Dell Honour Nation’s Most Innovative Small and Mid-Size Businesses as Part of 2009 Global Dell Small Business Excellence Award

From Services to Suits, Cruises to Gold, Entrepreneurs Better Serve  Customers Through Innovative Use of Technology

130 Finalists Worldwide Compete to Win £25,000 in Dell Technology, Consulting Time with Michael Dell

Dell and the British Chambers of Commerce today announced the 10 UK finalists for the second annual Dell Small Business Excellence Award.

The award recognises companies using technology to better serve customers and grow. Just as Michael Dell did 25 years ago in starting his own small business, award honorees understand that listening and delivering on behalf of customers is instrumental to business success. Today, the award has expanded to 13 countries worldwide, honored more than 370 companies, and is an important source of inspiration given today’s global economic crisis.

UK finalists receive a Dell business-class laptop, one-year membership to an Accredited Chamber of Commerce, and go on to compete for the national award. 

Announced in September, the national winner will receive consulting time with Michael Dell, £15,000 in Dell technology, and a ten-year membership to an Accredited Chamber of Commerce. Last year’s UK winner, Wiggly Wigglers, were honoured for their innovative and leadership in social media. Using tools like Facebook, podcasting and blogging, Wiggly Wigglers has grown to serve 90,000 customers worldwide while cutting their advertising budget by 80 percent. They also went on to win the 2008 global Dell Small Business Excellence Award – beating other national winners from around the globe.

Once named, 13 national winners selected from each participating country including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States will be considered for the 2009 global Dell Small Business Excellence Award worth £25,000 in Dell technology and services and benefits from global partners International Council for Small Business and Endeavor. The global winner will be announced in autumn 2009. 

This year’s UK finalists represent diverse industries, size and revenues, ranging from a gold bullion trader to an online hand-tailored suit making company, from two employees to 25, and revenues from a 12 month start-up to £267M.  The UK 2009 Dell Small Business Excellence Award finalists include:

• Galmarley Ltd – BullionVault, London, opened London’s gold bullion market to the world’s private investors, now controlling more gold than most of the world’s central banks.
• iComplete Limited, Swindon, run an online business services suite aimed at micro to small business, combining applications (such as CRM) with telecommunications and virtual PA services, all built from the ground up using web 2.0.
• A Suit That Fits.com, London, the world’s first online hand-tailored suit-making company. Customers can use unique web technology to individually design suits and buy them at off-the-peg prices.
  Sure Languages, Exeter, provides translations, interpreting and multi-lingual creative services such as web content and technical specifications. A network of professional linguists from around the world enable these services in over 100 languages.
• Cruise 118, Manchester, an independent cruise retail business that prides itself on offering unparalleled customer service and supplier relations by making innovative use of their IT systems.
• Europa Technologies Limited, Cobham, Surrey, a digital mapping business that works with Global Fortune 500 companies and the United Nations. Their products help companies better understand customers and markets in a geographical context.
• Significan’t (UK) Limited, London, operates a video contact centre that provides online video sign language interpreters. The company also provides video-conferencing facilities for local businesses and individuals.
• Postcode Anywhere, Worcester, a location-based services software provider, which includes route optimisation, UK and international contact address management, demographic profiling and geographic data (i.e. “Where’s my nearest...?”).
• Labels4Kids Limited, Stirling, sells a wide choice of personalised labels and stickers for children in every shape and variety. As well as iron-on labels, they offer dishwasher- and microwave-proof. Available internationally online or by mail order.
• Eastern Storage Equipment, Norwich, started out as a traditional storage equipment supply and installation business in 1975. After developing into mail order, the company now has a fully integrated IT system to improve customer service and reduce workloads.
  

Global 2009 Small Business Excellence Award Value

• £25,000 in technology and services from Dell;
• Featured in an entrepreneurs summit;
• Lifetime membership to the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), and
• Engagement with Endeavor’s network of business leaders and high-impact entrepreneurs in emerging markets worldwide.

UK 2009 Dell Small Business Excellence Award Value

• £15,000 in Dell products and services;
• Day of best-practice sharing with Dell executives, including Chairman and CEO Michael Dell, and
• Ten-year membership to an Accredited Chamber of Commerce

Quotes:
“In today’s economy, these businesses are proof that smart IT investments can not only pay off for the business itself, but for their customers as well,” said Aongus Hegarty, vice president and general manager of Dell Small and Medium Business. “This year’s finalists are applying technology in new, innovative ways to break new ground and raise the bar. They serve as strong examples for all our customers of the positive impact IT can have on business success and customer satisfaction.”

“There’s no doubt that small businesses in the UK can be at the forefront of the economic recovery” said John Dunsmure, Managing Director of British Chambers of Commerce.  “Their flexibility and willingness to innovate was clearly seen in this year’s award entries. The Top 10 finalists are the cream of the crop and we’re proud to showcase them and emphasise how technology can help our members thrive and grow their business.”

Links to Additional Information:

• http://www.dell.co.uk/ceaward
• Direct2Dell/smallbusiness post
• Video with Heather Gorringe, 2008 global winner and founder of Wiggly Wigglers
• Video with Steve Mattie, 2008 U.S. winner and founder of Transport Designs

About British Chambers of Commerce
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is the authentic voice of British businesses. The BCC sits at the heart of a powerful nationwide network of Accredited Chambers of Commerce serving business across the UK, which employ over five million people.

About Dell
As the visionary outcome of a true entrepreneur, Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) is committed to helping small and medium businesses solve their technology challenges, ease business pain points and draw greater value from IT. With Optiplex – the world’s No. 1 business desktop, new Latitude laptops, the designed-for-small business Vostro line, energy-efficient PowerEdge servers and Small and Medium Business Solutions Center, Dell is here to support entrepreneurs every step of the way.

Contact Information

Media Contacts for Dell:
James Gibb
Del
+44 780 259 4825
James_Gibb@Dell.com

Jonny Ashton Enfatico 
+44 207 543 4806
jonny@enfatico.com