Recently, Wild Birds Unlimited was awarded second place for Best Overall Performance during the exclusive 2013 Franchise Leadership & Development Conference held from October 9 – 11, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. The annual STAR awards (Speaking To And Responding) recognize the top companies in franchise recruitment nationwide.
The award recognizes Wild Birds Unlimited for its phenomenal performance in lead generation, recruitment and best practices in franchising. Franchise Update mystery shoppers posed as qualified prospects to judge how well, and how quickly, franchise sales and development staff replied to inquiries. The secret shoppers evaluated lead generation and recruiting practices for ease of access, response time, and follow-up. In addition, online experts evaluated franchisors’ recruitment websites and their use of social media. 152 companies were scored on telephone response to prospects, and 127 franchisors on recruitment websites and response to website prospects.
The Franchise Development Department looks for prospects that are passionate about nature and backyard bird feeding, energetic, friendly and committed to building a business and delivering the ultimate customer experience. Potential candidates are provided with a step-by-step ‘decision making process’ checklist to use as a guide when investigating the franchise opportunity. In addition, prospects are able to create a sample business plan, speak with several franchisees and visit different locations to decide if the company is a good fit.
“A strong company culture is the selling point of a great brand,” said Paul Pickett, Vice President of Franchise Development. “Our passion-driven culture of communication and support helps ensure that a satisfied and happy group of franchisees are meeting their goals using the resources and support we provide them with. Our franchisee’s commitment to their customers distinguishes them from other retailers because they are passionate about both the hobby of backyard bird feeding and their businesses. We are honored to accept such a prestigious award as it reinforces that our dedication and passion to our franchisees is highly praised and encouraged.”
For more information, please visit www.wbufranchise.com.