Now is the chance to enter this year’s South Coast Business Awards to be ranked among the cream of the crop of the region’s firms.

Nominations are now open for The Customer Service Award in this year’s competition, which is one of the eight categories in the Daily Echo-backed event.

This year’s glitzy black-tie ceremony takes place at St Mary’s Stadium on July 10 where the region’s best businesses will be honoured for their exemplary efforts in boosting the south coast economy.

The annual event is organised by the Daily Echo and sponsored by law firm Trethowans.

Each year it aims to champion business excellence while boosting competition and raising standards.

The event is run in partnership with Business South and Destination Southampton.

Last year’s Customer Service Award winner was the Petersfield-based The Yes Yes Company, which specialises in natural lubricants.

Speaking after winning the award co-founder Susi Lennonx said: “At Yes Yes we adore our customers and to have that acknowledge in this way is just rapturous.”

The judges said Yes Yes demonstrated their “customers’ needs are at the forefront of everything they do.”

Entries or nominations must be submitted on an official application form, which is available alongside further information on all of the categories at dailyecho.co.uk/scba.

The closing date for entries is Wednesday, April 22.

Any company whose head office is based within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is eligible to enter or be nominated for the competition.

For full details on all the awards categories, criteria and tips on how to enter visit dailyecho.co.uk/scba.