awards evening will take place at the Hilton at the Ageas Bowl on Friday, July 13 when we will be revealing the winners and celebrating their successes in style. It will be a black tie event and a night to remember.

Tickets are priced £70+vat per person or £650+vat for a table of 10. The price includes drinks reception, three course banquet with wine plus entertainment. To book tickets email scba@dailyecho.co.uk or call 02380 424715.

Further information about all the awards categories and how to enter is available at dailyecho.co.uk.