broads awards this year

[Baitrunner]

I can see how this helps the smaller yards and service suppliers get some airplay - and all credit to getting nominated.

 

If there was an equivalent site like Trip Advisor for Broads companies would that not work better? I don't tend to look at who has an award, but look at recent reviews. It makes much more sense to read these as you get a lot more up to date information (has service improved or worsened) and you can then "read between the lines" to work out if any bad reviews were not the norm.

 

I haven't tried, but wonder if you can put boat names or yards on Trip Advisor?

 

Sorry MBA, this doesn't help you with promoting your business, but good news travels fast on the Broads - bad news faster.

 

ratedepeople - http://www.ratedpeople.com/local/traditional-craftsmen- is a good place to get reviews from your clients. Have used this and got a really good gas fitter now. 

[Guest]

.....The Broads Awards is not played on a level playing field. Voters have to be forum members, businesses have to support and promote a forum.

I don't doubt that Andy offers his customers an award level experience but then so do other small yards, I could name a few, but quite possibly they don't promote themselves on forums and probably don't canvas votes or even promote the Awards.....

 

Peter and I appear to be singing from the same hymn book here, quite a rare occurrence !  

 

Each year the "Broads Awards" comes up for discussion, and two polarised points of view emerge.

 

Some people defend the initiative vigorously , feeling that anything that  "promotes" Broads businesses is a good thing, especially by a non-profit making group of people.

 

It may seem churlish to criticise a charitable act, but the whole principle of giving out awards should be a "level playing field", just as Peter said.

 

There must be far more businesses around the Broads in each category that have not been sampled  at all, and yet they have "failed" to the winners, by default, and the number of votes never seem to get published now.

 

[littlesprite]

Whilst I accept the point about having a level playing field that is an argument that could be levelled at anything, every business has the same opportunity to take part if they so desire, if a business chooses not to take part then how can the playing field be even.

 

Usain Bolt has records in 100m but is he the best, I've never been given the chance to run against him so perhaps we will never know, my 100m time is about 9, unfortunately that is minutes not seconds.

[Guest]

I think we'd both be neck and neck at 9 minutes Martin. 

 

 

 

 

Yes, every business can take part, but only if they put up an NBO poster.

[BroadScot]

Sounds like Martin and Strowie are contenders to represent the forum in next years London Marathon, well done lads  

 

Iain.

[Baitrunner]

I think there called Snickers now Iain    Is that how many they can eat in 9 minutes?

[JennyMorgan]

Perhaps such awards are outside the scope of forums and best left to the experts.

[thecrossinn]

Perhaps instead of using a single vote system, a rating system such as used by Trip Advisor would give a more accurate picture and would give smaller businesses a chance. The businesses with the highest overall rating would win.

 

Chris

[MauriceMynah]

What I will say is that there is an awful lot of work being done to produce these awards and its accompanying ceremony. They are not perfect by any means but the motive behind them is well meaning.

I doubt very much that those that do not win an award lose any business as a result (nor sleep for that matter) but it is nice for the winners to get some form of tangible recognition for their efforts.

[NonTecky]

Out of interest, if you do not use one of the Broads Forums... how else would you be aware of the awards?

[stumpy]

MM - well said. We were at the New Inn on Monday night and Gus was chuffed as a well equipped dog!

[Oddfellow]

Out of interest, if you do not use one of the Broads Forums... how else would you be aware of the awards?

By being a customer or simply visiting one of the businesses (in person or cyberspace) who support it each year and those thar are nominated.

[Guest]

Out of interest, if you do not use one of the Broads Forums... how else would you be aware of the awards?

 

So as Alan has said, the extent of the voting is the section of the Public that have visited  or contacted those businesses that are displaying a poster promoting the NBO Forum and it's awards.

 

The voters then have to join the NBO to register their vote.

[MBA Marine]

Andy, well done on winning your award, I believe I had told you on one forum or another that your stock had risen since your move and that it has been noticed (or words to that effect).

 

A big well done also to all the other winners. 

[JennyMorgan]

At the end of the day, in the scale of things, it is an incredibly small vote that is deciding whether a business is 'best' or not. The title, Broads Awards, suggests something rather more grand and of far greater significance than it really is. The long and the short of it is that I think Joe Public is being mislead, albeit with the best of intentions. 

[Guest]

Peter's "At the end of the day, in the scale of things, it is an incredibly small vote that is deciding whether a business is 'best' or not. The title, Broads Awards, suggests something rather more grand and of far greater significance than it really is. The long and the short of it is that I think Joe Public is being mislead, albeit with the best of intentions. "

 

 

and Dave's "While the awards are a bit of fun for the people who take part and a boost for the businesses that receive them we shouldn't forget that they can be misleading to the general public, how valid is an award where no more than a handful of people have voted, at least with Trip Advisor it tells you how many reviews a place has received and you can judge the validity of the rating. Maybe the awards should say 7 out 12 people voted such and such the "best in show".

 

are focussing on exactly the same crucial point, namely the very small voting sample used to decide which are the "Best Broads Businesses".

 

and as Dave also said, the secrecy of total votes cast reduces the credibility even further. 

 

It's a great idea to promote Broads businesses, and reward the best, but credibility and transparency is essential, especially after several years.

[donnygeoff]

I have kept out of this, as I also keep out of other threads, that I could say something bad/good.

 

I did vote in the first year, voting for my favourites of THAT YEARS HOLIDAY...

 

The next year, I went to different places, ones I had never been before, because they won the award.....

 

I will mention no names of places/pubs etc that had my custom after winning the awards.....

 

But some of them I have never gone to again after absolutely rubbish service, over rated food, bad attitudes etc....

 

But back to my favourites

 

I can not vote for....

 

Martham boats... never used them

LBBY....never used them

MBA MARINE....never used them

 

You get my drift...

 

So... if you have a good service from a certain company, you will vote for them, even if they are the worst out there but did good to you when you used them....

 

With the small number of voters, the good/bad does not have enough of a gap between them...

 

I hope that makes sense...

 

 

edited cos of my their/there

[SteveO]

It is always easy to sit on the sidelines and chuck bricks.  If the issue is lack of credibility due to a small voter population, you know what you can do about it next year. Join up and vote! It costs nothing and it is an opportunity to both recognise good service and promote deserving Broadland businesses. No-one is claiming that the system is perfect but, as MM says, it is well-meaning and it has to be better than doing nothing.

 

 

Steve

[littlesprite]

How many people vote before a establishment gets a Michelin star yet they are highly prized and well respected.

I think the broads awards have got some things that could be better but overall a lot more that is good, if anyone is truly upset by them just go out and do better, in the mean time these are the only local awards and you could do worse than simply supporting them.

[donnygeoff]

It is always easy to sit on the sidelines and chuck bricks.  If the issue is lack of credibility due to a small voter population, you know what you can do about it next year. Join up and vote! It costs nothing and it is an opportunity to both recognise good service and promote deserving Broadland businesses. No-one is claiming that the system is perfect but, as MM says, it is well-meaning and it has to be better than doing nothing.

 

 

Steve

 

 

 

as I said....

 

For holiday makers who go once a year, or once every two years, how can they vote...

 

EDITED TO STOP MYSELF......

 

[littlesprite]

Dave,

That was exactly my point, everyone will have different opinions on what is or isn't good, how many Oscar winning films have I seen and felt cheated.

Any award system will have it's flaws but that doesn't make it bad or invalid, you can take as much from the award as you want but at the end of the day some people go for low end value for money boats, others new top of the range super cruisers it's all down to personal choice and the award is just a guide.

[donnygeoff]

Sorry DAJEN,,,,

 

But what if people thought that they were voting for STRANGE DAVE, and not DAJEN DAVE....

 

The DAVE awards could be misunderstood, 

 

Could be a good telly programme name though

 

 

[VetChugger]

I post occasionally on the said site and my concern has always been the total lack of transparency in the nomination and voting process. For each of the last three years I have asked the same questions and suggested what I felt would add credibility to the exercise only to meet with flat refusal and a degree of hostility. Even as a member of the site taking part in the process you have no idea how many votes were cast in each category. Its shown in percentages! How convenient is that when you can't bring yourself to admit to only half a dozen or so souls took part?

My suspicions were also " tweaked" when some mysterious new members appeared and voted.  Also, my natural cynicism reared its head when The Dog Inn proved victorious once again being noticeably popular during the year with the sites main contributors!

 

Having said all that, I do value the general intention of, not only giving useful information, but having a process by which hard work and effort can be recognised. I just wish the mechanics were a bit more open and then I suspect many many more folk would take part.

[jillR]

I was a mod at the time the awards were pushed through on this forum and they have

 

remained with the people who they belong to.

[littlesprite]

So if I had the Norfolk Broads DAVE awards voted on just by me, they would be valid, useful and a valuable contribution to the Broads business sector?

I remember awards being given where only 1 vote had been cast. 

Michelin awards are decided by people with the requisite experience to judge, so I don't see how that proves any ones point about the Broads Awards., sorry.

 

Dave

 

So if I had the Norfolk Broads DAVE awards voted on just by me, they would be valid, useful and a valuable contribution to the Broads business sector?

I remember awards being given where only 1 vote had been cast. 

Michelin awards are decided by people with the requisite experience to judge, so I don't see how that proves any ones point about the Broads Awards., sorry.

 

Dave

 

Dave,

I have no connection to the broads awards but do read and make the occasional post on that forum, all I'm saying is you haven't got to agree with the awards but why try to destroy them when they do no harm.

 

just out of interest have a look at the bottom of the page and all the same criticisms seem to be leveled at the Michelin guide  even by their own expert.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelin_Guide