When easyStorage awarded franchise owner Kristof of easyStorage London North East (NE) their Franchisee of the Year Award at the annual easyStorage team meeting (this time in Monaco), it was on the basis of particular skills, approaches and attitudes as well as business success.

It was clearly very deserved! 

London North East franchise team Advice

We spoke with the London North East franchise team to collect their thoughts. Initially, they acknowledged the importance of awards like this in highlighting the broader scope and individual contributions of all team members. However they also offered three pieces of advice that make sound business sense for absolutely any small or start up business, let alone a franchise.

1.       The right people:

It was clear to see that no one member of the team won this award alone, both the strong second tier management were vital as well as the enthusiasm of every member who contributes to the day to day work - whether they are customer facing or not. This can be a particular challenge for small businesses when resources are limited and people have a choice of where to work. However this team was built with a lot of thought and effort - it shows and is inspiring to see in action.

2.     The right business Direction

The right people are a great start, but achieving success is impossible unless every member of the team understands the direction of the business. The easyStorage London NE management team meet monthly to discuss frankly and openly what has worked and what hasn’t. This also cultivates a buy-in from each team member, they care more about their work as they see their opinions being listened to and valued by management.

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3.       Know your numbers

It’s important to sit back, even at times when you think things are going less well, and sense check what you are doing. Look at the numbers. Business may seem slow but still be profitable, and seem to be roaring but not making any money. If you don’t know what each customer costs you, you can’t make a profit.

Franchise of the Year Award

It’s this latter piece of wisdom, this analytic approach, that contributed to the team winning the Franchise of the Year Award.

In an environment like easyStorage, where there are numerous business owners looking hard to grow their businesses, ideas abound.

When the easyStorage NE London team has an idea to propose, they approach the head office fully prepared to not only articulate the issue that requires resolution, but also explain why it's important. Moreover, if they encounter a challenge, they prioritise arriving with suggested solutions. The most valuable aspect of their approach is their proactive readiness to address issues comprehensively and calmly.

This makes it easy for the easyStorage leadership team to endorse those ideas,with far greater alacrity than they would otherwise be able to. Highlighting the key challenges and benefits of the proposal , and, importantly, offers an idea of what it might cost.

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Kristof doesn’t seek the limelight, but it’s clear that this ability to analyse is a strong personal quality. When he and his team have an idea, evaluate all angles before proposing it to easyStorage and present a clear thought out business case for it. Consequently, they have piloted many changes that have later been rolled out across easyStorage to other franchisees (one of the joys of being part of a franchise network) to the benefit of customers and franchisees alike.

There’s an old sales’ saying, “There are no problems, only solutions.”

The easyStorage NE London team embody this in all that they do, making them worthy winners of the Franchise of the Year Award.