After the challenges of 2020, it’s good to be able to celebrate the FASTSIGNS’ achievement as finalists at the bfa Awards, 2021.
FASTSIGNS is proud to announce we have been shortlisted for the bfa’s Business Resilience award, 2021. The British Franchise Association announced a new category to their awards, for this year, to reflect the resilience of the UK’s franchise industry during the pandemic.
“This is the first year we have entered the bfa awards,” says John Davies, FASTSIGNS UK Managing Director, “so it is incredibly rewarding for us, as a network, to have been selected as finalists for this award. I know how hard the whole industry worked, in order to keep franchisees, and their customers, afloat throughout the pandemic, so I don’t take this news lightly. But, I am incredibly proud of the entire FASTSIGNS network who really stepped up to the plate and supported each other throughout.”
As a franchise which produces signs, graphics and visual communications, FASTSIGNS were at the forefront for many new customers looking for clear signage to keep people safe. “Our franchisees, like many businesses, had to close their centres at the outset of the pandemic. After the initial concerns about the future, we soon found we had a responsibility to support a range of businesses who were looking for covid safe measures, and signage to direct people around their sites. We created new products, and found ways to ensure franchisees were in a strong position to meet this new, and sudden demand.
Pip Wilkins, CEO of the bfa, was quoted as saying, “For another year, the awards reflect the strength of franchising and I wish all those shortlisted the best of luck. Just to get to this stage is a huge achievement and something to be truly proud of.”
Whilst HSBC’s UK Head of Franchising, Andrew Brattesani, agrees, “We have been delighted to see many new faces entering and being shortlisted for this year’s awards; welcoming smaller, emerging franchise brands who emphasise on achieving a positive work-life balance, to huge multi-unit franchise empires.”
We’ll find out on November 30th if we win the bfa Business Resilience award, and wish all the other finalists the best of luck for the day.