The What Digital Camera Good Service Awards 2009 winners revealed. You voted for the best online, independent and chain photographic retailers and here we can reveal the results...

Where is the best place to buy a camera? Who can provide you with the right information, the right products and at a good price? The What Digital Camera Good Service Awards are the awards you have voted for to reward high quality of service in 2009.



A good camera store is not just about price. You need a company that is reliable, trustworthy and knowledgeable. A company that understands the needs of a photographer and that makes the buying process simple. We’ve all heard stories, or experienced first hand, stores that slip up at these simple requirements and it’s for this reason we need to reward and celebrate those that do it well. To act as an example to others, and to ensure we get decent service next time. 



Over the past year we have asked you to rate the service you have received both online and on the high street between one and ten. We’ve tallied these scores and given each store that received more than ten votes an average score. In order to win a Good Service Award, retailers must score at least 85%, while to win a coveted Gold Award they must score at least 90%.

BEST HIGH STREET RETAILER 2009: INDEPENDENT 



Digital Depot – 97% (Gold)

Digital Depot is a specialist photographic retailer based in Stevenage, offering personal service on a wide range of photographic products from cameras to studio lighting. On winning, Managing Director Stuart Boston said: ‘There is nothing that pleases us more than to be recognised by our customers for good service. It remains our number one priority and to have the readers of What Digital Camera acknowledge this is fantastic!’

Park Cameras – 96% (Gold)

Park Cameras was established in 1971 and during the past 39 years, they have succeeded in forging a reputation across the industry as one of the best independent photographic retailers in the UK. Through its mix of product selection, competitive pricing and excellent customer service, readers have once again voted for them because of their determination to continuously meet and then exceed the expectations of their customers.

Camera World – 84% (Silver)


BEST HIGH STREET RETAILER 2009: CHAIN



John Lewis – 90% (Gold)

John Lewis began in 1864 with the opening of the first shop in London’s Oxford Street. ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’, is their unique promise to our customers that the price of any item they sell will always be as low as the lowest price in the neighbourhood. Owned by its 69,000 partners, they have succeeded in building the largest department store retailer in the UK, with 29 John Lewis shops (28 department stores and one John Lewis at home) and a growing online business.

London Camera Exchange – 90% (Gold)

London Camera Exchange established in Guildford in the early 1950’s has grown to 29 branches throughout England. Upon hearing that LCE had scooped the WDC Good Service Award for a second consecutive year Group MD, Nick Richens remarked that it was ‘a great team effort and a wonderful reward for the unstinting efforts of all my colleagues on the shop floor’.

Jacobs – 86% (Silver)

Jessops – 85% (Silver)

Argos – 85% (Silver)



 

BEST ONLINE RETAILER

 2009

Park Cameras – 94% (Gold)

Marketing Manager Mark Robinson said: ‘Recognition of excellent service through receiving Good Service Awards from What Digital Camera for both Best High Street Retailer and Best Online Retailer is confirmation that our ‘customer first’ approach to retailing and service remains the right one. At Park Cameras we are delighted to receive both of these awards and would like to thank our valued customers for voting for us.’

Pic Stop – 97% (Gold)


PicStop – the Digital Accessory Specialist – has established itself as the UK’s favourite and most reliable online digital accessory retailer. Here you will find some of the lowest UK prices on digital camera memory, camera bags, tripods, lens filters, digital camera batteries and ink cartridges all backed by their award winning service. ‘To win the Gold Award for Best Online Retailer for a third year is a superb achievement for the team at PicStop and shows our commitment to customer service. We plan to build on this success in 2010.’

7 Day Shop – 85% (Silver)

Amazon.co.uk – 85% (Silver)

Play.com – 88% (Silver)

Warehouse express – 88% (Silver)