The EDWCA (European Drinking Water Cooler Association) is to hold its 2018 Business Day & Trade Show in conjunction with The Vendies, the prestigious awards programme for the vending and water industry. The Vendies, which featured on BBC1’s The One Show last year, is organised by the publisher of Vending International magazine, Datateam Business Media and the company pleased to announce that both events will take place on 2nd October at the Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club in Birmingham.
The EDWCA Business Day will kick off with a members-only AGM first thing in the morning, followed by a full speakers programme, round table discussions and a trade show which is open to all members of the vending and water industries, including end users. More on this here.
Taking place in the evening and designed to reward the people, products and services that make the vending and water industries a success, this year’s Vendies will be judged by an expert panel, comprising leading names from across the water and vending industry – with some help from the industry, of course! Judges will assess each of the entries according to strict criteria, before carefully selecting up to five finalists in each category for the industry to vote on. The judges’ scores will account for 75% of the outcome and the industry vote 25%.Written entries must be no more than 1,000 words. Supporting information (images, videos etc) should be uploaded via the online entry form.
Vending operators have a number of categories to choose from, including ‘Best Regional Operator’, ‘Best National Operator ’ and for the very first time, ‘Best Area Manager’. This in addition to ‘Best Operator’, ‘Best Service Engineer’, ‘Best Route Operator’, ‘Best Customer Service’ and the new ‘Best Operator Website’ award will give operators of all sizes, and the outstanding individuals within them, an opportunity to shine.
The same is true of the manufacturer/supplier categories, which include ‘Best Machine Innovation’, ‘Best Payment System’, ‘Best Beverage Brand’, ‘Best Snack/Confectionery Product’, ‘Best Ancillary Product or Service’ and ‘Best Supplier website’. For the first time ever, there is a Best New Product Award which will be voted for on the night and a Lifetime Achievement Award (nomination only), which will be chosen by the panel.
Nominations are also accepted in each of the vending categories via the same online form. All nominees will be contacted to tell them they have been nominated and asked to confirm their entry.
Members of the water industry are invited to enter or nominate a colleague the EDWCA Customer Service Award, Outstanding Achievement Award and Innovation Recognition Award. Nominations for the Suppliers Recognition Award can only be made by suppliers’ end-users