Benefits of a motivated network – collective success
A franchise’s annual conference is a great opportunity to bring the network together, share ideas, and look to the future. Add to this it being The Wheel Specialist’s first in-person event since the pandemic, and you can imagine the buzz felt by those who were there.
The true value of any franchise network, we firmly believe, is the people within it. At The Wheel Specialist, we've always enjoyed bringing our franchisees together; it gives us time away from “the doing”, to share ideas and best practices, reflect on the past year, and look to our future.
So, in February, we were excited to host our first in-person conference since the pandemic! We’ve had virtual events for the last few years, but there’s nothing like being in a room with people who share your passion and aspirations. For some of our new franchisees and staff, it was the first time they’d met the rest of the network, which created a heightened expectation as they connected with others who share the same business strengths.
A durable plan for success
Our theme this year is “endurance”. There’s no hiding from the fact the UK is going through a tough period at the moment, which is reflected by how the network is feeling. But the reality is The Wheel Specialist, as a whole, actually had a number of individual record-breaking months and a collective record year for the network.. So, our commitment, as Head Office Support, is to ensure their hard work continues to pay off and increase overall network performance.
During the day, we shared key stats from last year and inspired franchisees with our goals for this year. This means we’re all on the same page, as a brand. But often, the most important conversations happen “outside” the programme, as people socialise. From the moment they arrived, franchisees were instantly connecting together, regardless of how long they’d been part of the network which as a franchisor, is great to see we’re truly as one unit!
Unique opportunities to soak-up knowledge
Nothing beats real, lived experiences as a learning opportunity; which can’t be built into any programme. For example, Adrian Stalanowski only took ownership of The Wheel Specialist Swansea in late December but had a unique opportunity for a head start on his success story. During the conference, Adrian spoke with several franchisees, including our highest performers, about their experiences and successes. He also spent time with our longest-running franchisee who’s been in business for 15 years. So, just two months into his journey and Adrian gained valuable insight from our most successful people. Imagine what this would do for your business if you had access to this level of experience, first-hand!
Everyone is part of the conversation
Another great opportunity for franchisees to be involved in the conversations around their businesses, as we focus on our collective milestones for the year, is during roundtable discussions. This year, we focused on four key areas:
Technical discussions with our technical director, around our technical developments, new initiatives and supplier options, with a focus on areas for growth within the franchise
Trade sales discussion with our Trade Sales Manager, Chris, on how franchisees can get more out of their business through trade sales, and how he supports those who are too busy to do it themselves.
A demonstration of our modernised and upgraded bespoke CRM system, so franchisees and their staff can understand all its features, how to maximise it for their business management, and give feedback for better development
And creative marketing ideas, with guests from Coconut Marketing, who offered insight on how to make the most from video for marketing your business.
Courage is contagious!
We invited motivational Speaker, former combat helicopter pilot, Sarah Furness, to really send us out feeling empowered. Through her talk, “Fear is contagious. So is courage.” Sarah spoke about how we can focus more on what is controllable but should refocus our attention, and not worry so much about those things we can't control. When we’re under pressure, and dealing with stressful situations, there are ways we can switch our mindset, by focusing on what we excel at, and becoming more successful than we thought we would have been.
As Caroline McVey, at The Wheel Specialist Ribble Valley says, “We had a FAB time and have really come away feeling charged up, full of ideas and ready for another successful year. Also just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the guest speaker – I honestly felt like Sarah was talking to me throughout! THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES!!”
Awarding individual success
Our conference is not just about learning. At the Wheel Specialist, we like to celebrate the achievements of individuals within the network, applauding those who’ve done exceptional things. And, this doesn’t always come down to revenue.
Our full list of winners are:
Best Wheel Refurb Sales: Johnny Marshall, manager at The Wheel Specialist Newcastle
Best Trade Product Sales: Johnny Marshall, manager at The Wheel Specialist Newcastle
Best Public Product Sales: Sarah Kerr, The Wheel Specialist Fareham
Best New Product Sales: Johnny Marshall, manager at The Wheel Specialist Newcastle
Top Additional Service Provider: James, the manager at The Wheel Specialist Nottingham
Highest Total Sales: Johnny Marshall, manager at The Wheel Specialist Newcastle
Best Customer Service: Willie Forsyth, The Wheel Specialist Aberdeen
Best Marketing: Sarah Kerr, The Wheel Specialist Fareham
Brand Superstar: David Stanley, The Wheel Specialist Leicester
Overall Best Performing Franchise: Johnny Marshall, manager at The Wheel Specialist Newcastle
Best Growth: Eddie & Caroline McVey, The Wheel Specialist Ribble Valley
Players Player (Chosen by the network): Jon King, The Wheel Specialist Cardiff
Highest Wheel Volume: Scott Christie, The Wheel Specialist Glasgow North
Staff Excellence Award: Luke Hunter, part of the team at The Wheel Specialist Durham
Recognition of Record-breaking Month: John Leggatt, The Wheel Specialist Bristol
Hopefully, you can see how easy it is for newer franchisees to stand out, as much as our more established franchisees do, at The Wheel Specialist.
As you can clearly tell, our top-performing franchise is The Wheel Specialist Newcastle, owned by John and Lynda, and run by their manager, Johnny, and Front of House, Nicole. They had won five awards by the end of the night! Rather than feeling frustrated, other franchisees were inspired, having seen something in the Newcastle franchise they can aspire to – so Johnny may have to watch his back for those awards in the coming years!
As Johnny says about his success this year: "The 13th annual conference was in a lovely, intimate setting where we could all network and discuss ways in which we can make The Wheel Specialist even better. But the stand out was winning FIVE of the prestigious The Wheel Specialist awards!! Although we won a fair few, the formula for success boils down to one thing: Work hard and follow the business model provided by Head Office. We’ve worked around the clock some days, and always managed to provide unrivalled customer service and expertise.
“Being part of the franchise compels us to work harder – and brings out our competitive side! Over the years we’ve seen other franchises, like Fareham and Glasgow North, take home these awards, which spurred us to beat them, to become the best! As a Manager, this would never have been achievable without the guidance of franchisees John and Lynda, the great team of staff we’ve moulded and trained over the last few years and, most of all, our front-of-house, Nicole. She’s responsible for getting all the wheels into the workshop and is brilliant at upselling the new products Head Office develop. She also works with insurance companies and traders, boosting our tyre sales sky high, which led to us winning Highest Trade Product sales."
A flavour of what you could be a part of, at our next conference?
Hopefully, you’ve had a taste of what you can expect to experience when you decide to join The Wheel Specialist, this year. Who knows, your name could be on the list of winners, in years to come!
To make a start on your journey with us, why not speak to us today, and discover what running The Wheel Specialist is really like for your future?