Member Article

Finalists for Franchisee of the Year announced

The British Franchise Association (bfa) has named the finalists for the 2013 bfa HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards, supported by Express Newspapers. This year’s revamped format sees 17 finalists selected across five new categories, with the winners competing for the right to be crowned the UK’s overall 2013 Franchisee of the Year and take home £10,000, courtesy of HSBC.

The finalists reflect the high standards found in ethical franchising in the UK. They have demonstrated exceptional business practice, acting as outstanding ambassadors for their sectors, areas of expertise and for the specific award categories. Each category winner will receive £1,000 and a trophy, also from HSBC.

The selected finalists are as follows:

Customer Service Franchisee Award: identifies excellence in customer service, looking at those who go above and beyond expectations which not only drive new customer bases and retain valued clients, but also have a direct positive impact on the franchise.

• Manjit Singh, Driver Hire, Enfield
• Surjit and Balvinder Dhillon, O2, Solihull
• Nicholas Dee Shapland, ServiceMaster, Newbury
• Richard McConnell, The ZipYard, Altrincham

Female Franchisee of the Year Award: for the UK’s most accomplished female franchisees that have been recognised for their drive and commitment to achieving fantastic results through best business practice and passion for their brand.

• Shweta Jhajharia, ActionCoach, London
• Janis Anderson, Caremark, Aylesbury
• Cherry Lewis-Taylor, McDonald’s, Braintree
• Alex Scotchbrook, Tutor Doctor, Surrey

Long-Serving Franchisee Award: Franchisees who have been operating their business for 10 years or more are eligible for this award which recognises an individual’s successes and achievements, both personally and for the wider franchising network.

• Sigurd Wilberg, Domino’s, Wiltshire
• Christopher and Andy Simpson, Fastsigns, Leeds
• Vince Dalaimo & Debbie Corbett, TaxAssist Accountants, London
• Martin Rolfe, Card Connection, Norwich

Micro-Business of the Year Award: for mobile and home-based businesses run by a single operator or a couple, with no more than one part-time employee. It showcases the attainments and successes of the smaller franchise operations.

• Ron & Shirley Maynard, Card Connection, Abingdon
• Jim Marsh, Dairy Crest, Haywards Heath

Young Franchisee of the Year Award: for franchisees aged 30 and under. It celebrates the triumphs and enterprising nature of the nation’s successful young talent.

• Dene Cummings, Autosmart, West Sussex
• Steven Prime, Esquires, Coventry
• Daniel Wade, WPA, Uckfield

The winners will be announced at the ICC in Birmingham, on 3 October 2013, during a prestigious ceremony celebrating their outstanding achievements. Interviews will be held between the finalists and the expert judging panel before the awards, to determine the winners.

Brian Smart, director general, bfa, said: “Every year we are excited by the quality of entrants for the bfa HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards and this year is no exception. These finalists are from a range of sectors, championing their expertise and successes in many aspects of franchising. They have shown extraordinary levels of entrepreneurialism, commitment and drive which we were thrilled to hear about and which made this year’s selection process very challenging.”

Cathryn Hayes, head of franchising for HSBC, said: “This year’s finalists are exceptional, demonstrating how fantastic business success can develop from aligning their passion and enthusiasm with the support franchising brings. At HSBC we work with some of the UK’s most outstanding franchises to support their appetite for success and it is always a pleasure to see the wide variety of businesses in these awards. Our finalists this year are great role models and I am looking forward to hearing more about their stories when they appear before the judging panel.”

Sean Hammond, head of franchising, Express Newspapers, said: “The bfa HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards provide us with an opportunity to hear about franchisees advocating excellence across their industry. We have been impressed by the high calibre of the applicants and the results delivered. It has been truly inspirational to hear from this year’s finalists showcasing their successes, having taken the step into franchising.”

For further information, visit www.thebfa.org or call the bfa on 01235 820470.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Paul Stafford .