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The winners of the 2006 SPARK awards |
UK. Paul Fletcher truly embodies the spirit of customer service that BAA was so keen to highlight at its second awards ceremony to honour the efforts of its car parking and car rental partners.
An act of heroism catapulted Mr Fletcher into the spotlight after it was revealed that he had saved the life of a two-year-old girl who had stopped breathing in a BAA airport car park. His first aid training in mouth-to-mouth resuscitation meant the toddler made a full recovery.
On Tuesday night at the 2006 SPARK Awards, Mr Fletcher won the coveted Employee of the Year – Car Parking prize. Although he was unable to be present, a colleague from NCP Glasgow Airport collected the £1,000 prize to a standing ovation from the hundreds of guests who had gathered at the Waldorf Hilton Hotel in London.
The glamorous – and moving – evening was hosted by Colin Hargrave, BAA’s Managing Director for UK Airport Retail, who shared the microphone with motoring expert and TV presenter Quentin Willson.
This year’s event was supported by all of BAA’s car parking and car rental business partners at its seven UK airports, namely APCOA, Central Parking System, Chauffeured Parking Services, Meteor, NCP, Avis, Budget, Dollar/Thrifty, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and National/Alamo/Guy Salmon.
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Awards evening hosts Colin Hargrave (left), BAA’s Managing Director for UK Airport Retail, and TV personality Quentin Willson |
Hargrave commented: “It’s fantastic to be able to bring the SPARK Awards back for the second year; BAA’s car parking and car rental partners play a critical part in the business as they often represent the gateway to the travellers’ airport experience. Their hard work delivers a first-class service that matches the evolving demands of our customers.
“These awards continue to recognise and celebrate service excellence and serve as a gesture of thanks to all of the teams and individuals that make our car parking and car rental operations so successful,” he added.
The SPARK 2006 awards scheme has proved instrumental in driving up levels of customer service across all seven of BAA’s UK airports, said Hargrave. The airports are London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Southampton, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
BAA’s car rental and car parking operations generate a combined £180 million in annual income from 40 million customers who use these two services. BAA airports boast 80,000 car parking spaces.
SPARK Award categories
The winner of each category was presented with a trophy, an awards certificate and £1,000 in prize money:
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Quentin Willson announces the winners |
Best Overall Operator Car Parking: Meteor
Best Overall Operator Car Rental: Enterprise
Best Team Customer Service Car Parking: CPS (Business Parking), Heathrow Airport
Best Team Customer Service Car Rental: Enterprise, Edinburgh Airport
Most Improved Outlet Car Parking: NCP (Short Stay 1A), Heathrow Airport
Most Improved Outlet Car Rental: Avis, Gatwick Airport Best Overall Car Parking Manager: Jimmy Jackman, APCOA, Heathrow Airport
Best Overall Car Rental Manager: Joe McConn, Budget, Stansted Airport
Employee of the Year Car Parking: Paul Fletcher, NCP Glasgow Airport
Employee of the Year Car Rental: Susan Fraser, National Aberdeen Airport
MORE STORIES ON BAA SPARK AWARDS
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