Member Article

Shuttercraft nominated for major franchising award

Shuttercraft has been shortlisted in the Business Transformation category at the bfa HSBC British Franchise Awards, to be held at the Vox, Birmingham, on November 30.

Shuttercraft is a business that imports and sells products via the brand S:CRAFT to both trade partners and franchise partners across the UK. The products sold are Plantation Shutters and Blinds. The franchises across the UK provide a survey, supply and fit service and only sell S:CRAFT products to their customers. Shuttercraft generates the leads for its franchises centrally – supported by local advertising.

“The team have worked so hard this last 18 months, pushing boundaries, stepping out of their comfort zones, and striving for change in order to provide the very best service to and for our network. Being shortlisted for the Business Transformation award, amongst such fantastic other entries, has been a massive recognition of the team’s dedication to the development of the franchise. We are genuinely rather overwhelmed to have reached this stage,” said Lisa Stead, Franchise Manager at Shuttercraft.

The awards evening is the flagship event in the franchising calendar and getting a nomination in itself is an achievement, proving the business works ethically and in the best interests of franchisees and staff, beating many other franchise systems who also entered.

Pip Wilkins QFP, CEO of the British Franchising Association, congratulated the shutters and blinds company:

“The transformation of this business sits in its franchise type, with a clear shift from an operator van franchise to a managerial franchise model. Formerly, it was very difficult for franchisees to successfully scale up the business. Since the new model was launched, 12 new franchisees have joined the network and feedback shows that the change has transformed the business.”

Andrew Brattesani, Head of Franchising, HSBC, said:

“In order to change the franchise structure, the entire model was overhauled. There is now more focus on bespoke technology, an increase in marketing, a larger head office and more opportunities to engage as a network. These are just some of the changes in the past two years.”

Shuttercraft will go head-to-head against two other franchise systems in November.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Stone .