The Kiel Service Award invites entries and calls for feedback on the best service quality

Promoting outstanding service quality in the long term – for Kiel-Marketing, this is the overarching aim of the biennial Kiel Service Awards. Personalised, empathetic and sustainable service is a key indicator of success.

The project was launched by Kiel-Marketing in 2010 and will take place for the seventh time in 2026. Kiel’s most service-oriented companies across various industry categories are assessed and honoured with the Service-Fiete award.

From 12 January to 15 February 2026 inclusive, businesses can register to take part at www.serviceaward-kiel.de. You can also nominate your favourite businesses and help raise awareness of the competition. Any company based in Kiel or the surrounding area with postcodes 241.. and 242.. that has direct customer contact is eligible to take part. There are a total of six industry categories: retail, hospitality, tourism/culture & leisure, trades, health, and other services. 

The one-off participation fee for individual businesses is €95.00 (plus VAT) and includes promotional materials and marketing activities as part of the awards, as well as a set of rating cards to distribute to customers, in addition to an online listing for the online vote. In addition, the Institute for Tourism and Spa Research in Northern Europe (NIT) produces a professional statistical analysis for all participants based on the voting data, serving as a kind of benchmark. Compared to other businesses in their sector in Kiel (without naming names), a points system can be used to determine whether the business has achieved above- or below-average scores and whether, if necessary, the quality of service within their own business should be adjusted. 

From 23 March to 26 April 2026, all residents will then have the opportunity to vote for their favourite business online at www.serviceaward-kiel.de or by ballot at the participating businesses. The motto is: quality over quantity: the winners will be the companies whose service quality is rated highest by customers. In addition, criteria will be assessed that do not form part of the competition but provide companies with detailed feedback. There are no losers in this competition! After the Service Awards ceremony, every participating company receives an evaluation of its voting results, which can be used to continuously improve its own service quality. Furthermore, participants receive a certificate confirming their participation and serving as proof of their service quality. The continuation of the new format introduced in 2019 has provided comparability across two editions of the award (2019 & 2024) and can offer companies avenues for improvement. The Institute for Tourism and Spa Research in Northern Europe (NIT) has provided support in developing the evaluation concept and is conducting the study.

The grand finale will be the presentation of the Service Award in the form of a traditional North German “Fiete” on Wednesday, 3 June 2026. At the KulturForum, centrally located in the heart of the city centre, around 150 invited guests – including the three highest-rated companies in each industry category – will enjoy an unforgettable evening and, with a bit of luck, will proudly take home their very own Fiete at the end of the night. Further information: www.serviceaward-kiel.de