The Brooms Head Bowling Club, ‘the friendliest club by the beach’, has won an Australian Business Quality Awards ’Gold Award for successfully adhering to its high service standards and going beyond customers’ needs. The club’s office manager, Robyn Mehrten, said customer service is the “crux of our business”. “We are truly proud of this accomplishment, which demonstrates our commitment to please our customers by providing quality service,” she said. “Good customer service ensures return business, which in turn enables the club to employ local staff, as we are only a small community of approximately 120 permanent residents.” The club’s treasurer, Ron Parsons, said: “Our club thrives on being known as a friendly, family orientated club and to this end we have top quality, happy employees who respect our customers and their workplace.” Comments by patrons, which were used as part of the Australian Business Quality Awards’ assessment process, included: “If you regularly go there, they know your name; when you walk into the bar they know what you drink and they retain all this information – I don’t know how they do it but it’s great.” Another customer said: “[The club’s] staff are always ready to help, the service is great; I love the restaurant and the people who run the restaurant are equally helpful and lovely.” The Brooms Head Bowling Club was formed in 1965 – the inaugural meeting was held on December 18 and the club consisted of 52 members. The club’s building was officially opened in May 1976. Presently, the club has a 700-strong membership, many of whom are regular visitors during holiday periods. The club sponsors the Maclean Lions Club, which holds its annual fun run at the club, and supports a local young athlete, the Westpac Lifesaver Helicopter and the local fire brigade. Now in its seventh year, the Australian Business Quality Awards acknowledges enterprises that exhibit outstanding service levels, as assessed by their customers, and measures businesses against a range of internationally-recognised principles of best practice in customer service.