Derek Williams created the Wow Awards 10 years ago in the spirit of celebrating good customer service. He says: "It struck me that if all you do is criticise, people retreat into their shell. If you want employees to burst with enthusiasm and energy, you have to praise them for doing things right."

The awards, which have their own category in the National Customer Service Awards [this month], are based on customer nominations. Employers can tell their customers about the awards and invite them to nominate a member of staff.

Having owned an award-winning accountancy practice (which he sold to focus on the Awards), Williams has his own theories about why excellent customer service is so hard to find. "I see so many businesses where customer service isn't on the boardroom agenda. It may be lumped in with marketing, but I'd like to see someone with responsibility on the board for that one area."

Great customer service also requires all board members to work as a cohesive team, points out Williams. "Otherwise, it's a bit like having David Beckham playing for Sutton United."

It's not just about employee engagement, he insists. He reckons that when times are hard, good service will help companies hang on to existing customers as well as employees. "If your industry is competitive, the worst thing you can do is lose customers and have to spend lots of money attracting new ones." Companies with the "wow factor" will always have an edge, he adds.