Agency Express announced as Franchisor of the Year

Multi-award winning Agency Express is the UK’s largest provider of specialist estate agency board services. Through their extensive network of franchise operators, Agency Express service and maintain over 40% of all UK estate agency boards – completing over 90,000 visits to properties every month. The Agency Express franchise foundations are built upon first class support systems, proven business formulas and industry leading technology.

This is why out of the UK’s 930 franchise brands Agency Express were announced as the UK’s best franchise, winning the Gold award for ‘bfa HSBC Franchisor of the Year’. The ‘bfa HSBC Franchisor of the Year’ award recognises the UK’s most exceptional franchisors for their business growth and development, service excellence and commitment to ethical franchising. Achieving a Gold status for this prestigious award is the highest honour available to a franchise brand and previous winners have included multinational franchises such as McDonald’s and Domino’s Pizzas.

The judges highly commended Agency Express for their commitment to technological innovation, delivered in the form of SignMaster3 their complete online business management tool and admired their attention to ethical franchising and improving the lives of their franchisees. Commenting on Agency Express’s achievements Cathryn Hayes head of Business Support for the bfa said:

From a group of finalists that demonstrated the highest standards and practices, Agency Express stood out for an unsurpassed focus on the work/life balance and livelihoods of their franchisees. Continual improvements to systems and support, with a focus on technological innovations, have resulted in significant impact on the performance and efficiency of franchisee businesses, whilst the franchisor has borne all development costs. Regular finalists in recent years, this is a business worthy of taking home the highest accolade a UK franchise business can achieve.

Andy Brattesani, UK head of franchising for HSBC added:

The emphasis placed by Agency Express on the performance and satisfaction of its franchisees has been nothing short of remarkable. The dominant brand in its marketplace, it would have been easy for the company’s directors to rest on their laurels as the business achieved full coverage nationwide. Instead they’ve commendably done the exact opposite, eking out maximum performance from every aspect of their business model. This is a business at the top of its game. We’re delighted to recognise those efforts with this award.

Final thoughts came from Agency Express Managing Director Stephen Watson:

We’re honored to have been selected as the 2015 ‘bfa HSBC Franchisor of the Year’. This revered award showcases the UK’s most outstanding franchisors and year on year the level of excellence increases. This is the third consecutive year that we have been judged as a finalist and to be awarded the Gold in such a strong category is fantastic, a feat not many franchisors achieve. At Agency Express we are committed to the growth and development of our business, but most importantly as a franchisor we have a responsibility to support the needs and welfare of our franchisees. Over the past 12 months we have made substantial reinvestements into our online systems and support structure to ensure our franchisees can thrive whilst maintaining a very healthy work/life balance. Achieving the ‘bfa HSBC Franchisor of the Year’ award not only recognises our advancements and successes in the last 12 months; but forms the pinnacle of success representing all we have strived for in the last 17 years of franchising.