2023 DEPOT AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE RECIPIENTS

On October 28, the 2023 Depot Awards of Excellence were presented!

2022 DEPOT AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE RECIPIENTS

On October 29, the 2022 Depot Awards of Excellence were presented!

2021 DEPOT AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE RECIPIENTS

There was no Awards of Excellence event in 2020. Therefore, 2021’s event considered Depot performance over the July 2019 - June 2021 period.

2019 Awards of Excellence Recipients

The 2019 Trevor Nickel Service Excellence Award recipients are:

Chinook Bottle Depot, Calgary

Physical renovations at the Chinook Bottle Depot have been extensive over the past year: new technology, improved lighting, new counter tops, signage, and more – these upgrades have mirrored the behind-the-scenes attitudes of staff in providing an increased quality of service as well.

This is the first Service Excellence award that Chinook Bottle Depot has received.

Cosmos I Bottle Depot, Red Deer

The Cosmos Bottle Depots are no strangers to the awards of excellence, but continued improvement over the past year and an overwhelming response from customers has earned Cosmos 1 a Service Excellence award tonight. The community efforts of this Depot are well-known throughout Red Deer, and continue to expand. Customers spoke to the commitment to service and strong community spirit as aspects that make Cosmos 1 an outstanding place to do business.

Cosmos 1 also received a Service Excellence award in 2011 and 2017.

East Hills Bottle Depot, Calgary

Before even walking in the door (or even before getting out of your car) at the East Hills Bottle Depot, it is clear that their service is on another level. A concierge team is on hand to greet and assist customers into the Depot, and customers can relax with fresh coffee while their containers are processed. The management team is passionate about making this Depot a destination, and it shows.

This is the first Service Excellence award that East Hills Bottle Depot has received.

Olds Bottle Depot

Consistent quality is something, alongside improvements to the building and service model, that Customers notice and in the case of Olds, has continued year after year. Whether it’s the two little children who brought them Blizzards from Dairy Queen thanking them for their service their customers highlighting very positive experiences on their Facebook page, the Olds Depot continues to bring their A-Game and their customers notice!

Olds Bottle Depot has previously received Service Excellence awards in 2012, 2014, and 2015.

Plus I Bottle Depot, Grande Prairie

The road to a new facility has been years in the making for the Plus 1 location. When the Depot opened its doors in May of this year, it was clear that the opportunity to create a memorable customer experience was top of mind. This state-of-the-art Depot has combined service and technology, and the team there will no doubt continue to innovate as they get further settled into their new shop.

This is the first Service Excellence award that Plus 1 has received.

Slave Lake Bottle Depot

The community of Slave Lake made their voices heard with nearly 40 nominations for the Slave Lake Bottle Depot. This family-owned and operated business has made a name for itself with the exceptional friendly service that they provide. The Depot relocated within the town in 2016, and customers commented on their appreciation of the new location and the efforts that have been made to continue improving the customer experience and efficiency of their returns.

This is the first Service Excellence award that the Slave Lake Bottle Depot has received.

Springbank Bottle Depot

This Depot was brand new to the community of Springbank at the beginning of 2018. Since then, John, Randi, and their team have created a unique Depot experience for customers, and their spirit of continual growth is remarkable. As newcomers to the industry, they have tried new things, taken risks, and adapted to their customer base to be successful. It’s been great to see this Depot develop by building confidence with their customers to learn what works best for them.

This is the first Service Excellence award that the Springbank Bottle Depot has received.

Universal Bottle Depot, Camrose

Grace is about to embark on year number 34 at the Depot – what an achievement! The Depot in Camrose is well-known in the community for their work with local charities and recent upgrades. After over 3 decades in the industry, this Depot has a brand-new location that has doubled the square footage, increased the efficiency and number of service points, and improved the overall customer experience. The staff routinely hear the appreciation from customers about these recent changes, and for good reason.

This is the first Service Excellence award that the Universal Bottle Depot has received.

The Green Bottle Depot Windermere, Edmonton

The Windermere location opened mid-2017 with an ambitious and impressive design and size. In the time since, the staff have grown into the space. Over the past year, a variety of initiatives have been introduced, including a valet service and an entertaining station to occupy kids who are tagging along with their parents. This Depot has strong community partnerships and a dedicated team of staff who demonstrate their commitment to customer service each day.

This is the first Service Excellence award that The Green Bottle Depot Windermere has received.

The 2019 Industry Excellence Award recipients are:

• Okotoks Bottle Depot

• Redwater Bottle Depot

• Stony Plain Bottle Depot

• Taber Bottle Depot

• Walden Bottle Depot, Calgary

• West Edmonton Bottle Depot, Edmonton

2018 Awards of Excellence Recipients:

The Service Excellence award is one of several annual industry award categories. Each October, the Depot Industry recognizes Depots who have gone above and beyond for their Customers and who have performed admirably in their duties. This year, the ABDA opened up nominations for the Trevor Nickel Service Excellence Award to the Albertans who know their Depots best: you! The Service Excellence Award considers a Depot’s performance in the following areas:

1. Service levels,

2. Customer convenience,

3. Staff safety, and

4. Innovation.

The 2018 Trevor Nickel Service Excellence Award recipients are:

Airdrie Bottle Depot

We have seen the Airdrie Bottle Depot continually go above and beyond to improve their space and service. In fact, this is the 3rd consecutive year that they have received this award, which is unprecedented. Since the last conference, the Depot has implemented new systems that have improved customer interactions, including integrating a Tomra line into their POR software to allow for a seamless transaction between the technologies, which reduces risk of error and increases customer confidence. The appreciation from their community is apparent in the comments received through Applaud a Depot, and the extraordinary cleanliness that greets customers entering this Depot is definitely something to be proud of.

Beddington Bottle Depot

With 15 public nominations, it’s clear that customers at the Beddington Bottle Depot have noticed positive changes this year. They are now offered an option to use the recently installed Tomra tables as part of the updated look and feel of the Depot. Convenient electronics recycling is also now available on site. We heard from customers about quick and friendly service and a clean atmosphere, as well as admirable efforts to engage with groups, schools, and individuals to make their fundraising efforts more successful. This is the first year that Beddington has been recognized in this category, and it is well-deserved!

Clareview Bottle Depot

A focus on improved customer experiences at Clareview Bottle Depot has been evident over the past year. Changes including adding an express drive-through lane, adding a cash machine, updating the handwash stations and lighting, and more. Their partnership with the Greater Edmonton Animal Rescue Society (GEARS) and others has been recognized in their community. Well done, Akbar, Zahra and team!

Evansburg Bottle Depot

This represents the first award for the new operators of Evansburg Bottle Depot. Since purchasing the Depot in February of this year, the front end area has been renovated extensively. Their reach into the community has grown exponentially under the new ownership, which has been very well-received. As new operators, they quickly fulfilled their requirement to implement POR, along with great efforts to increase the customer experience in other ways. We are proud to welcome new operators who are actively finding ways to improve their operations – well done!

Strathcona Bottle Depot

Significant improvements to the customer area have been seen at the Strathcona Bottle Depot over the past year. New bright lighting, energy-efficient features, paint, and improved signage have refreshed the Depot and made it more inviting. Dave is actively involved in improving his Depot and is always finding ways to connect with his community through activities customer appreciation days. He has created and displayed images on screens to communicate with his customers on acceptable products and important messaging and is continually asking questions to better understand his customers and our industry. Congratulations, Dave.

Summerside Bottle Depot

Summerside Bottle Depot has frequently been involved in exploring innovative technology and processes over the years. In the past year, the Depot has adopted a Tomra system and implemented it with their Point of Return software, added a next in line system to assist with customer direction, and have redirected their customer flow by separating their entrance and exit doors. Their assistance in fundraising for community groups has had tangible benefits such as upgrading the local playground. For these reasons and more, Summerside is now the recipient of back-to-back awards in this category. Great job!

Vecova Bottle Depot

The physical transformation of Vecova Bottle Depot over the past year has been astounding – it looks like an entirely different Depot. In integrating the Tomra system, their customer service area has been completely revamped to integrate new technology, while still allowing their customers to interact with the friendly faces they’ve come to know and trust.

Operating as part of the larger Vecova family, the Depot has cultivated a unique presence with the population they serve via a pick-up service that continues to grow. We are honored to present Vecova with this award.

Warburg Bottle Depot

Paul and Rajdeep have a wide array of services that they have steadily implemented in addition to their Depot and convenience store in Warburg. Their newest services in the past year include a dog wash, laundromat, and UPS access point for the area – talk about a one-stop shop. Their personal connection to the residents of Warburg has been demonstrated and highlighted again and again. We look forward to visiting this family-run location to deliver this award in the coming weeks.

The Beverage Container Management Board nominates Depots for the Program Excellence Award based on performance in the following areas:

• UCA submissions

• Mystery Shopper performance

• PAP performance

 The 2018 Program Excellence Award winners are:

Ability Bottle Depot North (Lethbridge)

All Seasons Bottle Depot (Wabamun)

Beaverlodge Bottle Depot

Callingwood Bottle Depot (Edmonton)

Cosmos 2 Bottle Depot (Red Deer)

Daysland Bottle Depot

Delburne Bottle Depot

Jasper Bottle Depot

North Hill Bottle Depot (Calgary)

Taber Container Depot

2017 Awards of Excellence Recipients:

The Service Excellence award is one of several annual industry award categories. Each October, the Depot Industry recognizes Depots who have gone above and beyond for their Customers and who have performed admirably in their duties. This year, the ABDA opened up nominations for the Trevor Nickel Service Excellence Award to the Albertans who know their Depots best: you! The Service Excellence Award considers a Depot’s performance in the following areas:

1. Service levels,

2. Customer convenience,

3. Staff safety, and

4. Innovation.

The 2017 Trevor Nickel Service Excellence Award recipients are:

Ability Bottle Depot North – Lethbridge is lucky to call itself home to two Award winners tonight; ABCRC presented Ability South with an Industry Excellence Award and I have the pleasure of presenting a Service Excellence Award to Ability North. Both of these Depots deserve your recognition for their dedication to serving both their front-end customers as well as ABCRC with Excellence. Next year, Ability will be celebrating 40 years in the community where they have served with distinction not just as a Bottle Depot, but as a community partner to those with disabilities. They currently offer eWaste and clothing recycling and have been ahead of the curve when it comes to the safety and continued support of their staff and customers. Fundraising for things like C4K and last year’s fires in Fort McMurray put them on the map as somebody to be proud of, and we salute you!

Airdrie Bottle Depot –At the Airdrie Bottle Depot, customer service has been a focus that has had them receive back to back Service Excellence Awards. This year, they are being highlighted for their commitment to accuracy at the buying counter. By adding a “customer complaint” button to their POR, they are more likely to be able to follow up with the customer and staff if there are any concerns raised. They also added cameras aiming at their buying stations from multiple directions in order to capture and review any possible issues raised by their staff or customer. They truly want to remove any possibility of incorrect counting and prove to their customers that they can be held to a higher standard, and their customers think that this is worth recognizing!

Cosmos 1 Bottle Depot (Red Deer) – Over the past year, Cosmos has been focused on expanding their pickup services with multiple trailers available to the public. Customer comments regarding the ease of dealing with this location for bottle drives were numerous, both through awards nominations as well as the Applaud a Depot program. Their desire to create partnerships with local agencies, particularly to help fund raise for non-profit organizations, has been widely recognized throughout the community. Trinesh in particular was mentioned by customers for going above and beyond in his role at the Depot, so we are pleased to present him with this award for Cosmos 1.

Hythe Bottle Depot - What we have heard from customers of the Hythe Bottle Depot is that there’s a personal touch. Gwen knows her customer base, and operates her Depot to better serve them; in the past year, this has been demonstrated through renovations to make the building more accessible and accommodating, as well as making extra efforts to assist the large senior population in town. Their community involvement and stellar service has contributed to receiving this award tonight.

Plus 2 Bottle Depot (Grande Prairie) – We have seen lots of activity from this Depot in fundraising efforts for organizations near and far, from raising money for a local school’s playground, to their exceptional efforts for crisis fundraising when a natural disaster happens in our province. There has been an increased focus on making Depot visits easier for customers as well, with a bag and tag service that is unique to this location. Additional services like an express lane and pick ups for customers have increased their profile in the community. This commitment to community engagement is definitely award-worthy!

Summerside Bottle Depot (Edmonton) - Customers at the Summerside Bottle Depot have been impressed by innovative technology that’s been introduced at the Depot over the past year, including a Tomra line. Community partnerships have made an impact for charities and organizations in the area, and improvements have been made inside and outside of the Depot to enhance the customer experience for those visiting. We are happy to recognize these ongoing improvements at the Summerside Bottle Depot!

Walden Bottle Depot (Calgary) - In 2016, Calgary welcomed another new Depot to the deep South with the opening of Walden Bottle Depot. Despite the NIMBYism that was challenging to walk through, their customers have welcomed in the staff and management with open arms. The smiles and clean environment have helped raise the expectations of their surrounding Depots and have helped dissuade any residents who may have been concerned with having a Depot in such close procimity to their homes. At Walden, you will find honesty, integrity, fairness and we believe that they are a shining example of the 21st century Depot and one worth recognizing.

The Alberta Beverage Container Recycle Corporation nominates Depots for the Industry Excellence Award based on performance in the following areas:

• Audit results

• Control of shipping supplies

• Accuracy of RBills

• Shipment preparation and load quality

• Communication

The 2017 Industry Excellence Award winners are:

Ability Bottle Depot South (Lethbridge)

Olds Bottle Depot

The Beverage Container Management Board nominates Depots for the Program Excellence Award based on performance in the following areas:

• UCA submissions

• Mystery Shopper performance

• PAP performance

 The 2017 Program Excellence Award winners are:

2A Bottle Depot (Carstairs)

Beaumont Bottle Depot

Butte Bottle Depot (Picture Butte)

Calmar Bottle Depot

Joussard Bottle Depot

Langdon Bottle Depot

Magrath Bottle Depot

Walden Bottle Depot (Calgary)

Warburg Bottle Depot

Winterburn Bottle Depot (Edmonton)