Family philosophy helps local Liquorland win franchisee award

17 Nov 2017

Congratulations to Mary-Ellen, Patrick and their team for winning the 2017 Liquorland Franchisee of the Year award.

Not only did their Onekawa Liquorland store take out first place, their Waipukurau Wines and Spirits store was also named as one of the top 20 finalists.  A bold achievement when there are 112 nationwide stores eligible to compete for the award.

This much coveted award recognises and celebrates the hard work and overall success of the Liquorland Franchisees and has a rigorous criteria and selection process.

All aspects of the business are thoroughly analysed and measured including:

• Compliance - passing the various U25 identification tests, meeting all Health and Safety laws etc
• Customer experience – excelling with mystery shoppers, core ranging of products, mailers and promotional displays etc
• Business performance – implementing a business plan, maintaining high standards around stock records, financial results etc
• Business culture – supporting the community, internal business culture, staff feedback, supplier feedback etc

To be successful, the franchisee needs to be compliant with the standards set by the franchisor and review and monitor these areas of the business regularly.  They can’t afford to focus on one area of the business at the expense of others as failure to meet any of the set criteria disqualifies their franchise from progressing in the competition. It is about setting aside some time every week to review the overall business.

Speaking with Mary Ellen, General Manager of the local franchise, it was easy to understand why this business has succeeded.  She places a huge value on both their customers and their team. 

The market has changed since she started in the business 15 years ago, in that customers now have more choice on where to spend their dollar.  Their team have a genuine desire to help and share their expertise and are passionate about providing excellent customer experiences.  They invest in online retail training for their staff and empower them to think about how they make their customers feel.   Whilst they remain aware of their market and their competitors, they invest the majority of their time and energy internally into making their own business a success and ensuring that they have a point of difference.

The culture within the business is like a family and as a result their staff turnover is low.  As business owners, they are proud of their team and recognise that they are an integral part of their success. They treat all team members with respect, compassion, value their opinions and offer flexibility.  In return, their staff are loyal. The front line team are the face of the business and when they are happy this is clearly visible and has a direct, positive impact on the customer experience they provide. 

The whole team are proud of the award and the recognition they have received.  As part of the award the franchisee receives an educational grant to be used for future learning, which in turn will have a positive impact on the business.  This excites the team who appreciate the importance of moving with the times and ensuring that they have a focus on continuous improvement.

If you are in need of some festive beverages, feel fee to call into the Onekawa Liquorland to enjoy and experience their customer service and expertise first hand.

Congratulations again and well done to this local, dedicated team.  It’s a deserving award for a team that recognises that success doesn’t happen by accident.   It takes real commitment to ensure that these high standards are fully integrated into their business and culture.