Two independent women-owned businesses have triumphed at the Brighton and Hove Business Awards.

Brighton beauty salon The Treatment Rooms, owned by Clare Rogers, took the Best Customer Service award while The Book Nook in Hove, which is owned by Julie Ward and Vanessa Lewis, won the Best Independent Retailer category.

“It's one for the girls really,” said Clare, a beauty therapist who opened the business in New Road 19 years ago and employs 28 women. “It's really nice to be recognised like this – in fact, I think I jumped up and down on the stage in excitement.

“It's tough being in business when you're a woman and even tougher when you're in the beauty business. When you tell men what you do, they assume you're just doing it for a bit of pin money and turn away. They only take notice when you tell them you actually employ 28 people.

“At the awards ceremony, a group of women were talking in the ladies loo about the fact that all the people in the MD of the Year category were men – and we all said we'd change that at next year's awards.”

It's the second time The Book Nook has won the Best Independent Retailer award at the Brighton and Hove Business Awards, first scooping the accolade in 2011. The shop in First Avenue was opened in 2009 at the height of the recession, providing books and organising author events for many secondary schools on the Sussex coast. In 2012 it won the award for Children's Independent Bookseller of the Year at the Bookseller Industry Awards. Co-owner Julie Ward, who formerly worked in publishing, said the shop was opened because “we believe there is a book out there for every child”.

Partner Vanessa Lewis, a former teacher, says the secret of their successful business is listening to what customers want. “Our customers are children and their parents, and we care passionately about our customers. We work hard, we have a passionate commitment to the business and we love it. Every day is different.”

At The Treatment Rooms, Clare, who was born in Brighton and trained at Brighton City College, attributed her business's success in the customer service category to a rejection of the notion that 'service' means 'servile'. “It is in my nature to make your customers feel the best they can,” she said. “Being the first and last face a customer sees is a hard job and we train staff especially for it.”

The Treatment Rooms is the biggest beauty salon in Brighton and has already won several awards, including The Best Spa for the South-East in The Good Spa Guide 2012. Around 17,000 customers passed through its doors last year and the premises will soon have their own makeover. “I'm planning a refit,” said Clare. “It's time for a bit of a change.”