Today is the last day of the 50th International Franchise Association’s annual convention. This year, the convention takes place in San Antonio, Texas and plays host to a number of speakers from across the franchising and entrepreneurship world, along with key speaker, former US President – George W. Bush.
The convention also features an awards ceremony, honouring those who are deemed to have contributed significantly to the international franchise community, along with a tribute to the lifelong contribution of Russell J. Frith, former member, treasurer and chairman of the IFA .
The convention is a great networking opportunity, and attendees at this year’s convention also have the chance to meet with representatives from many franchises available across the globe including such recognisable brands as 7-Eleven Ltd., Ben & Jerry’s, Build-A-Bear Workshop, ComForcare Senior Services, McDonald’s, Subway and NexCen Brands who are responsible for some of the most successful food franchises including Great American Cookies and Maggie’s Moos IceCream. Some of these franchises ranked very high in our recent Top 100 Global Franchises and have a lot to offer in terms of advice to new and growing franchises. The convention should prove a wonderful opportunity for those franchises looking to expand their franchise network across the globe.
Franchise Direct representatives Jill Ptacek and Chaz Williams along with Marie Andrée Maurice are currently attending the convention so we’ll be sure to provide you with an update of all that went on when they return…and recover!
To find out more about the event, visit the IFA’s website, or to find out more about any upcoming franchise expos and events, why not visit our franchise expo and event calendar.
The bfa have announced plans to launch their “Proud to Franchise”
scheme in an effort to encourage more and more people across the UK to give their custom to British franchisees.
This seems like a great idea. Especially during an economic downturn, people want to support local businesses and jobs. If businesses remind the public that they are a franchise outlet, they are also reminding them that this is a local business person who has taken on the brand of a bigger company which may also be British. It is important, especially now, that people understand that buying from a franchise does not mean they are supporting a big corporation but that they are supporting a local business person who decided to bring the franchise’s business concept to their local area. Supporting your local businesses means keeping jobs alive for your neighbours, including franchises regardless of where the franchisor originates.
The bfa’s Dan Archer comments:
“Franchising allows the perfect combination of big company best practice delivered passionately by dedicated local business owners. This mix of good practice and great client focus enables customers to experience a consistent level of service which is rooted in a closer customer relationship. In a time when the service received by customers is regularly questioned, the fact that in most franchise businesses the customer is closer to the owner, should be recognised for the benefit that it brings.
“At one level ‘Proud to Franchise’ is just about franchisees changing the language that they use to describe the business or themselves, so ‘Franchised Outlet’ or ‘Franchise Owner’. It could however, also involve the ‘Proud to Franchise’ logo being used on adverts, press releases being sent out or stickers being placed in their windows or on their vans.”
So keep an eye out for those “Proud to Franchise” logos displayed by your local businesses.
Every year, the British Franchise Association (bfa) chooses franchisees for their Franchisee of the Year Awards. This year, the theme for the awards this year is managing change, and the finalists are in!
According to Director General Brian Smart, these awards celebrate the UK’s top franchisees and are “all a great example of how focus and drive, when supplemented by the support of a franchisor, results in the growth of a sustainable and profitable business.”
These franchisors are doing something right, from picking the franchisees that fit to providing the training and support needed to run a successful franchise. The bfa will announce the winners on 2nd October at the International Convention Centre black-tie gala dinner in Birmingham.
If you’re interested in finding out more about some of these Franchisee of the Year finalists, check out their profiles on Franchise Direct.
Being part of a franchise association gives a franchise legitimacy, as it has been vetted by an institution that prides itself on following a Code of Ethics. All of these organisations are voluntary, and you must submit an application to be a part of these franchise associations.
There are three franchise associations that are worth mentioning in regards to franchising in the UK and Ireland:
- The British Franchise Association
- The Irish Franchise Association
- The International Franchise Association
The British Franchise Association is the premier self-regulating governing body for franchising in the UK. They have three tiers of membership: Full Members, Associate Members and Provisional Listing Companies. All members must follow the BFA code of business practice. Full Members are those established franchisors that already have a proven record of success. Associate Members must follow the same criteria as Full Members, but may not have been operating as long, have as large of a franchise network or have the same range of experiences. However, both Full and Associate members need to meet certain Membership Criteria (including viability, franchisable, ethical and disclosure) in order to be part of the BFA. The Provisional List is for new franchisors that are taking every step they can to properly develop and test their franchise method.
The Irish Franchise Association also hopes to establish ethical franchises throughout Ireland. By promoting franchise development through different programmes such as their website, franchise seminars, networking, franchise exhibitions and awards, the Irish Franchise Association is committed to creating a proper franchise network in Ireland. This franchise association aims to make sure that sound business opportunities are being promoted in the right way, and has strict membership criteria.
The International Franchise Association is a membership organisation made up of franchisees, franchisors and suppliers. By representing the interests of the franchise community, the IFA aims to admit franchisors that are committed to excellence and choose to follow their Code of Ethics. Although the IFA is a predominantly American organisation, they also have many international members that are part of the network. Since franchisees are also able to join, they get a network of other franchisees to become involved with. Suppliers, those who work with franchisees and/or franchisors to provide services, products or information, are also a part of the network and lend the IFA another important perspective.
These three main franchise associations function to keep franchising thriving in the UK and Ireland … as well as ethical!
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