Hints and Tips

Our panel of independent judges will each judge two awards, so they will be looking for clear evidence of achievement based on the judging criteria we've set, and which are available to view.

Above all, winning entries will be exceptional in the success they have delivered. Innovative solutions to problems being faced in the industry will receive extra credit, and providing tangible evidence of how the solution benefited the guest, provider or industry as a whole will stand out against those that do not.

The judges will not be making and field visits, so your chances of winning will depend entirely on the depth and quality of your entry. Please take time to read the following notes.

• The scope of these awards is global. Entries are welcome from all providers regardless of location. The judges will assess each entry purely on its merits.
• Provide as much detail as possible to validate your claims, including statistics, customer comments and so on. Nothing is more powerful than a 3rd party endorsement of you or your brand.
• Citing specific case studies and instances of client success is a great way of presenting a successful solution. All of our award winners, historically, have raised the bar and helped shape the future direction of the industry.
• Don't forget any attachments that might increase your chances of impressing the judges. You can upload supporting documentation, images and even video footage together with your entry.
• Read the award criteria carefully to make sure your entry meets each of the criteria listed. Each one carries an equal number of marks, so if your awards fails to demonstrate that you meet one of more criteria you will score zero marks in that area.
• All entries should be for the period from 1st January 2024 to present. In practice, this means the projects should have been completed and implemented during that period. We realise that many large projects will run over several years and several geographies, but if it isn't out of early testing it probably isn't ready for entry.
• The ideal award entry will contain as much of the following information as possible.

• Dates of the overall project
• The unique points of the project. What makes this implementation/project different? what specific pain-point is it solving? How have you made the lives of operators or customers easier as a result?
• Financial impact/return on investment. This is particularly useful to the judges in distinguishing costly or major projects from those of smaller players. Other performance metrics can also be offered.
• How the project and/or product has advanced the category. Some entries may be worthy mainly due to their outright innovation. Judges' eye may be caught by highlighting a novel approach to an old problem or even a completely new category.

Clarity is everything: Ensure your entry is well-laid out and well-presented. You will not be judged on the design of your entry but make sure it's easy for the judges to extract the relevant information from.

Provide evidence:  If the entry criteria asks for evidence of success - be it operational, service or technology related- then you need to show it clearly. The judges need to see the hard facts that back up your claims.  Be as forthcoming as possible convince the judges that your entry merits an award.

Be concise:  For some awards the judges will have to read through a large number of entries in a limited period of time. It's unlikely lengthy entries will get the attention they deserve.

Be current: Don't be tempted to dwell on the past - devoting a large chunk of your entry explaining over 25 years of history will not help you win.

Above and beyond: Remember the Awards reward excellence - that does not mean simply ticking the boxes, it means going above and beyond the call of duty. You need to demonstrate - with evidence - that you have done this.

Size isn't important:  Judges take into account the relative size of each company involved and make their decision on the basis of the evidence in front of them. Small companies have just as much chance to win.

Supporting materials:  If you are going to include supporting materials, then some guidance and context as to what they contain and why they are relevant is important. Don't supply them for the sake of it: barely relevant supporting materials will only annoy the judges.

Never assume:  While the judges all have relevant experience, they won't necessarily know the intricacies of your operation or sector. If it's relevant to your entry, then describe the particular challenges you face.

Click here to download a presentation from communication agency Custard Communications about the benefit of awards and how to put together an effective entry.

Good Luck!

Hopefully that helps direct you somewhat in crafting your entry - We look forward to receiving yours soon, but if you need more information, please contact George Sell at george@internationalhospitality.media