Poppies, a respected franchise with a rich 40-year legacy, is a great example of success driven by the constant commitment of its franchisees and staff.
Last year Poppies bid farewell to Pamela a much appreciated long standing member of the Poppies of Durham cleaning team, who after an impressive 34 years of service took retirement to enjoy her growing number of grandchildren and acknowledged the 31st year in business for the Poppies of Sheffield franchisee, Nigel Bayliss.
What fuels an ability to foster such long-lasting loyalty among franchisees and staff?
Reflecting on his journey from franchisee to Franchisor, Chris Wootton shares, “I began as a Poppies franchisee and continue to operate my franchise outlet to this day. Many of the franchisees who I’ve worked alongside as peers have become good friends. There is a vast amount of knowledge and experience within our franchise network, which new franchisees benefit from through peer-to-peer mentoring.”
Central to Poppies’ triumph is a culture of unwavering support, mentorship and continual development. In addition to the peer-to-peer mentoring the franchise conducts both group and 1 to 1 training and support sessions, hosts training webinars and maintains robust internal communication platforms, all aimed at empowering its network of franchisees. Beyond the tangible financial benefits, franchisees can exchange best practices and reignite their ambitions through impactful networking with like-minded peers.
Chris explains “Our Intranets and communication platforms serve as invaluable resources for franchisees. The platforms open up to senior staff members too, which enables them to soak up the Poppies culture which filters down through the rest of the teams.”
As with all successful franchise brands, the bar must be set by those at the helm of operations, and one way to emphasize that high standards remain paramount is by investing in staff training. Exceptional staff training not only underlines to customers that the delivery of service is of utmost importance but also demonstrates to employees that their role in the company is valued. This, in turn, fosters brand loyalty both from customers and employees alike. Loyal employees exhibit higher engagement, motivation, and productivity within their roles, thereby ensuring the delivery of the high-quality service promised by the franchise.
Poppies remains steadfast in its commitment to the well-being and professional advancement of its staff across the network. The impending launch of the Poppies Well-Being App and a staff Learning Management System (LMS) platform later this year underscores this dedication.
Chris elaborated, “Our staff play a pivotal role in delivering a high-quality service, and in today’s competitive recruitment landscape, retaining exceptional staff is more crucial than ever. Enhancing our employee experience is a primary focus for us in 2024.”
As Poppies continues to evolve, its triumph serves as a testament to the strength of its network, the unfaltering support it provides, and the values it upholds.
