What makes a really good franchise company? We believe the answer lies in support, support and more support for both the franchisees and their clients. And when it comes to the home care sector, it’s about delivering an unparalleled level of care. These are just two of the underlying philosophies that have made Home Instead so successful in recent years. And they’re also two very good reasons why we’ve won one of the franchising industry’s most coveted awards – being named as the GOLD Franchisor of the Year at the bfa HSBC Franchise Awards.
The British Franchise Association (bfa) is the UK’s leading not-for-profit trade association for the franchising sector – so we were understandably delighted to receive the award! It followed a very rigorous judging process. Our entry focused on our BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal) – which is to make in-home care the default norm for older people as opposed to residential care. It explained how we’ve used a bold, national TV advertising campaign to try and turn our goal into a reality.
Our entry also talked about the ‘Home Instead Franchise Journey’. This was introduced to bring out the very best from our franchisees, by providing them with a comprehensive programme of operational and wellbeing support. During the interviews for the award, we explained the wide range of franchise support services we offer franchisees, even during challenges such as the pandemic.
The success of our approach was confirmed when we won the GOLD award, which is seen as the pinnacle of franchising achievements. Indeed, the bfa HSBC Franchise awards are known as ‘The Oscars’ of the franchise industry. According to the bfa, they celebrate ‘the best of the best in franchising, showcasing franchisors and franchisees alike who are committed to ethical franchising’. And the top award of all is the GOLD Franchisor of the Year.
In presenting the award, Pip Wilkins, CEO of the British Franchise Association, commented on our ethical approach to franchising and the support we give to our franchisees. Andy Brattesani, UK Head of Franchising at HSBC, added: “Home Instead impressed the judges with its heavy focus on the wellbeing of their franchisees and Care Professionals. Developing the Home Instead Franchise Journey, which details the support a franchisee requires from a self-developmental perspective, has been very successful.”
Being named as the GOLD Franchisor of the Year is yet another step as we work towards becoming the UK’s most admired care company by changing the face of ageing. Responding to the award, Ruth Brown, our business development director, said, “We are honoured to have been named as the Franchisor of the Year GOLD winner. This accolade is down to the hard work and commitment of so many people – the team of experts at our National Office, our franchise owners and their key players and, of course, our amazing Care Professionals.”