Motor Ombudsman receives record nominations for Star Awards

• In this year’s Star Awards competition, nearly 2,300 nominations have been submitted to date by customers of Motor Ombudsman-accredited businesses

• The latest tally surpasses the 2022 total of around 1,500 entries, with just under a month still to run until the nomination period closes, highlighting its growing profile

• The awards, launched in 2020, recognise businesses accredited to The Motor Ombudsman’s Codes of Practice, as well as individual team members, who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in the eyes of consumers

• The 2023 winners of the 12 trophies on offer in the contest will be announced at the end of November, and the coveted National Garage Star Award will be presented in person for the first time during the CTSI’s Hero Awards taking place at the Houses of Parliament in London

With just under a month to go until the customer nomination period closes on 15th October for this year’s Motor Ombudsman Star Awards, the Ombudsman for the automotive sector has already received nearly 2,300 entries from motorists across the UK. Surpassing last year’s total of around 1,500, this is the highest ever tally of submissions for the annual competition, which allows consumers to recognise accredited businesses from across The Motor Ombudsman’s four Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)-approved Codes of Practice, as well as individual team members, who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.

The Motor Ombudsman’s awards are divided into two different categories. The first is the Garage Star Awards – where customers can put forward an independent garage, a franchise dealer, a body repair centre, a mobile mechanic, or a staff member from one of these organisations. The second is the Customer Service Star Awards, which applies to vehicle manufacturers, vehicle warranty providers, and the head offices of garage and dealer groups.

In their submissions via the dedicated portal on The Motor Ombudsman’s website (www.TheMotorOmbudsman.org/Awards), consumers are asked to cite examples of how businesses as a whole or one of their employees went the extra mile to assist them during their time of need, whether this was, for example, displayed through an act of kindness or a demonstration of an exceptional level of customer service during the sale or repair of a car to get their car back on the road, or in relation to the handling of a warranty purchase or claim.

Against a pre-defined set of criteria, the nominations received since the start of May 2023 will be whittled down by The Motor Ombudsman to create a shortlist of 24 finalists for the Garage Star Awards. This year’s new line-up of judges will then have the task of choosing one winner and two highly commended entries for each of the eight regional trophies. Similarly, the Customer Service Star Award winners will also be chosen from a narrowed down group of entries to determine each of the three silverware recipients for 2023.

As part of the continued evolution of the Star Awards, this year’s overall National Garage Star, who will be selected by the judging panel from the eight regional champions, will be presented with both their regional trophy and the top prize of the competition at this year’s prestigious Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) Hero Awards at London’s Houses of Parliament in November. This comes as part of a newly-formed collaboration between the two organisations for the event, which recognises individuals who have made outstanding contributions to help others, and is centred around the theme of ‘partnerships’ for the 2023 ceremony.

Bill Fennell, Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director of The Motor Ombudsman, said: “It is very encouraging to have received such a fantastic response to the Star Awards from customers of our accredited businesses, and to see the level of interest and excitement that the competition is so far generating across the country.”

Bill added: “There is still time for consumers to put forward an organisation or a staff member, to give them the best chance of having their name etched on to a trophy, and for their achievement to be publicly recognised.”