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Gina from Merry Maids Wakefield wins Franchisee of the Year

A Wakefield based cleaning company is celebrating after collecting a business award following the COVID pandemic.  

 Merry Maids of Wakefield scooped the epitome of awards, the Merry Maids Franchisee of the Year award following the COVID pandemic. The award is designed to recognise and celebrate achievements in being a model franchisee and additionally in the following year, showing resilience throughout the pandemic and reacting in an above and beyond manner.

Covid19 presented a multitude of challenges to Merry Maids businesses and employees across the UK, who all responded magnificently in the highest traditions of delivering excellent customer service.

However, it was one business that stood out. Throughout the pandemic, Merry Maids of Wakefield responded to the challenges in an exemplary manner by employing exceptional safety protocols, maintaining excellent standards of customer service and actively exploring new opportunities to ensure the future of the business.

Merry Maids of Wakefield, is a franchise of ServiceMaster, owned and managed by Gina Glendinning and has been successfully cleaning homes in the area since 2018.

Gina said: “Firstly, I can’t quite believe I won such a prestigious award having only just completed my 3 year as a Franchisee! What a huge sense of pride both in my achievements but also in my team and how hard we have all worked to keep going in such unprecedented times.”

“2020 as we all know had been a challenging time for everyone and although I knew the business would be impacted I also knew that I had the drive and the team around me to steer the business through.”

“I took the bold and immediate decision, to close the business immediately when needed but also to contact my lovely customers letting them know we’d be back. I believe my calm approach to the situation help others see that it was not a time to panic but to act.” Added Gina

Brand Leader for Merry Maids, Steve Morris said: “As the Brand Leader for Merry Maids it is one of the great privileges of my role to reward businesses that have achieved great things in the past year. Throughout the pandemic, Merry Maids of Wakefield responded to the challenges in an exemplary manner.

“Of particular note, regular contact was maintained between the business and myself, the Merry Maids Brand Leader, for our mutual benefit for which I was extremely grateful. Proof of the excellent business management and customer service skills utilised during this challenging period are now being rewarded by a strong business recovery.” Added Steve

Recognising some of the less obvious, but nonetheless culturally vital parts of franchising is imperative to ServiceMaster and the yearly awards allows this to happen.

Awards were given for not only growth, but also to those that have given back to their community, or employees of franchisees that have demonstrated their commitment to the brand attributes engaging in initiatives and actions with colleagues and customers well beyond their job description, very often in their own time at their own expense.

“Re-opening on 1 June 2020 was great, I had meticulously planned which members of the team should come back and how we would approach each job. I brought back 8 full time ladies with each working on an individual basis. I ensured I constantly contacted both customers and staff, remaining positive and calm even when some felt a little uncertain.” Added Gina

“The business steadily grew and eventually we got back to somewhat normal times. During this strange and demanding year, I strove to look for opportunities to grow the business via different avenues working with Estate Agents and Property Developers to ensure that any voids during our working days were filled.” Said Gina

“My year ended on a high as during Q4 my husband and I took the decision to expand and we purchased two new additional franchise areas. An excellent adventure awaited in 2021 when we took the reins just before Christmas.” Finished Gina