Franchisees are increasingly prioritising the passion they have for a business when deciding whether to stick with it, according to the 2012 Topfranchise.com.au Awards, which placed Smartline Personal Mortgage Advisors in the top spot.
The annual awards, created by franchise consultancy 10 Thousand Feet, saw Smartline win out in terms of franchisee satisfaction based on criteria such as lifestyle, financial rewards and franchisor support.
Aussie Pooch Mobile, the dog care franchise, was placed second, with Drummond Golf coming in third.
According to Ian Krawitz, head of intelligence at 10 Thousand Feet, franchisee passion for what they do was a clear hallmark of this year’s awards.
“Franchisees are focusing on what’s beyond the transaction, the passion they have for the role and the feelings their customers have for the business,” he tells StartupSmart.
“You’d think after the hard past four or five years, franchisees would become jaded, but that’s not what we’re seeing. The businesses in the top echelons have people who are very passionate and there are a lot of retail businesses in the top 10, despite the challenging retail environment.”
Krawitz says it’s essential that franchisors engender a love for the business among franchisees.
“If a franchisor isn’t passionate, how can you expect a franchisee to be?” he says. “You want to choose people who like your business. Take Aussie Pooch Mobile – 50% of their franchisees come from their customer base.”
“Finances, lifestyle and the support received from franchisors are still critical factors in making the top 10 in the Topfranchise awards and having satisfied franchisees. But we have seen the passion for what franchisees do and the customers they serve increase to over one-sixth of what makes franchisees happy.”
Topfranchise.com.au Top 10, November 2012
| Rank | Company name | Franchisees in Australia | Units/locations in Australia* |
| 1 | Smartline Personal Mortgage Advisers | 240 | 240 |
| 2 | Aussie Pooch Mobile | 92 | 200 |
| 3 | Drummond Golf | 48 | 48 |
| 4 | Pandora | 35 | 62 |
| 5 | Worldwide Online Printing | 50 | 61 |
| 6 | Mister Minit | 90 | 110 |
| 7 | Embroid Me | 39 | 40 |
| 8 | Snap-on Tools | 101 | 166 |
| 9 | Bucking Bull | 25 | 32 |
| 10 | Kwik Copy | 86 | 105 |
*This refers to the combined number of business units owned and operated by the company and its franchisees.
This article first appeared on StartupSmart.
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