“How we’re winning hearts and minds”

Never has it been more important for the British Franchise Association to be present and informed

The past year has taken its toll on small businesses everywhere and it’s fair to say that franchising has suffered its ups and downs too.

We decided early on in our 2020 strategic decision making that to be able to support the sector we needed to be more relevant than ever - and to be more relevant we needed to be present and informed.

This was to become the new age of what has historically been quite a traditional industry. Let’s take a look at the journey in parts:

Hot off the press

With legislation and COVID rules changing on a regular basis, we connected with trusted sources of information and identified key links for the community.

These were distributed often and when updates were issued we secured experts to add additional support and points for enquiry and reference.

A franchise support guide was produced to ensure details of all financial support and government initiatives could be easily navigated by franchisors and their franchisees.

We recognised a need for franchisors to benefit from materials that could simplify the situation for their networks.

Trusted partners

Never before has the British Franchise Association experienced such a need from members for human contact and a sympathetic ear.

We became an extension to franchisor networks, a much needed sounding board for discussing challenges and problem solving.

The connectivity between the association team and the membership was one of transparency and integrity and, as a result, the industry came out of the most difficult year in its history to face the most fantastic opportunities collectively and with a strong sense of purpose and presence.

Collective ambition and one voice

We organised free franchise surgeries and weekly power hours, while our prestigious annual conference and awards were opened up to the entire community and featured a heavily subsidised agenda containing heavyweight keynotes and the best industry professionals.

The bfa attempted to understand the intricacies of sector-specific challenges and proactively work with trade bodies to support our member brands impacted by sector decisions.

In addition, we developed strong partnerships that support the sector in the long term.

It’s no accident that our reach and presence is greater than ever and we’re so proud to be providing a strong platform for all our members. Together we’re stronger and together we can tell a much bigger story than one network or brand alone.

Take a seat at the table

If you’ve not yet engaged or started your application to become a bfa member, we encourage you to consider this now. Reach out and let’s have a conversation.

We represent the very best standards in franchising and have influenced and negotiated some fantastic relationships because of this.

If you’re passionate, going places and come from a position of honesty and integrity, we want to work with you.

The process to become an accredited bfa member is not complex, but it’s one where we want to understand your journey so we can provide the necessary support.

Consider us an extension of your teams. Membership of an association is not a simple transaction, it should be one of strategic decision making, mutual understanding and collaboration.

We look forward to welcoming you and your franchisees.

The author

Emily Price is chief operating officer at the British Franchise Association.