This award celebrates businesses who built meaningful connections with customers in 2022. Leveraging the often-unprecedented circumstances of this past year, they served customers in new and tailored ways. Some launched a service, others created an online store, and many solved a common challenge their customers were facing. Whatever the specific circumstance, these nominees switched things up to better serve their customers. 

Learn what our 2022 Service Stars did to switch things up and serve their customers, in their own words.

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Catalyst Health Solutions Inc.
“At Catalyst Health Solutions Inc., we believe access is essential in the delivery of health care. While we are still navigating our new normal, Catalyst Health Solutions is going back to its roots and continuing what we always aimed to do. Through our collaborative efforts, we provided better access to all with our addition of a nurse practitioner, and wellness services. As well as the official launch of our Concierge Medical membership program, Catalyst looked to creating a better financial package that was affordable where patients can get the utmost amount of assistance by utilizing all our services. Not only does this allow them access to our family practitioner, but the services outside of those monthly appointments are of unlimited use.”
 
Heave Away Waste Management
“The past year has been challenging for us all. Most local businesses have had to pivot their operations and service offerings and think a little differently on how to get the job done. Heave Away’s main source of business came from commercial companies who needed waste management services and with many businesses not open regular hours, a lot of employees working from home/online etc., our pick ups were decreasing due to volume. We then realized that we could and should be more to the communities we serve. Not only focussing on waste disposal, but helping people manage their waste at home and their businesses properly and sustainably.

We began to offer more waste management options to residents for project cleaning at their homes, businesses could avail of recycling and composting programs, and we focussed on waste diversion initiatives such as waste auditing to give companies the data they needed to help with “Greening” their businesses and separating their waste streams to prevent unnecessary waste going to the landfill. We also invested in top-of-the-line software to service our customers optimally with fuel and route efficiency, and purchased scales for our trucks to let clients know how much their bins weighed to either increase or decrease the frequency of service.”
 
Munn Insurance
“The past two years have been challenging for all business. COVID really hit us all very hard. From shutdowns to lockdowns our ability to manage our business was tested. And tested again. With the offices closed and employees needing the flexibility to work from home. We had to pivot.

In the height of COVID and just prior to the first lockdown in our province, we decided to send all our staff home. It was safer for all. And our young staff had children out of school and no daycare. It was the right thing to do. But we still had a business to run and customers to serve.

We had invested significantly in a state-of-the-art Cisco VOIP phone system. The new phone system provides significant flexibility to enhance the overall customer experience and enables better data tracking capabilities. In addition, with the VOIP system we are better able to support work from home and hybrid working options for our employees while maintaining all data tracking and measurement functionality and integration with our BMS. So when COVID forced us into a lockdown, we were fully operational within hours of closing our offices to the staff and public. It was BAU for our people and our customers never noticed the slightest erosion in service quality.”
 
Rio Tinto – IOC
IOC is committed to promoting the Safety and Health of our employees and our partners both inside and outside of our gate. As such, the Emergency Response and Security Team within IOC often provide services to the community in support of our Emergency Responders locally.

As a show of our commitment to serve the community we operate in, we hold a Mutual Aid with the town of Labrador City Fire Department and as well, Labrador Grenfell Health whereby we:

• Provide ambulance and paramedic services on a regular basis to the Labrador Grenfell Health region.
• Have shared emergency equipment to our community when in need;
• Provide Fire Responses services and other technical rescue related responses to the Labrador West Region; and
• When IOC brings in specialized trainers from outside the region to improve the skills and capabilities of our Emergency Services Team, we often extend this training opportunity to other outside First Responder Agencies within our communities.

IOC will continue to provide service to our community because we believe that a safe and healthy community is critical for all. We will continue to embed our values of Care, Courage and Curiosity, in how we work every day, and continue to care for the community we operate in. We at IOC are extremely proud to have such a caring and professional team of First Responders and are proud of the service they continue to provide both for IOC and our communities we live in.”
 
Studio VERSŌ
“Studio VERSŌ has carefully curated all class styles under its programming to draw in a wide range of individuals. VERSŌ’s program developers are skilled and knowledgeable individuals who have credentials to back them. All programs have been reviewed by sport and exercise medicine physician, Dr. Jessica Wade. This ensures the product is evidence-based in addition to the more creative side of moving to music during a fitness class.

To note, Studio VERSŌ has invested in developing a Rhythmic Row program. VERSŌ examined the market through critical analysis, identifying ways to add to the industry in creative ways. Rhythmic Spin, in which Emily and Maria had industry experience and knowledge, was the initial planned-for product offering. Through researching what’s offered and not offered outside of NL and Canada, VERSŌ set out to add Row programming. VERSŌ brought a comprehensive program to the province – metric, interval-based classes in spin and row, as well as rhythmic spin and row. VERSŌ is currently the only studio in Canada to offer Rhythmic Rowing. This is a groundbreaking style of workout that uses the beat of the music to drive the body’s movement through the workout.”
 
The Inn by Mallard Cottage
“After two years of dealing with the isolation, fear, and uncertainty that COVID had brought to the minds of many, it was very clear from conversations with our guests that people wanted to move on and get back to some version of their normal lives. With guests travelling from all over the world to our beautiful province, it was an honour to be their first destination after wondering when they would travel comfortably again.
While offering socially distant check ins, room tidies, breakfast deliveries, and checkouts for those who still felt uncomfortable, we also implemented new offerings for those that were ready for a “new normal” for what proved to be our busiest season yet.

We created a common room lounge area that provides coffee, tea, fruit, a fridge fully stocked with Quidi Vidi beer and soft drinks, a variety Newfoundland Distillery spirits, and Guinness on tap – all complimentary to our guests. We also introduced a daily happy hour there from 3pm-5pm with a big pot of soup from Mallard Cottage and bread from Waterwest, also free for our guests, which was a big hit and the catalyst for many travellers to chat and get to know one another.

It was a unique challenge to balance a come home year in the middle of a tapering pandemic, but our team was determined to do everything we could to provide an unforgettable Newfoundland experience. Quite often during a friendly goodbye with one of our guests, they would take a quick second to praise the Inn, our staff, and the area. And I take great pride in knowing we get to play a small part in so many people’s love of our one-of-a-kind province.”

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Learn more about these and many other amazing 2022 Business Resilience Awards nominees here.