14th Westpac Franchise Awards

Press Release 10 November 2008

Quest for Strong Leadership is Paramount at the 14th Westpac Franchise Awards

While the votes were being counted to decide who would be New Zealand’s next leader, the billion-dollar franchise sector was rewarding its top performers at the 14th annual Westpac Franchise Awards.

The highly contested Supreme Franchise System of the Year went to Paramount Franchise Services for their effective leadership and quality management systems at the black tie awards dinner on Saturday night. Paramount, the commercial cleaning company, was also awarded Business Services Franchisor of the Year.

The Supreme Franchisee of the Year went to Quest Newmarket for their ‘courage to take the organisation from being just another business to a business striving for excellence.’ For the second year running the 48-room, four plus star hotel also won the title of best Lifestyle Franchisee of the Year.

The dinner hosted by the New Zealand Franchise Association, showcased the outstanding performers from the past year in an industry that generates an annual turnover of more than $16 billion.

Chief judge Professor Gael McDonald commented: “I think it is critical in this economic environment that we can reward people at the forefront in their industry with the aim of improving standards and showcasing best practices in franchising.”

Professor McDonald also added it was particularly pleasing to see a mix of new and established franchise systems entering the awards.

“The new and emerging systems are evidence of a healthy, growing sector, while the established systems are proof of businesses that are sustainable.”

Estelle Logan, Chairman of the New Zealand Franchise Association, said this year’s awards attracted a 50% increase in entries – and that was on top of a record number of entries last year.

Covering five categories – home services, business services, retail, lifestyle and food and beverage – and two Special Awards Categories, Master Franchisee and Service Provider, the annual awards offered these business owners an unrivalled opportunity to analyse and improve their business.

“Businesses were judged by nationally recognised criteria and the process was ‘vigorous’”, Mrs Logan said. “Entrants frequently strengthened their business processes over several years, by taking on board the judges’ suggested improvements, and came back to win.”

Even though it only began franchising in 1996, Paramount Franchise Services already has more than 100 franchisees operating throughout the country offering a full commercial cleaning service, including carpet and upholstery care, rubbish removal and floor cleaning.

Judges noted that the business had focused on customer satisfaction with franchisee performance in the previous three years, leading to significant improvement and culminating in winning the Supreme Westpac Franchisor of the Year award.

Since being built in 2003, Quest Newmarket has striven to become the first choice for people wanting accommodation in Newmarket. The hotel is part of the Quest Serviced Apartments franchise, which launched its new accommodation concept 20 years ago.

High customer and staff satisfaction were vital in helping Quest Newmarket hold onto its crown in the 14th year of the Awards, with customer satisfaction shown through the hotel’s high occupancy rates, consistently at 85-90%, despite slightly higher tariffs than its competitors.

“Franchising is very important to the New Zealand economy”, Professor McDonald continued, “as it provided new entrants an easy access into a proven and established business, with an inbuilt opportunity for mentoring, advice and guidance.”

And for businesses that wanted to grow, becoming a franchisor provided a framework for documenting all the business systems and to benefit from the input of franchisees. “In effect, everybody is working on your business.”

The winning franchisee and franchisor of the year entries were good examples of this, she said.

The 14th Westpac New Zealand Franchise Award Winners:

SUPREME AWARDS WINNER REGION
Westpac Franchisee of the Year and Franchise NZ magazine and website Lifestyle Services Franchisee of the Year Quest Newmarket Auckland
Westpac Franchisor of the Year and BDO Spicers Business Services Franchise System of the Year Paramount Franchise Services Ltd Auckland

SPECIAL AWARDS
Westpac Service Provider – Affiliate Franchize Consultants Auckland
Westpac Master Franchisee Fastway Couriers Wanganui Wanganui
CATEGORY WINNERS
Franchize Consultants Home Service's Franchisee of the Year VIP Home Services Dannemora
Auckland
Franchize Consultants Home Service Franchise System of the Year Exceed Maintenance Tauranga
The Franchise Coach Retail Franchisee of the Year Mr Rental Hamilton Hamilton
The Franchise Coach Retail Franchise System of the Year Mr Rental NZ Ltd Auckland
SNAP Printing Food and Beverage Franchisee of the Year Xpresso Delight Auckland Auckland
SNAP Printing Food and Beverage Franchise System of the Year Xpresso Delight NZ Ltd New Zealand
BDO Spicers Business Services Franchisee of the Year Dalton Family Trading Trust Paramount Services Auckland
Franchise NZ magazine and website Lifestyle Services Franchise System of the Year Home Instead Senior Care (NZ) Ltd Hamilton

For further information visit www.franchiseassociation.co.nz

ENDS

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