Member Article

Caremark businesswoman crowned Franchisee of the Year

Janis Anderson of Caremark, a domiciliary care provider, has been crowned winner of the British Franchise Association (bfa) HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards 2013, supported by Express Newspapers.

Also named Female Franchisee of the Year, Janis impressed the judges for delivering a high quality service for customers while propelling her business forward. Janis said: “It’s brilliant to be recognised for all the hard work which contributes towards Caremark’s success, especially at such prestigious awards.

“I became a Caremark franchisee at a challenging time when cuts were being introduced but this spurred me on to drive the business forward and we have since grown from strength to strength.

“At Caremark we pride ourselves on our staff, and the team excels at ensuring only the best level of service is provided for all of those we look after. I’m thrilled this effort has been rewarded and excited for what the future has in store.”

Following a rigorous judging process for the new award categories, the winners were congratulated at last night’s ceremony at the ICC in Birmingham. Recognised for their contributions to franchising in the UK, Janis took home £10,000 for being named UK Franchsiee of the Year 2013, while category winners were rewarded with cash prizes of £1,000 and trophies, all courtesy of HSBC.

Winners of the bfa HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards 2013 are:

UK Franchisee of the Year and Female Franchisee of the Year: Janis Anderson, Caremark Aylesbury

Janis opened her branch of Caremark, Aylesbury, in 2009 and has been recognised as one of the country’s most successful female franchisees. Janis illustrated a clear understanding of the merits associated with franchising and has introduced systems and procedures to create a strong business model. Janis has since expanded the business to open a new branch in High Wycombe whilst maintaining the quality of service Caremark is renowned for.

Customer Service Franchisee of the Year: Nick Dee Shapland, ServiceMaster Clean Newbury

Nick Dee Shapland’s investment in staff has clearly paid off, from creating a robust HR department to providing new training software, the back office team and cleaners all maintain high standards of customer service. As a result staff turnover is exceptionally low, particularly in comparison to industry standards, and they have not lost a business contract through standards since 2009. One client has even employed the company since inception 22 years ago.

Long-serving Franchisee of the Year: Siggy Wilberg, Domino’s in Wiltshire

This award celebrates franchisees who have been operating their business for 10 years or more. Siggy Wilberg has been involved with Domino’s for over 25 years and was the first UK franchisee to open a Domino’s store in Germany. Siggy was commended for his dedication to the brand, as well as investing heavily in the digital side of the business to keep one step ahead of competitors at all times.

Micro-business Franchisee of the Year: Ron and Shirley Maynard, Card Connection Abingdon

This award was for mobile and home-based businesses run by a single operator or a couple, with no more than one part-time employee. Card Connection, is amongst the market leaders in the distribution of greeting cards. The company was established in 1992, as a franchise brand of UK Greetings Ltd and now supplies over 14,000 outlets, from independent retailers through to major groups. Ron and Shirley Maynard run a tight ship; with organisation being key to business success, the husband and wife team also continually look for ways to refresh card displays to help drive sales.

Young Franchisee of the Year: Steven Prime, Esquires Coffee Houses Coventry

This category is for franchisees aged 30 and under, celebrating the triumphs and enterprising nature of the nation’s successful young talent. Steven Prime, 27, was congratulated not only for his strong business vision, but also for engaging with the community by supporting local businesses and education institutions in addition to being heavily involved in charity work.

In addition to the expected prizes, Shweta Jhajharia of ActionCoach in London was given a special Judges Award in recognition of her impressive business and back story – rising to be one of the top 5 business coaches in the ActionCoach global network, and the only woman in its UK top 100. An impressive story of dedication allied to the support found in franchising, which saw her only narrowly miss out to eventual winner Janis.

Of the awards, Brian Smart, director general of the bfa said: “Every year we are overwhelmed by the sheer quality of the winners and with the new awards introduced this year, we were thrilled to see such strong businesspeople in each category. The passion through which the winners drive their businesses forward is captivating. They are true trailblazers in their industries and it is fantastic to be celebrating their business excellence at this year’s bfa HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards.”

Cathryn Hayes, head of franchising at HSBC, added: “This year’s winners have demonstrated dedication, passion and excellence in their fields to set an exemplary high industry standard for others. The ambition and commitment delivered by the entrants was compelling. Strong franchising networks mean franchisees are never alone in business and are provided with the support to succeed whilst being able to provide quality services. At HSBC we get to work with some of the country’s most exciting and forward-thinking franchisees and are proud to be associated with such positive role models for the industry.”

Seán Hammond, head of franchising at Express Newspapers said: “Each and every year, we are blown away by the stories and successes for these leading businesspeople. The bfa HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards highlight best business practice across a breadth of business sectors, paving the way for others to follow suit. It’s great to celebrate and recognise the best of the country’s franchisees who go the extra mile for their peers, colleagues and customers to endeavour to succeed.”

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