by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Businesses and rising stars have been garlanded with awards in a triple triumph for the county.

GForces, a web management company in Bearsted, near Maidstone, was handed the Online Innovation accolade for software that tracks car dealership leads, while Contemporary Flowers, Canterbury, has been named Micro Employer of the Year for its apprenticeship scheme. Holly Manley, from Bexley, was crowned Apprentice of the Year for her work at Superdrug's store in Erith.

Football pundit Ray Stubbs presented GForces with the gong at the Motor Trader Industry Awards in the Grosvenor House Hotel, London. Its pioneering NetDirector LeadBeast software enables dealers to slash the cost of sales leads by analysing the effectiveness of individual marketing campaigns.

Motor Trader magazine editor Curtis Hutchinson said: "Judges considered LeadBeast to be a cohesive integrated product, and were particularly impressed by its coverage of all the media channels."

Tim Smith, commercial director of GForces, which is adding 50 staff as part of a major extension at its Bearsted headquarters, said the company was proud of the recognition. "Very few businesses have money to burn at the moment, and LeadBeast software can help dealers maximise their marketing investment. It can measure both online and offline activities. It can tell you whether potential customers have come from the internet, phone calls or direct mail, thus allowing the retailer to focus on the method which best suits their business."

Meanwhile, Contemporary Flowers won its award, run by the National Apprenticeship Service, for the way it uses apprentices to meet the needs of its business and community.

Apprentices have helped the florist compete several times at the Chelsea Flower Show. The firm's Rachel Goldsack said: "I'm delighted to be representing all of the amazing apprentices across the country that help make employers more productive, and efficient."

John Hayes, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, said: "Apprenticeships play a huge role in providing the skills we need to build an advanced economy. They help get young people into work and boost productivity and improve competitiveness."