A local pet store has been nominated for a provincial business award, and the owners say it is thanks to their employees phenomenal customer service skills and product knowledge.
Pet Planet in Prince Albert has been nominated for an Achieving Business Excellence (ABEX) Award and owners Lee and Corinne Penner say they owe it to their past and present employees.
“For the past 7 years, the dedication they’ve shown to Pet Planet and to us has played an intricate role in the success of the business,” said Lee.
He said a big part of their accomplishments stems from the hard work of their staff and his wife, Corinne.
“It’s the education and training that the staff goes through to deal with customers and interact with them. Knowledge is key.”
Lee said it’s humbling to be nominated in the customer service category and a “big deal” as former customers of Pet Planet themselves.
“We went there as customers originally. Their product knowledge and customer service was amazing back then, they helped our dog that was going through his issues and we became lifelong customers,” said Lee. “When it went up for sale, it was kind of a natural thing for us because not only were they involved with the community but also we had an interest as pet lovers.”
The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce ABEX Awards is a celebration of the success of Saskatchewan businesses and recognizes the achievements of the private sector. It is the longest-running business awards program in the province. November 5 marks the first in-person ceremony since 2019.
“Saskatchewan businesses continue to face challenges in the wake of the pandemic as the province works toward economic recovery,” said Prabha Ramaswamy, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. “It is all the more important now that we recognize the leaders and businesses that make up the backbone of our business community by celebrating their remarkable resilience and successes.”
Pet Planet was recently named business of the year at the 2021 Samuel Mcleod Awards in April and also received the Business Transformation Award in recognition of their upgrades and renovations completed in 2021.