Franchise Focus
Global brand, local business
Rachel Shaw drives the success of her Subway franchises by engaging with the community
INVESTMENT LEVEL: FROM £100,000 T
he Subway brand is the number-one quick-service restaurant brand*, with over 1,900 locations in the UK and Ireland and in excess of 42,000 stores in more
than 105 countries. A contributing factor to the success of the Subway brand is its ambitious franchisees that embrace the entrepreneurial spirit and go above and beyond. Rachel Shaw, a Subway franchisee who owns and operates two stores in South London is constantly seeking new ways to think outside the box. Her hard work was recognised recently as she was named the British Franchise Association’s Female Franchisee of the Year for 2014.
In 2007, Rachel made the decision to pursue her career as a Subway franchisee and opened her first store in West Wickham. She recalls: “I knew I had a good understanding of the fast food industry, having worked in the sector for 16 years. I love the product and the fact that the operation is very transparent.” After achieving great success with this
store, her passion for the brand grew further and she opened her second store in Thornton Heath.
Rachel puts her success down to her commitment and ability to think outside the box: “The global recession presented a real challenge for the high street and, in order for my stores to survive, I realised I had to really understand customer demographics and start thinking outside of the box. We created ‘gift platters’ of Subway products and distributed them to local offices, schools and organisations and we also offered to provide lunches for their
meetings and conferences. “It soon became clear that those
we approached loved the product and there was a demand for a delivery service, so last year I purchased a moped and launched the first delivery bike service for a Subway store.” The success of this service is evident, as it now equates to 30 per cent of the overall store sales.
“Sponsoring local events has generated great return business and a loyal customer base”
Rachel has also worked hard to become an integral part of her store’s local community and, keen to give back, she actively looks for opportunities to participate at local events.
“Sponsoring local events such as fairs
and street festivals has helped to generate a lot of attention for my stores. I participate in seasonal activities such as the Christmas lights switch-on, when I provide refreshments for the carol singers. I also look after those running the local events, such as the street wardens, by supplying them with free subs to keep them going. “As well as participating in local events, I also actively sponsor and provide products to local groups and clubs. I sponsor a local Tae Kwon Do group, as well as provide free samples from the low-fat subs range to our local slimming groups. Activities such as these have generated great return business
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and a very loyal customer base. “It’s taken time but my stores are now a
respected part of the community and are thought of as businesses that invest and give back to the area. That’s invaluable for a local business.” Rachel’s passion for the brand is also evident in the additional work she does to engage with potential Subway franchisees. “I work closely with the London Development Agent’s office to engage with prospective Subway franchisees, where I give talks or have one-on-one meetings to answer questions or address any concerns they may have.”
During these meetings, she shares her years of experience and advice to help set future franchisees on the path to success. Rachel adds: “I would advise people considering a franchise to research their location and demographics thoroughly, so that they fully understand the needs of their customers. It’s also very important to hire great staff, consistently deliver high-quality service to customers in a clean, friendly environment and always try to adapt to accommodate their needs. I would also advise franchisees to get involved in the community.” n
*Subway is the number one QSR brand by total store count (as at January 2014)
SUBWAY
WEBSITE:
www.subway.co.uk/business EMAIL:
franchiseopportunities@subway.co.uk
PHONE: 0800 0855 058 (UK) or 1800 413 076 (Eire)
CLASSIFICATION: Quick-service restaurant Rachel Shaw
Investment:£100k+
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