Australian Franchise News – 18-04-14
Subway Systems Australia (SUBWAY) has named Sydney franchisee Kane Richards as the 2014 Franchisee of the Year.
Richards, who started his journey 8 years ago with SUBWAY, said it was his belief in the strong reputation of the Subway® Brand that got him started, and this has been key to his success. He opened his first store in Gordon in Sydney’s Northern suburbs in 2006. He now operates two additional locations on campus at The University of Sydney and The University of New South Wales.
“The team and I were thrilled just to be nominated for Franchisee of the Year – it’s a great honour,” said Richards.
Selected from over 1600 restaurants across Australia and New Zealand, Kane was recognised for his dedication and commitment to delivering to the brand’s high service standards, along with other criteria including adding new stores, building sales and profitability and interacting with the local community.
“The Subway franchise model is a great fit for me. It’s such a well-established brand, with effective systems, fantastic marketing and an incredible support network,” he added.
“My wife and I are actively involved in all levels of the business. In store, we work very hard on the culture of the business, instilling the passion for the brand and reinforcing to the staff that they are part of a fantastic larger team. We work hard on all of Subway’s initiatives, like our great customer feedback program, ‘Tell Subway’,” he said.
Tell Subway® is an initiative where customers can provide feedback about their visit, get a free cookie as a reward, then enter into the draw to win $200. According to Richards, Tell Subway®, is an important way to evaluate his business, helping to ensure customer feedback is quickly addressed.
Brian Tap, Regional Director of Subway Systems Australia said it is great to have such passionate and proactive people like Kane in the system. “He’s an example of what you can achieve when you join a successful franchise model like ours. We all do our bit to deliver on the Subway promise – freshly prepared, healthier options made right in front of you – but we chose Kane as Franchisee of the Year because he lives this promise himself in-store every day.”
With a small footprint and a simple operation, the Subway® system appeals to a lot of people looking to start their entrepreneurial dream. With one of the lowest start-up costs in the industry, the Subway® concept fits into many smaller locations that other brands can’t.
“Subway Franchisees pride themselves on being active members of the communities where they live and work. They all come from different backgrounds, with varying education, business and life experiences, yet share a basic entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to compete in the quick-serve restaurant industry,” Tap said.
“We are very proud of the hard work and efforts of all the franchisees across Australia. The Subway chain is one of the largest and most successful in the world; a direct result of their dedication, vision, motivation and plain hard work. Well done to everyone, and congratulations to Kane,” he added.
SUBWAY recognised eight outstanding franchisees as nominees for the 2014 Franchisee of the Year Award. Finalists and the overall winner, Kane Richards, were announced at the Subway 2014 Convention held in March on the Gold Coast.
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