The theme for this year’s Awards, sponsored by Express Newspapers and HSBC Bank, was ‘Customer Focus’, with contenders asked to show how franchising has enabled them to meet consumer needs more effectively with their systems, products and services.

There are plenty of domestic cleaning companies, but few that deliver the level of personal care guaranteed by the Molly Maid name.

A willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty is a key feature of the national network of domestic workers that remains a totally customer-led operation.

Since the first Molly Maid UK franchise was sold in 1985 the network has expanded steadily. However, there has been no room for complacency and over the last two years the business has introduced a number of customer-focused initiatives designed to further secure its position as the leading home cleaning service.

Customer focus groups and estimate studies helped define ways of attracting and retaining long-term customers, while profiling data identified key areas for development.

Molly Maid also redesigned its training programmes to offer more up to date and practical customer service advice for new franchise owners, supported by an intensive marketing campaign based on their consumer research.

Throughout the year a series of national promotions linked to other high profile brands boosted brand exposure across a broad customer audience, with the aim of ensuring that all customers benefit from the same degree of commitment from this national network of ‘treasures’ that now reports a total turnover in excess of £10 million.

On receiving the award Molly Maid UK chief executive Pam Bader OBE said: “We are absolutely delighted to have taken the Bronze Award in the British Franchise Association’s 2007 Franchisor of the Year Awards. It is such a great honour to be recognised in this way, particularly for our franchise owners and staff who demonstrate time and again their willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty to provide excellent service to our customers.”

The standard of entries in this year awards was so high that, for the first time, they were presented in Gold, Silver and Bronze categories.

bfa Director General Brian Smart said: “The three top candidates presented extremely powerful cases, and we felt that Molly Maid met the criteria of the judging panel very effectively. We were particularly impressed with their ability to identify customers’ demand for a service that was personal as well as reliable and to respond with innovative and effective strategies to meet that demand.”

The Gold award was won by automotive diagnostics specialist Snap-on Tools, while pizza franchise Domino’s took Silver.