Sales Awards Blog

There are 13 sales awards categories specifically for departments in the 2013 (7th annual) Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the world's top business awards for contact center, customer service, business development, and sales professionals. (All organizations and individuals worldwide are eligible to submit entries for sales awards and customer service awards. January 15, 2013 is the last day that late entries will be accepted; request your entry kit here.)

Our Sales Department of the Year categories include:

1. Sales Department of the Year - Computer Services
2. Sales Department of the Year - Computer Software
3. Sales Department of the Year - Computer Hardware
4. Sales Department of the Year – Distribution & Transportation
5. Sales Department of the Year - Financial Services
6. Sales Department of the Year – Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Related Industries
7. Sales Department of the Year - Industrial & Manufacturing
8. Sales Department of the Year – Hospitality & Tourism
9. Sales Department of the Year  - Media & Entertainment
10. Sales Department of the Year – Public Services & Education
11. Sales Department of the Year - Services
12. Sales Department of the Year - Telecommunications
13. Sales Department of the Year – All Other Industries

Information required for entries in these categories include:

1. An essay of up to 500 words describing the nominee’s accomplishments since July 1, 2011. 
2. A brief biography (up to 100 words) of the leader of the nominated sales department.
3. Optional (but highly recommended), a collection of supporting files and web addresses that you may upload to our server to support your entry and provide more background information to the judges.

Our 2012 Gold Stevie® Award winners for Sales Department of the Year include: Carahsoft Technology Corp. (Computer Services), kCura (Computer Software), NetApp, Inc. (Computer Hardware), Hyundai Motor America (Distribution & Transportation), Zions First National Bank (Financial Services), PetRays Veterinary Telemedicine Consultants (Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Related Industries), Boeing Commercial Airplanes (Industrial & Manufacturing), The Knowland Group (Hospitality & Tourism), Warner Bros. International Television Distribution (Media & Entertainment), Skillsoft Corporation (Public Services & Education), Olneya Restoration Group (Services), Vodafone Turkey (Telecommunications), and Crown Imports, LLC (All Other Industries).  

2013 honorees will be celebrated at the 7th annual awards banquet at Paris Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on February 25.

Not sure where to start? All sales and customer service entries are submitted directly online through your account. You can begin by registering here.

Wednesday, November 14, is the entry deadline for the 2013 Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the world's top business awards for contact center, customer service, business development, and sales professionals. (If you can't make the November 14 entry deadline, entries will still be accepted through January 15, 2013 with payment of a $35 late fee per entry.)

All entries are submitted online. You can begin your submission process by requesting your entry kit here. The entry kit contains all of the instructions you need about how to prepare and submit your entries.

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service feature more than 125 sales awards, customer service awards, and call center awards categories honoring sales excellence and best customer service practices for individuals, teams, and departments, plus categories this year for products and service and solution providers. The 2013 awards will recognize achievements since July 1, 2011.

To make the most out of your entries, we suggest reviewing last year's Gold winning entries. 2012 winners include: Adam Bain, Chief Revenue Officer, Twitter, Inc. (Senior Sales Executive of the Year), Direct Alliance (Government Sales Team of the Year), Joey Romaine, Customer Service Role Model and Innovator, Groupon (Young Customer Service Professional of the Year), United Parcel Service, Inc. (Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year), and eCornell (Customer Service Department of the Year), among others. A complete list of 2012 honorees is available at www.StevieAwards.com/Sales.

Winners of the competition will be announced at an awards banquet at Paris Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on February 25, 2013.

Need help submitting entries to the 2013 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service?  Email us at help@stevieawards.com  or call us at + 1 703-547-8389.

Next Wednesday, November 14, is the entry deadline for the 2013 Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the world's top business awards for contact center, customer service, business development, and sales professionals. (If you can't make the November 14 entry deadline, entries will still be accepted through January 15, 2013 with payment of a $35 late fee per entry. You can request your entry kit here.)

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service feature more than 125 sales awards, customer service awards, and call center awards categories honoring sales excellence and best customer service practices for individuals, teams, and departments, plus categories this year for products and service and solution providers.

Entrants may submit any number of nominations to any number of categories, which include:

• Sales Individual categories such as Senior Sales Executive of the Year and Sales Operations Professional of the Year
• Sales Team categories like Global Sales Team of the Year and Field Sales Team of the Year
• Sales Achievement categories such as Sales Turnaround of the Year and Outbound Marketing Program of the Year
• Sales Department of the Year categories in 13 industry groupings
• Customer Service and Contact Center Individual categories such as Front-Line Customer Service Professional of the Year and Customer Service Leader of the Year
• Customer Service and Contact Center Team categories like Contact Center of the Year and Customer Service Management Team of the Year
• Customer Service and Contact Center Achievement categories such as e-Commerce Customer Service Award and Award for Innovation in Customer Service
• Customer Service Department categories in 11 industry groupings
• New Product and Service categories like Best New Business Intelligence Solution and Best New Relationship Management Solution
• Solution Provider categories such as Sales Consulting Practice of the Year and Incentive, Rewards, or Recognition Provider of the Year

Winners of the most recent edition of the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service included New York Community Bancorp, Inc. (Customer Service or Call Center Training Practice of the Year), Rob Jeppsen, Zions First National Bank (Sales Director of the Year), International Checkout Inc. (Telesales Team of the Year), Office Depot, Inc. (Customer Service Complaints Team of the Year), OppenheimerFunds Inc. (Contact Center of the Year), and SquareTrade Inc (Customer Service Department of the Year - Financial Services), among others. A complete list of 2012 honorees is available at www.StevieAwards.com/Sales.

Winners of the competition will be announced at an awards banquet at Paris Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on February 25, 2013.

Not sure which categories to enter?  Email us at help@stevieawards.com  or call us at + 1 703-547-8389 and we'll get back to you right away.

Today, Wednesday, October 10, is the early-bird entry deadline for the 2013 Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the world's top business awards for contact center, customer service, business development, and sales professionals.  

To begin your submission process, you should:

1. Request an entry kit.
The entry kit contains all of the information you'll need to be able to prepare and submit entries to this year's awards.

2. Review the categories.
The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service has more than 125 sales awards and customer service awards categories honoring sales excellence and best customer service practices for individuals, teams, and departments, plus categories this year for products and service and solution providers.

3. Submit your entries.
Select your categories, write your submissions according to the instructions, and submit your entries. All entries are submitted online. You can begin by registering here.

The entry deadline for the 2013 awards is November 14. Late entries will be accepted through January 15, 2013, with payment of a $35 late fee per entry.  Winners of the competition will be announced at an awards banquet at Paris Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on February 25, 2013.

2012 winners include: Adam Bain, Chief Revenue Officer, Twitter, Inc. (Senior Sales Executive of the Year), Direct Alliance (Government Sales Team of the Year), Joey Romaine, Customer Service Role Model and Innovator, Groupon (Young Customer Service Professional of the Year), United Parcel Service, Inc. (Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year), and eCornell (Customer Service Department of the Year), among others. A complete list of 2012 honorees is available at www.StevieAwards.com/Sales.

Need help answering  your early-bird questions?  Email us at help@stevieawards.com  or call us at + 1 703-547-8389 and we'll get back to you right away.

The early-bird deadline for the 2013 Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the world's top business awards for contact center, customer service, business development, and sales professionals, is quickly approaching on October 10.

If you haven't already done so, you can request your entry kit here.

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service has more than 125 sales awards and customer service awards categories honoring sales excellence and best customer service practices for individuals, teams, and departments, plus categories this year for products and service and solution providers.

The entry deadline for the 2013 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service is November 14.  Late entries will be accepted through January 15, 2013, with payment of a $35 late fee per entry.  Winners of the competition will be announced at an awards banquet at Paris Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on February 25, 2013.

2012 winners include, among others: New York Community Bancorp, Inc. (Customer Service or Call Center Training Practice of the Year), Rob Jeppsen, Zions First National Bank (Sales Director of the Year), International Checkout Inc. (Telesales Team of the Year), Office Depot, Inc. (Customer Service Complaints Team of the Year), OppenheimerFunds Inc. (Contact Center of the Year), and SquareTrade Inc (Customer Service Department of the Year - Financial Services). A complete list of 2012 honorees is available at www.StevieAwards.com/Sales.

Need help getting started? Contact us at help@stevieawards.com or call us at +1 703-547-8389.

There are nine sales awards categories specifically for teams in the 2013 (7th annual) Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the world's top business awards for contact center, customer service, business development, and sales professionals. (All organizations and individuals worldwide are eligible to submit entries for sales awards and customer service awards. The early-bird entry deadline, with discounted entry fees, is October 10; request your entry kit here.)

Our sales award categories specifically for teams include:

1. Global Sales Team of the Year
   Recognizing sales teams whose industry, client, or other focus has a global scope.
2. National Sales Team of the Year
   Recognizing sales teams whose industry, client, or other focus has a national scope.
3. Government Sales Team of the Year
   Recognizing sales teams whose charge is selling to government clients.
4. Field Sales Team of the Year
   Recognizing sales teams that obtain the majority of their business out of the office at face to face meetings with clients.
5. Telesales Team of the Year
   Recognizing sales teams that obtain the majority of their business by telephone.
6. Online Sales Team of the Year
   Recognizing sales teams that obtain the majority of their business via online and social media.
7. Sales Support Team of the Year
   Recognizing teams that provide administrative, logistical, or resource support to sales organizations.
8. Sales Operations Team of the Year
   Recognizing teams that help sales organizations to run effectively, efficiently and in support of business strategies and objectives.
9. Sales Management Team of the Year
   Recognizing the leadership teams of sales organizations for their achievements.

Information required for entries in these categories include:

1. An essay of up to 500 words describing the nominee’s accomplishments since July 1, 2011. 
2. A brief biography (up to 100 words) of the nominee.
3. Optional (but highly recommended), a collection of supporting files and web addresses that you may upload to our server to support your entry and provide more background information to the judges.

2013 honorees will be celebrated at the 7th annual awards banquet at Paris Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on February 25.

Submit your entries by October 10 and receive discounted entry fees! All sales and customer service entries are submitted directly online through your account. You can begin by registering here.

There are eight sales awards categories specifically for individuals in the 2013 (7th annual) Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the world's top business awards for contact center, customer service, business development, and sales professionals. (All organizations and individuals worldwide are eligible to submit entries for sales awards and customer service awards. The early-bird entry deadline, with discounted entry fees, is October 10; request your entry kit here.)

Our sales award categories specifically for individuals include:

1. Senior Sales Executive of the Year
   Recognizing senior sales executives with titles such as Chief Sales Officer.  This category may also be used to recognize senior corporate executives for their role in driving sales achievements.
2. Worldwide Sales Executive of the Year
   Recognizing sales executives with responsibility for sales performance on a global level.
3. National Sales Executive of the Year
   Recognizing sales executives with responsibility for sales performance on a national level.
4. Sales Director of the Year
   Recognizing the achievements of sales directors at organizations of any size, of any type.
5. Sales Manager of the Year
   Recognizing the achievements of sales managers and sales professionals with a managerial role at organizations of any size, of any type.
6. Sales Operations Professional of the Year
   Recognizing sales executives and sales professionals with a managerial role for their achievements in managing sales organizations that run effectively, efficiently and in support of business strategies and objectives.
7. Sales Training or Education Professional of the Year
   Recognizing sales executives and sales professionals with a managerial role who manage, design, or deliver sales training or education in any aspect of work life.
8. Sales Representative of the Year
   Recognizing individual sales representatives for their personal contributions to organizations’ sales results.

Information required for entries in these categories include:

1. An essay of up to 500 words describing the nominee’s accomplishments since July 1, 2011. 
2. A brief biography (up to 100 words) of the nominee.
3. Optional (but highly recommended), a collection of supporting files and web addresses that you may upload to our server to support your entry and provide more background information to the judges.

The 2012 Stevie Awards for Sales and Customer Service were celebrated in Las Vegas, NV, USA. 2011 honorees included: Adam Bain, Chief Revenue Officer, Jim Farley, Group VP for Global Marketing, Sales and Service, Weiming Soh, Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand sales in China and the ASEAN region, Rob Jeppsen, SVP Commercial Sales, Zions Bank, Marina Totalca, Channel Sales Executive, Allan Rubin, Area Sales Engineering Leader, Avaya Southeast, and Mitsue Lincicum, Waikiki International Frontline Sales Agent.

2013 honorees will be celebrated at the 7th annual awards banquet at Paris Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on February 25.

Not sure where to start? All sales and customer service entries are submitted directly online through your account. You can begin by registering here.

The Stevie® Awards is pleased to announce that videos clips of the 6th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the world’s leading sales awards, customer service awards, and contact center awards program are now available to view on YouTube.

Watch the 2012 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service awards presentations here.

More than 350 professionals attended the business awards banquet which took place on Monday, February 27th at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Our 2012 sales award & customer service award video clips showcase business award acceptance speeches made by individuals and organizations from around the world, including:

Rob Jeppsen of Zions Bank, Winner of the Gold Stevie Award for Sales Director of the Year
Rob's speech started the night off by recognizing the team effort behind all individual awards.

MarketBridge, Winner of the Gold Stevie Award for Sales Training or Coaching Program of the Year
MarketBridge's enthusiastic team accepts the Gold Stevie Award and expresses their gratitude for their strong partnerships.

Joey Romaine of Groupon, Winner of the Gold Stevie Award for Young Customer Service Professional of the Year
Honored for his efforts as a young professional, Joey Romaine keeps the awards show lively and the audience entertained.

Vodafone Turkey, Winner of the Gold Stevie Award for Sales Department of the Year, Telecommunications
Traveling from Istanbul, Turkey, Vodafone Turkey's humble speech brought to light the importance business awards have globally.

International Checkout Inc., Winner of the Gold Stevie Award for Telesales Team of the Year
Jackson Strobel, VP of Sales & Operations at International Checkout, and his "lean machine" sales team show the audience that size doesn't matter.

The 6th annual corporate awards banquet was the first to showcase our three levels of distinction: gold, silver and bronze as part of our 10th anniversary celebration. Previously, only overall category winners have received Gold Stevie Awards.

Want more sales and customer service awards celebration? Watch all acceptance speeches, listen to the live recording and view photos from the event.

Bill Binch won the Stevie® Award for Worldwide VP of Sales of the Year in the 2011 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the world's top honors for sales, call center, and customer service professionals.  Bill will chair the committee for final judging of the Sales Individual categories in the 2012 edition of the awards.  Entries for the 2012 awards are open through January 18 - submit yours now.

What are your top 3 tips on how to make your mark in sales?

1)    Prioritize your day or someone else will

I was taught early in my sales career to make a list before leaving work of the first 5 things I’m going to do the next day. I still do it. If you don’t set your priorities, a customer, a partner, or a colleague will do it for you.  This means you set the agenda for what it will take to be successful.

2)    There are no traffic jams in the extra mile

This is a fancy way of saying: Differentiate yourself.  For example, think about an interview for a sales job. Most of the candidates are going to tell a similar story to you, meaning you’re all talking about the same stuff.  So tell the story of why you’re unique and find the reason you’re compellingly different.  This applies in sales as well: Many of the products that you’ll sell in a career are similar to another product, so you need to find the edge on why your offering is different.

3) Establish a point of view

People who make a mark have an opinion, so have a point of view.  I respect individuals who can craft a compelling and passionate argument.  Even if I disagree with their opinion, I respect those who show up with their own thoughts.  That means they will likely be creative and not get boxed in.

What item of news recently caught your eye and why?

SAP’s purchase of SuccessFactors.  It is their first true entry into Cloud computing and sends a pretty big signal that I think companies like Salesforce and Oracle will need to respond to.  Also, the price they paid was incredible and creates a new standard for how Cloud-based companies are valued.

What is your favorite sport or hobby?

I enjoy golf, wine tasting, and spending time with my family and friends.

If you could choose another profession, what would it be?

I’d be in the music business.  Music and technology are colliding right now with digital rights, new distribution methods, etc.  I have the technology experience combined with a love of music, so think it would be exciting to be at the forefront of figuring out how people will get and pay for their music going forward.

What quality or qualities do you most value in your business associates?

Self-awareness is a top trait that I admire—people who are confident enough in their skills to know what they’re NOT good at. 

As someone at the top of your profession, what keeps you inspired or makes you hit the ground running in the morning?

I’ve worked for 18 years dreaming of being in a position like the one I’m in right now.  As a young sales professional, I visualized being the head of sales for a hot, fast-growing company.  Now that I’m part of one, it inspires me to develop the next set of future leaders.  Watching them grow, gain their voice, and make money are the best compliments I can get.  Knowing that you are helping people mature their business skills is tremendously rewarding. 

About Bill Binch
As Senior Vice President of Sales, Bill leads all of Marketo’s sales activities and is a key architect in Marketo’s rapid sales growth. Prior to joining Marketo, Bill was Vice President and General Manager, Distribution, at AVOLENT, where he managed the team focused on the distribution market, small and medium businesses, and install-base customers. Prior to AVOLENT, he developed his sales and operational experience at Oracle, PeopleSoft, and BEA Systems, where he built and managed direct, inside, and channel organizations and ran business units ranging from mid-market business customers to strategic accounts.

Bill graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing.

About Marketo
Marketo is the global leader in Revenue Performance Management. Marketo’s easy-to-use marketing automation and sales effectiveness solutions transform how marketing and sales teams of all sizes work—and work together—to drive dramatically increased revenue performance and fuel business growth. The company’s proven technology, comprehensive services, and expert guidance are helping more than 1,400 enterprise and mid-market companies around the world to turn marketing from a cost center to a business-building revenue driver. Marketo also offers Spark by Marketo™, a new brand of marketing automation tailored specifically for small businesses—the fastest-growing and largest segment of today’s economy. For more information visit www.marketo.com, or subscribe to Marketo’s award-winning blogs at blog.marketo.com.

We've published a 13 minute video called How to Enter the 2012 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.

The video covers the steps you should follow if you're at all interested in winning the top sales award on the planet.

Entries are now being accepted for the 6th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.  You'll find the entry kit online, here.

If you have questions about how to submit nominations after watching the video, write to us at help@stevieawards.com.  We're here for you!