Tag Archive for: bfa

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ServiceMaster Clean By Deeland named as a finalist in the 36th BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards

The team at ServiceMaster Clean by Deeland have been announced as finalists in the BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards for the second consecutive year.

Big things are happening at ServiceMaster Clean By Deeland.

Jane Pailsey and Andre Gottemaker are celebrating after being named one of 56 finalists in the prestigious 2025 BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards, in the hotly contested Customer Focus category, after being named finalists in the HSBC UK Best in Class Multi-Unit Multi-Brand Award last year.

Nick Dee Shepland bought a ServiceMaster Clean business, which provides expert commercial cleaning services, in 1991. In 2021, it became an Employee Ownership Trust, whereby 80% of the company shares are held in trust on behalf of the employees and has been run by Jane and Andre’s Senior Leadership Team ever since from their Newbury-based head office.

The BFA HSBC UK Franchise Awards

The BFA (British Franchise Association) is the UK’s leading authority on franchising, dedicated to upholding ethical business practices and high standards. Established in 1977, it empowers businesses and individuals through accreditation, education, and expert guidance.

The awards are sponsored by HSBC UK. UK Head of Franchise Gillian Morris said:

“My warmest congratulations to all the finalists in this year’s British Franchise Awards. It’s certainly not an easy task, but shortlisting the entries and choosing the finalists is one of the highlights of my year. As ever, there are some brilliant businesses amongst this year’s entrants. They really do represent the best of British franchising, and I look forward to seeing them all at the awards ceremony in November.”

Chief Executive of the BFA, Pip Wilkins, said:

“Our huge congratulations to Jane and Andre, and all our finalists this year. As ever, the entries were very strong, and we commend each and every one of them for their efforts over the past 12 months to do more and to do better. Our members and their franchisees are the backbone of the BFA, upholding the ethical values of the association, and we thank them for their commitment. The winners will be announced at our awards event in November, when the best in UK franchising come together to celebrate success. We look forward to seeing Jane and Andre there on the night and wish them the very best of luck.”

Winners will be revealed at a black-tie dinner in Telford on 6th November 2025, following the association’s annual conference.

Need award-winning cleaning?

If you’re in Newbury and the surrounding areas and would benefit from professional contract cleaning services from a multi-award-winning business, contact the team on 0845 155 1026 or find your nearest ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services business to see how we can help you today.

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ServiceMaster Cleans up at BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards 2024

CJ Micallef from ServiceMaster Clean Manchester won big at the BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards 2024 in Telford.

 The BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards is one of the most prolific nights in the UK franchising calendar.

The awards, which this year celebrated their 35th year, recognise excellence in franchising from across the nation, rewarding the best of the best and the strides and growth of the sector from those living and breathing the reality of franchise ownership.

Four such people were the franchise business owners from ServiceMaster Clean’s three finalists this year, one of whom, CJ Micallef from ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services Manchester, took home the coveted HSBC UK Best In Class Award on the night!

HSBC UK Best In Class Multi-Unit Single Brand Award

This category is for Multi-Unit, Single Brand franchisees.

The BFA describe the HSBC UK best-in-class multi-unit award as ‘like no other.’

It recognises business owners who have built empires in franchising.

The judges were blown away by ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services Manchester’s incredible 19 years of growth, comprehensive management and development structure, and robust plans to develop the business in economically and environmentally sustainable ways in the years to come.

Kind words

Pip Wilkins, CEO of the BFA and co-head judge, said:

“This year’s entries demonstrated well-thought-out strategies, forward-thinking innovation and growth for franchise brands. My enormous congratulations to all finalists and, of course, the winners. We hope this award will give you the recognition you deserve as the best in British franchising”. 

CJ was naturally overjoyed with the results, thanking her parents, who own and ran the business before handing her the reigns in recent years:

“I am thrilled to have won the award for Best-In-Class Multi-Unit franchising.

As a family business that has grown from working in a conservatory at home to an office where everyone feels like a part of that big family, it means so much to be recognised for what we do and have achieved over the years.

I want to say thank you to my staff, who have made it all possible and to the original owners, Martin and Sarah Steinman, for their support. Thank you!”

Congratulations to our worthy winners and all of the other finalists.

Need an award-winning cleaning service?

If you need an award-winning cleaner with nationwide coverage and limitless capacity, find your nearest ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services business to see how we can help you today.

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BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards 2024 Countdown and Sit-down: Siva Kugathas

We sat down with BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards finalist Siva Kugathas from ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services AAA.

Siva Kugathas is ready for the BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards.

Siva, the owner of ServiceMaster Clean Contact Services AAA, was named a finalist in the BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards 2024 in July after winning big last year.

Siva is being recognised in the Business Builder category for purchasing a profitable resale business and excelling by executing strategies that elevate it from good to great.

We sat down with Siva ahead of the awards finals this week to discuss the awards and see how it feels to be a finalist.

About Siva and ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services AAA

Siva purchased ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services Guildford in 2017 as a resale from an existing franchisee.

At the time, the business turned over £50,000. In a matter of years, he has transformed it into a shining star in his multi-million-pound, multi-territory empire: ServiceMaster Clean AAA.

Using the ServiceMaster Clean model and thorough strategies that combat common hurdles in the cleaning industry, Siva has transformed a good business into something great.

What inspired you to take the plunge and enter the awards? 

“After winning last year, I knew the value that the BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards bring to a business. I also didn’t want to rest on my laurels and recognise my business’s overall journey and how we’ve grown in the last year and prove that we can keep getting better and better.”

Why did you specifically choose the category? 

“The Business Builder category lets us tell the story of ServiceMaster Clean AAA from where we started to where we are today. I’m really proud of our journey, and I feel that this category allows us to share and be recognised for that.”

What does being a finalist signify for you and your business?

“Being a finalist means so much. For me, it’s about showcasing who we are and what we do, and it means a lot to be recognised by the BFA and HSBC UK alongside all the other great franchisees. And for my team, it means a lot as well. Not only do we all want to be a part of something great, but without them doing the day-to-day, we wouldn’t be able to grow as we have or do what we do, so any award that recognises the business is also for them.”

 Are you excited for the awards night?

“I am very excited; it is a great event, and it’s always such a fantastic atmosphere with so many accomplished members of the franchising world in the UK in one room.”

Need a new cleaner?

If you would benefit from professional contract cleaning services from a multi-award-winning business, contact the team on 0800 047 1747 or find your nearest ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services business to see how we can help you today.

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BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards 2024 Countdown and Sit-down: ServiceMaster by Deeland

We sat down with BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards finalists Andre Gottemaker and Jane Paisley from ServiceMaster Clean by Deeland.

Andre Gottemaker and Jane Paisley are ready for the BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards.

Andrew and Jane Paisley, the Senior Leadership Team from ServiceMaster Clean by Deeland, were named finalists in the BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards 2024 in July.

The business is being recognised in the Multi-Unit, Multi-Brand category for its passion for business across multiple brands and mastery of management strategies to enable success.

We sat down with Andre and Jane ahead of the awards finals next week to discuss the awards and see how it feels to be a finalist.

About ServiceMaster Clean by Deeland

The business was started by Contract Services franchisee Nick Dee Shapland in 1991 as a sole trader in Newbury and Reading.

In 2021, it became an Employee Ownership Trust, whereby 80% of the company shares are held in trust on behalf of the employees.

All this has contributed to their achievements in business success in the wider world and ServiceMaster’s franchise network.

What inspired you to take the plunge and enter the awards? 

“We’re incredibly proud of our journey so far and wanted to showcase what we have achieved to a wider audience and also let our team see how proud we are of them!”

Why did you specifically choose the category? 

“Our sustained growth achievements have been delivered through articulation and delivery of a clear strategy, underpinned by a strong company culture, so we believe this award category is most relevant.”

Are you excited for the awards night?

“We can’t wait for the awards night! It will be a fantastic celebration of all of the finalists’ achievements this year.”

Need a new cleaner?

If you’re in Newbury and the surrounding areas and would benefit from professional contract cleaning services from a multi-award-winning business, contact the team on 0845 155 1026 or find your nearest ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services business to see how we can help you today.

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ServiceMaster Clean owner named Franchisee of the Year in European Franchise Awards 2024

Siva Kugathas, owner of ServiceMaster Clean AAA, has been named Franchisee of the Year at the European Franchise Awards 2024.

 Siva Kugathas has long been a trailblazer in franchising.

He arrived in the UK at 18 from war-torn Sri Lanka and worked from the minute he arrived on British shores.

A single father, he was determined to make a name and a better life for himself and his family.

As a highly decorated entrepreneur with over 20 years of franchising experience working for brands like KFC and Pizza Hut, Siva joined ServiceMaster in 2016 as the owner of ServiceMaster Clean AAA and has been committed to going above and beyond to drive excellence in franchising ever since.

Upon joining ServiceMaster in 2016, Siva transformed a business turning over £50,000 into an empire of nineteen successful territories spanning from Inverness to Dover.

Now, he has risen to new heights, representing UK franchising for ServiceMaster Brands UK and the British Franchise Association as Franchisee of the Year at the European Franchise Federation’s European Franchise Awards 2024, which he dedicated to those who have helped him get to where he is today:

“I am delighted to win this award. First, I would like to thank the BFA for bringing us here and ServiceMaster and their team for helping me get here. Most importantly, thank you to my team for helping me bring home this the biggest award of my career. I want to dedicate this to Kinga Derenowska, who has recently left us. Kinga, this one is for you.”

The winning formula: How Siva became Franchisee of the Year

As Franchisee of the Year, Siva has demonstrated a track record of strong overall development and innovation, care for staff and collaboration with other franchisees within the ServiceMaster Clean brand.

The judges, who were all key figures in the world of franchising from the Netherlands, UK, France and Germany, were so impressed by Siva and his accomplishments that they came to the unanimous decision to award him Franchisee of the Year.

Here’s why…

Employee Advocacy and Development

After doubling the size of his business eighteen months after purchase, Siva acquired eighteen further territories in seven years.

In that time, he has grown his staff from seventeen employees to a 925-strong team who, through Siva’s mentorship, grow in their fields and achieve ambitious targets. All this in an industry with notoriously high staff turnover.

This included adding a sales team supported by ServiceMaster’s head office. This team is responsible for ServiceMaster Clean AAA’s ability to pull in an average of twenty-five monthly contracts.

Siva has also implemented multiple bonus schemes for full-time employees, which is unheard of in cleaning and generates excellent employee advocacy. His sponsorship scheme supports management staff studying any course of their choice to support their growth and development.

This has reduced staff turnover and helped recruit over one hundred and fifty new employees in 2023 – with 98% of his management team being internal promotions from cleaning roles.

Environmental Initiatives and Corporate Social Responsibility

Siva has undertaken several initiatives to reduce his business’s environmental impact as part of an ongoing strategy from ServiceMaster Ltd. to reach net zero by 2030.

Last year, Siva purchased a plot of land named ‘The ServiceMaster Woodland”. He is actively conserving this land to offset the company’s carbon emissions by planting trees for each new contract he wins. YTD, this amounts to over 239 trees and counting, which will absorb over 5000 lbs of carbon yearly!

Siva has donated thousands of pounds and hours to local and international charities.

This has included participating in events for the local YMCA, raising thousands of pounds and donating £5,000 to them for training and development of their staff by providing sponsorship for two years to allow a homeless individual to live in private accommodation.

He also delivers regular non-profit cleaning for them, allowing their facilities to maintain hygiene standards for those in their care. This led them to name a room after ServiceMaster Clean at the Guildford Foyer.

He has taken part in charity initiatives alongside his team, covering 200 miles in one month to sponsor the planting of trees and fundraising to provide shelter for women and children recovering from domestic abuse and gender-based violence.

Franchise Advocacy

As a strong advocate for ServiceMaster and the franchise industry, Siva mentors new franchise prospects and helps fellow franchisees with queries.

He is often the first to respond to a question in the network groups and will visit and host franchisees to share strategies and observations, supports the development of new ideas and is always the first to trial new initiatives, strategies and pilot projects.

Client Support and Satisfaction

Siva’s commitment to going above and beyond also extends to his customers, as his approach to customer service is to exceed his client’s desires and leave them in a far better place than they started.

His team conduct regular audits, allowing customers to submit personal feedback directly to the team to put the customer experience at the forefront, allowing Siva to understand where he needs to improve and how to help deliver an even better experience.

Since implementing this, he has observed a growth in customer satisfaction, measured through industry-recognised Net Promotor Scores (NPS).

In the cleaning industry, an NPS score of above zero is good. 50+ is excellent, and anything over 70 is exceptional. Siva’s scores reached 100 in 2020 and stayed over 50 since, with a score of 77 last year and 80 in 2024 so far.

What’s next for Siva?

Looking into the future, Siva aims to continue researching new ways to better the environment as part of his CSR activities, including the goal to make his fleets electric and his business carbon-neutral by 2030.

Maintaining his impressive growth, he is also on track to hit his goals for the future by following his unstoppable trajectory and utilising his close connection to the network, trust in the brand and passion for delivering a quality service. The future is bright for ServiceMaster Clean AAA.

Need an award-winning cleaner?

If you need an award-winning contract cleaner decorated on a continental level as part of an established and decorated brand, call Siva and his team today on 0800 047 1747.

Or nationwide, find your nearest ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services business to see how we can help you today.

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Get to know ServiceMaster Clean by Deeland

Meet ServiceMaster Clean by Deeland, finalists in this year’s BFA HSBC British Franchise Awards.

Three cheers for ServiceMaster Clean by Deeland!

The business, which provides expert contract cleaning services across various sectors in Newbury and the surrounding areas, has been shortlisted for the HSBC Best in Class: Multi-Unit Multi-Brand award at the BFA HSBC British Franchise Awards 2024.

Here’s everything you need to know about them.

Who are ServiceMaster Clean by Deeland?

Deeland Limited has been operating its ServiceMaster franchise for over 30 years.

Known today as ServiceMaster Clean by Deeland, its multi-brand cleaning divisions service six business sectors across four ServiceMaster UK brands:

  • Commercial Businesses
  • Schools & Colleges
  • Domestic Homes
  • Healthcare & Medical Centres
  • Housing Associations & Property Management
  • Fire & Flood Restoration

These are carried out across licences for various brands: ServiceMaster Clean’s Residential and Commercial upholstery and carpet cleaning, Contract Services office cleaning and ServiceMaster Restore’s disaster restoration brand.

ServiceMaster Clean by Deeland’s franchise area covers most of Southern England across 61 franchise licences. Their central management support office and warehouse is in Newbury, with other offices and premises in Bristol, Gloucester and Reading.

Deeland: A History

The business was started by Contract Services franchisee Nick Dee Shapland in 1991 as a sole trader in Newbury and Reading.

Nick Dee Shelpland with his first branded van in 1991

In 2021 it became an Employee Ownership Trust, whereby 80% of the company shares are held in trust on behalf of the employees.

This structurally ensures that their staff can contribute to ideas within the company and benefit from a shareholder distribution scheme.

Not only does this result in greater longevity and expertise amongst their team, but it also ensures that staff are actively invested in the success and growth of the business and go ‘above and beyond’ in providing excellent customer service with a real financial motivation to achieve growth.

The business achieved rapid growth over the first ten years through a large portfolio that, at the time, included a large cleaning contract with Vodafone, which operated from 37 buildings in Newbury.

This growth enabled Deeland Limited to expand its ServiceMaster Clean franchise operations, acquiring new ServiceMaster Brand Licenses and new territories, expanding to include licences such as Residential Services and Fire and Flood Restoration.

The business now serves multiple clients with over 400 staff and a fleet of 70 vans, making them the largest ServiceMaster Clean franchise in the UK.

Management Structure

They are overseen by a centralised Senior Management Team (SMT), which has been in place since 2021 to enable leadership to work on and not just in the business and implement proactive growth plans. The SMT comprises leaders Andre Gottemaker, Jane Paisley and Abbigale May, who collectively have over 54 years of experience within the business.

Left to right: Jane Paisley, Andre Gottemaker, Abbigale May

Leadership from the SMT drive their team to new heights through an excellent training and management structure that ensures their standards are impeccably maintained. This, in turn, means that they can deliver above and beyond the call of duty every time, allowing them significant year-on-year growth.

Culture and Performance

The company culture is based on the 3Ps: Principles, People & Performance.

Their Principles dictate the correct and ethical way in which they operate, they recognise their success depends on their People, so they are highly valued and trained, and they always strive for excellence in their Performance, with fully managed and audited services to help deliver this. 

This approach was originally part of ServiceMaster Ltd.’s franchisor philosophy on managing and operating a successful commercial business, demonstrating Deeland’s strong commitment to upholding the core values of the whole brand as part of its culture. 

To formalise their investment in their people, they have a Human Resources Department to allow a separate, centrally managed function to manage staff performance, well-being and recruitment.

The SMT has also introduced a Quality Assurance Management Program (QAMP) to focus on company performance.

QAMP ensures scheduled meetings are in place for the year with set agendas to examine and audit KPIs like service delivery, customer service and employee reviews.

This works alongside formalised training processes through a comprehensive induction and training matrix for all staff. This is started on day one of their employment to ensure that high standards are maintained, and contracts are delivered.

These are rigorously upheld in line with ISO, an investment that goes above and beyond the sector’s expectations and affords the business and brands a prestige and quality assurance that means Deeland can win larger and more reputable contracts.

It has the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 Accreditation, is externally audited yearly by ISOQAR, and is also a BICSc Accredited Training Centre.

They have also formalised social values, responsibilities, and environmental policies as part of their commitment to their principles. These feed into their company culture as an EOT, demonstrating and living the company ethos.

Need a new cleaner?

As the largest ServiceMaster Clean franchise in the UK, ServiceMaster by Deeland delivers excellence in every aspect of their business.

See how they can help you today by calling 0845 155 1026 for a free, no-obligation quotation.

Or, nationwide, find your nearest ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services business today to connect with your local cleaning experts.

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ServiceMaster AAA cleans up at BFA HSBC British Franchise Awards

Double Award Winner Siva Kugathas Wins Prestigious BFA Trailblazer & People’s Choice Award.

Siva Kugathas from ServiceMaster Clean AAA received the coveted Franchisee Trailblazer Award and the People’s Choice Award during the prestigious BFA HSBC British Franchise Awards.

Siva received the Franchisee Trailblazer Award as a recognition of his work within our brand model and for showing what is truly possible with the collaboration of a franchise business.

But there was one more surprise award on the night, the People’s Choice award, where the attendees voted from the list of winners for who they thought was deserving of this new award for 2023.

Therefore, this award truly placed Siva as the best of the best!

This unexpected award added extra excitement to an already remarkable evening, making it an event to be remembered for outstanding achievements and the collaborative spirit of those who make the industry thrive.

Siva collecting the People’s Choice Award from judges and hosts Pip Wilkins and Gillian Morris

Judge’s Comments

Pip Wilkins, Chief Executive of the BFA, said:

Our huge congratulations to Siva, on these tremendous wins. We had some fantastic franchisee entries this year but his really stood out from the crowd. We would like to thank him for being such a great franchisee and for representing the very best in franchising.”

Judge, awards host and UK Head of Franchise, Commercial Banking at sponsors HSBC Bank, Gillian Morris said:

“The diversity of franchising on display at tonight’s awards ceremony – across so many brands and sectors – demonstrates the strength and reach of the industry. Choosing a winner is never easy and I’d like to join Pip in thanking everyone who entered and sending our warm congratulations to all the winners on these very well-deserved awards.”

Siva’s Accomplishments

Siva is the definition of a trailblazing franchisee.

His performance, growth, and transformation in 6 years have been awe-inspiring.

Turning a business with a £50,000 turnover into an empire of 14 successful territories, he has demonstrated success under the ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services model and in an industry with no ceiling.

Upon receiving his award, Siva said:

“It’s an honour to win the People’s Choice alongside the Franchisee Trailblazer Award. To receive the recognition of the judges and my peers in the franchising community is a huge validation for myself and my team, who have worked hard to help get ServiceMaster Clean AAA to where we are today.

Thank you to my team, ServiceMaster, and everyone who voted for me. And congratulations to all of my fellow winners!”

With the right attitude, ambition, and team spirit to move his focused staff behind his goal, he is on track to hit his goal of £10 million turnover by 2027.

We do not doubt that he will achieve this by following his unstoppable trajectory and utilising his close connection to the network, trust in the brand and passion for delivering a quality service.

Want an award-winning cleaning service?

If you are in Guildford, Bracknell, Heathrow, Slough, Woking, Luton, Watford, Canterbury, Dover, Colchester, Ipswich, York, Doncaster, or Lincolnshire and would like to benefit from a cleaning service from a multi-award winning business, call Siva and his team today on 0800 047 1747.

Or, nationwide, find your nearest ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services business to learn more about our services in your area.