Japan's unique and outstanding service culture runs in the blood of its retail business. Every year, the Association organizes a study tour for winners of the Service & Courtesy Award as one of their recognitions. The study tour not only serves as an invaluable opportunity for them to learn from their retail counterparts in Japan, but also provides a platform for Hong Kong frontline retail staff to exchange their best practices at work.

This year, 42 participants including 33 winners of the 2015 Service & Courtesy Award joined the study tour to Tokyo from 14 to 18 March, 2016. With the support from the Japan Retailers Association, the delegation visited 8 locations and attended briefing sheld by the senior management and training experts coming from different retail sectors, covering convenience stores, department store, electrical appliances, foodservices, furniture and home accessories, shopping mall and supermarkets.

In 2016, we visited the following retail establishments:

• Greenhouse
• LaLaport FUJIMI (Mitsui Fudosan)
• Life Corporation Oshiage Branch
• MARK IS みなとみらい
• MARINE&WALK YOKOHAMA
• Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store
• Nitori Oshiage-Ekimae Branch
• Nojima LaLaport FUJIMI Branch
• Seven & I Holdings. Ito Training Center

The Association received a total of 514 participants from 90 brands for 2016 Service & Courtesy Award. The participating companies have been grouped into 18 categories for the Junior Frontline Level, 13 categories for the Supervisory Level and 'Earn & Learn Student' Category for the student workers of Earn & Learn Pilot Scheme for Retail Industry. This year, the Association introduced a new category, the Social Enterprises Category, and a new Award 'Best Service Outlets'.

Result of Phase 2 : Preliminary Interview of the 2016 SERVICE & COURTESY AWARD as well as the result of Phase 2: Video Assessment of the 2016 SERVICE & COURTESY AWARD - 'BEST SERICVE OUTLETS' were released. Shortlisted participants were invited to the Final Interview on 20 October 2016.

Phase 3 Final Interview of the 2016 SERVICE & COURTESY AWARD was completed on 20 October 2016. The list of finalists and the participating companies were advertised on Hong Kong Economic Times and am730 on the same day.

Winners would be announced at the Winner Announcement Ceremony held on 3 November 2016.

Winners of the 2016 SERVICE & COURTESY AWARD were announced at the Winners Announcement Ceremony on 3 November 2016. A total of 31 winners were selected from 18 categories in the Junior Frontline Level and 13 categories in Supervisory Level; 3 top performing individuals from the Earn & Learn Student Category and Social Enterprise Category each were selected for Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards; As for the company awards, 'The Best Team Performance Awards' and 'The Potential Brand Awards' went to the 3 top performing companies each; 10 outlets were selected for the 'Best Service Outlets' - Gold, Silver, Bronze Awards and Certificates of Merit respectively.

Winners and finalists of the 2016 SERVICE & COURTESY AWARD are invited to the HKRMA Annual Dinner and Retail Awards Presentation Ceremony on 6 December 2016. Winners will receive trophies and certificates on stage.