In recognition of the dedication by our partner companies to train their staff and ensure the customer experience is one of overall commitment to excellence by all.
With this key aim the NITB Welcome to Excellence Suite of Programmes presents the Gold Award.

Some of our companies have in the past achieved the Gold Award and we hope you will look closely at our new criteria for re-assessment.
Past holders of the award with our new companies will be assessed through 2010 and going forward proudly showing everybody across the services industry in Northern Ireland the pathway to success.
To showcase all receiving companies, NITB will host a Gold Award Ceremony each year in October; this event will allow companies to meet with other like minded companies, individuals, and everybody here at NITB who is involved with the Welcome to Excellence Suite of Programmes.
This event is very much our way of saying thank you to our Gold Award Companies for delivering to the public the Welcome to Excellence Promise.
Please check out the new criteria and our ongoing support programme for the Gold Award Companies and then please give us a call so that we can arrange a meeting and put the assessment process into action.

Gold Award Criteria

Whilst we are committed to quality rather than quantity it is our promise to customers and visitors, to and within Northern Ireland, that they will experience a consistent core knowledge and skills base with staff who work for our Gold Award Companies. That is why we offer a 2 year on-going assessment approach, in addition to the Welcome to Excellence training for staff, to enable your business to maintain the Gold Award standard and embed a culture of creating quality customer experiences within it.

The following table sets out the criteria for achieving and maintaining the Gold Award for new and re-award companies.

CRITERIA	ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY
Management Commitment	STAFF TRAINED ON PROGRAMMES Micro Companies – 1-10 Staff = 100% Medium Enterprises- 11-50 Staff  = 95% Large and Corporate Companies – 51+ Staff = 90%
Award Charter Certificate	Statement of commitment from both NITB and Award Company Management
Initial and ongoing integrated PR activity.	From day one of the award we will endeavor to support and promote all of our companies and each company will have use of the Welcome to Excellence Logo to use in and on their promotional activity.
2 Year Award
Continuous assessment by:
Mystery Shopper	1 visit per year
Welcome to Excellence Comment Cards	Target of one week per year on-site distribution to customers
Yearly self assessment	Key pro-forma document to provide your companies ongoing vision of consistent customer care excellence.
RE-AWARD
Re-assessment Scale

 * Companies can cover the percentages above by training in one or using all three programmes as their company skills set demands.