Forward Financing Named Best Customer Service Dept of Year
May 3, 2021 | Company News
May 3, 2021 – Forward Financing, a fintech company that provides working capital to small businesses, was named the winner of a Silver Stevie® Award in the Best Customer Service Department category in the 19th Annual American Business Awards®. More than 3,800 nominations – a record number – from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year.
“We are truly honored to receive recognition for the fantastic job our Account Servicing team does every day to help our small business customers,” said Justin Bakes, Forward Financing’s co-founder and CEO.
Helping Customers Through the Pandemic
“Particularly in 2020, that help was needed more than ever before to help small business owners get through the most difficult months of the pandemic,” said Bakes. “At Forward Financing we have always sought to put small businesses first, and this award is a testament that we are demonstrating that every day.”
In the spring of 2020, thousands of customers reached out to Forward’s Account Servicing Department (ASD) to request payment relief. To improve response times, the company trained 18 team members from different departments to join ASD, nearly tripling the size of the team. Between March 2020 and December 2020, ASD helped over 5,100 small business customers pause or reduce their payments during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
More than 250 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year’s Stevie Award winners. One judge commented on the Forward Financing nomination, “Wow. Just Wow. Teamwork, proactivity, putting your customers first. You truly seem more dedicated to your clients’ businesses than you are even to your own bottom-line. That’s inspiring!”
Understanding Customer Needs
Customers agree that ASD’s dedication to listening to the customer, understanding their needs, and finding solutions that will help them grow, has helped many small businesses stay afloat.
“The Director of Accounts Servicing, Gabe Miller, has been both flexible regarding adjusting payments during the lockdown and instrumental in making sure we had the cash flow we needed to weather this unprecedented time,” said Aaron Bowdoin, a marketing agency owner, in a recent Trustpilot review.
“Not only did he reduce our payments, [but] his proactive measures helped us navigate these financially uncertain times. I cannot recommend these folks enough. It is a refreshing change to work with a capital organization that truly cares about the financial health of your business. Gabe has secured our business for life with his compassion and leadership. We consider Forward Financing a real partner as we continue to grow our business,” said Bowdoin.
Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2021 Stevie winners for Customer Service are available at www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.
About Forward Financing
Forward Financing is a Boston-based financial technology company that provides fast, flexible working capital to small businesses nationwide. Our dedicated account representatives and advanced proprietary technology help our customers spend less time finding capital and more time growing their businesses. With a simple online application, business owners can trust that Forward Financing works to get them approvals within minutes, funding within hours, and personalized support when they need it most.
Since 2012, Forward Financing has expanded MainStreet’s access to capital by providing over $1 billion in funding to more than 26,000 small businesses. The company is A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau and consistently receives top ratings across all major customer review platforms. Inc. Magazine and the Boston Business Journal named Forward Financing as one of Massachusetts’ fastest-growing companies each year since 2017. Forward Financing is committed to helping more small business owners succeed and achieve their full potential. To learn more, visit www.forwardfinancing.com.
About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. The Stevies also produce the annual Women|Future Conference. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.