THE VM Group was specially recognised for its focus on customer service at this year’s National Quality Awards ceremony hosted by the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ).

VM emerged as one of the winners in the Customer Focus category for service organisations, at the ceremony held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on January 30.

The National Quality Awards (NQA) programme is Jamaica’s first quality systems-based awards programme which recognises and rewards local businesses that demonstrate commendable application of standards and implementation of quality systems in both the production of goods and the delivery of services.

Commenting on the recognition, VM Group’s Chief Customer and Brand Officer Judith Forth-Blake said without the confidence demonstrated by customers, their success as an organisation would be limited.

“We are constantly taking steps to improve our service delivery in line with international standards and best practices, and this award is a sign that we are moving in the right direction,” she said.

The NQA programme assesses businesses in areas such as organisational focus, human resource focus, process management, customer focus and business results. VM’s participation was also part of its efforts to build capacity towards readiness for the ISO 45001 Occupational Safety and Health certification.

Head of safety, intelligence & physical security and team lead for the company’s ISO 45001 certification project, Chadd Chambers, said participation in the programme will serve to further strengthen organisational processes in this and other areas.

“A huge part of serving our customers is ensuring that systems are in place to protect their safety while doing business with us. Participants in the programme receive a report with recommendations based on the assessment activities conducted by the BSJ. This report will be used as a guide to closing any existing gaps with regards to safety and health and place focus on other priority areas that may need attention.”