John Hancock Signature Services Wins Gold Stevie® Award in 2012 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service(SM)

BOSTON, March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Signature Services (JHSS) was presented with a Gold Stevie® Award in the Sales Support Team of the Year category at the sixth annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, held recently in Las Vegas.  In addition, John Hancock Signature Services won 13 other awards in the Bronze category, including recognition for four specific awards in the financial services industry. JHSS is comprised of 159 associates and serves as the transfer agent and service provider for John Hancock Funds, its shareholders and financial professionals. 

"On behalf of John Hancock, I am very pleased to congratulate our talented team on receiving this important recognition of their many accomplishments. We are proud of our dedication to providing excellent service to our many customers," said Charles A. Rizzo, President of John Hancock Signature Services.

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service are the world's top sales awards, contact center awards, and customer service awards.  The Stevie Awards organizes several of the world's leading business awards shows including the prestigious American Business Awards(SM) and International Business Awards(SM).  

Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word for "crowned," the trophies were presented to honorees during a gala banquet at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.  More than 350 nominated customer service and sales executives from the U.S. and several other countries attended.  The presentations were broadcast live by the Business TalkRadio Network.

JHSS won Bronze Stevie® Awards in the following categories:

• Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year – Banking, Financial Services or Insurance
• Contact Center of the Year (Up to 100 Seats) – Banking or Financial Services
• Award for Innovation in Customer Service – Banking, Financial Services or Insurance (two awards)
• Customer Service Department of the Year – Financial Services
• E-Commerce Customer Service Award
• Best Use of Technology in Customer Service – All Other Industries
• Sales Operations Team of the Year
• Back-Office Customer Service Team of the Year
• Customer Service Management Team of the Year
• Customer Service Training Team of the Year
• Customer Service Team of the Year – Recovery Situation
• Customer Service Complaints Team of the Year

More than 1,000 entries from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted to this year's competition, an increase of almost 30 percent over 2011.  Finalists were determined by the average scores of 93 professionals worldwide, acting as preliminary judges.  Entries were considered in 27 categories for customer service professionals, including Contact Center of the Year, Award for Innovation in Customer Service, and Customer Service Department of the Year; in 38 categories for sales professionals, ranging from Senior Sales Executive of the Year to Sales Training or Coaching Program of the Year to Sales Department of the Year of the Year; and categories to recognize new products and services and solution providers. 

More than 100 members of seven specialized judging committees determined Stevie Award placements from among the Finalists during final judging this year.

About The Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.  Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide.  Learn more about The Stevie Awards at www.stevieawards.com.  Sponsors and supporters of the 6th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service include American Support, the Business TalkRadio Network, Coloredge Los Angeles * New York, Competence Call Center, SDL and ValueSelling Associates.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial Corporation
John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. In 2012, John Hancock celebrates 150 years of serving clients across the United States, while Manulife celebrates its 125th anniversary. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, Manulife Financial Corporation offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$500 billion (US$491 billion) as at December 31, 2011. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including life insurance, fixed and variable annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

SOURCE John Hancock Signature Services (JHSS)