This competition, initiated jointly by the German Association for Quality (DGQ), the Market Research forum and the business magazine ‘impulse’, has set its sights on establishing a benchmark for the quality of customer relations management (CRM) and also recognising exemplary customer relations management in Germany. The competition is based on a multi-stage process in which the participants first of all submit a detailed self-assessment of the quality of their customer relations management. In addition, in each case 100 customers are questioned in detail. „Precisely at this time of crisis it is important for companies to delight their customers. Only those who succeed in turning satisfied customers into loyal customers will have a long-term prospect of survival in the competitive struggle“. This was the judgement of ‘impulse’ Chief Editor Dr. Nikolaus Förster. And the President of the DGQ, Dr. Jürgen Varwig, added: „This year’s participants show impressively how much is possible with wholehearted service and customer orientation.“ HOPPECKE has a good placing in the upper third of those who entered the competition. We thank our customers for their trust in us, and look forward to continuing successful cooperation.