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 19thAnnual 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 for consideration.
“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. “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. 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!”
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.”
Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2021 Stevie winners are available at StevieAwards.com/ABA.
