On Wednesday 2 September we were named the winner of Excellence in Customer Experience at the 2026 2degrees Auckland Business Awards, North and West region, at the Cordis Hotel.
An Award Handed to Us by a Competitor
The category was sponsored by Barfoot & Thompson, who manage rental properties across Auckland the same way we do, and the trophy was handed over by Barfoot & Thompson director Henry Barfoot.
Presenting it to a rival firm, Henry called it a very New Zealand moment, one that summed up how impartial and good-natured the competitive relationships in this industry can be. We would agree. It is not a small thing to sponsor a category and then hand the trophy to the firm across town.
Why This One Matters to Us
Property management is not an industry known for delighting customers. Most people come to us with a story about the last company they dealt with. We also have no product to sell. What we sell is the way we answer the phone, how quickly we get a leaking tap fixed, whether we give you an accurate rent appraisal, and how a tenant is treated when something goes wrong in their home.
That is why this is the award we would have picked. In Mike's words on the night:
We don't sell anything except the way we look after our landlords and tenants, so this award means more to us than almost any other we could win.
This was our third year as finalists at the Auckland Business Awards and the first time we have taken out a top prize.
Daisy accepted the award alongside Mike, and made the point that we have always believed our customers were happy with us. Having it said out loud, by other people, in front of the room, is a whole new level.
The Whole Team Celebrated
The award is for every person at Aspire. Every one of our great Google reviews belongs to a property manager who picked up the phone, an accounts person who sorted out a payment, or someone in maintenance who chased a tradie one more time. The whole team came along to the evening, and it was a great night to celebrate work that mostly happens quietly.
Thank You
To every owner and tenant who has left us a review, told a friend about us, or stuck with us while we sorted something difficult out: this one is yours as much as ours. Thank you.
