Sandra Redmond purchased an established Molly Maid franchise in 1995 and now operates 14 cars and a staff of 30 out of offices based in Wimbledon. Her approach and success in her business led to her winning the most prestigious award available for UK franchisees, the bfa HSBC Franchisee of the Year Gold Award, in 2009.
Asked what set her on the pathway to Molly Maid, she says: “I chose franchising because I believe that a strong brand is one of the most valuable assets any business can have. When I bought the business in 1995 it employed 12 maids operating from six cars. 16 years on, my business now employs two supervisors and 28 maids running 14 cars.”
Sandra believes that the success of Molly Maid Wimbledon has come from her understanding of the local market needs and fully utilising the experience and support of the Molly Maid network.
She explains: “I have made good use of all the marketing techniques and materials available in the franchise business system. Consequently, customer enquiries have come from distributing flyers, Molly Maid cars, Yellow Pages, press advertising, sales promotion and publicity. However, my best source of business is referrals from satisfied customers, which account for 40 percent of all leads.
“The Molly Maid business system includes a well-defined approach to customer care. This embraces a consistent, reliable and professional service along with effective communications. But simply following a system is not enough. You need to apply flair and imagination and must give a lot of yourself to the process, balancing the human side with business considerations.”
Central to Sandra’s philosophy is that her staff are a vital part of the marketing process. Not only do they provide the consistent high-quality service that is the foundation of marketing, but they also play an important part in promoting the business. She adds: “Through training, development and motivation, the maids are empowered to act as ambassadors for the brand. I make sure that they are trained by an experienced route manager, who can advise and guide them on how to speak to customers. They learn that the Molly Maid uniform is a key part of the identity of the company and that the way the present themselves conveys an important message to the customer.
“Due to the increased revenue per car, staff salaries have increased proportionately. As a result, morale has been boosted and this has increased the quality of the work produced.”
