Tag Archive for: the bfa

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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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BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards 2024 Countdown and Sit-down: CJ Micallef

We sat down with BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards finalist CJ Micallef from ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services Manchester.

CJ Micallef is ready for the BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards.

CJ, the Managing Director of ServiceMaster Clean Contact Services Manchester, was named a finalist in the BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards 2024 in July.

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

We sat down with CJ ahead of the awards finals in November to discuss the awards and see how it feels to be a finalist.

About CJ and ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services Manchester

CJ is the daughter of ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services Manchester’s original owners, who started the business in 1991.

Today, having taken the reigns of the family business and has been instrumental in expansion through the growth of the business’s turnover, capacity, and efficiency.

In 2019, CJ created a five-year plan to reach a £5 million turnover when turning over £2.5 million.

They have achieved above and beyond their goals and, with a current turnover of £5.2 million, are growing in line with their 37% growth in the last year and consistent growth in previous years.

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

“We wanted to showcase our business journey since 2019, with the success of our second-generation family leadership, as we have kept our values, ethics and integrity at the heart of what we do as we continue to grow whilst staying committed to the brand and history that has helped the business be what it is today.”

Why did you specifically choose the category? 

“It is the category that enables us to really tell our story – where we were, the challenges we’ve overcome and how, since 2019, we have developed the business further to continue to drive success, increase our expansion organically in all areas of business quality, environment, safety, and our people.”

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

“Credibility. It enhances the brand and our reputation locally to create new business opportunities.”

“It also supports our journey to continue to deliver business excellence, provides a platform for continued growth, and inspires our team members to feel proud, recognised and motivated. This vitally creates assurance and peace of mind for our committed customers.”

 Are you excited for the awards night?

“Very excited, it will be an honour to attend and meet the other well-deserving finalists across all award categories.”

Need a new cleaner?

If you’re in Manchester and the surrounding areas and would benefit from professional contract cleaning services from a multi-award-winning business, contact the team on 0800 1958 490 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.