The Awards ceremony took place at London’s Savoy Hotel last month, when head of franchise sales Andy Hirst received the trophy from bfa President Sir Bernard Ingham.

The Awards, sponsored by Express Newspapers and HSBC Bank, seek out the top franchisors in a market sector now worth £10 billion a year. The theme this year was ‘Customer Focus’, with contenders having to demonstrate how franchising has made them more effective in the marketplace, enabling them to track consumer needs and respond more effectively with systems, products and services that meet customer demand.

When it comes to pizzas, speed counts and Domino’s have been doing everything possible to help their franchisees meet customers’ demands for the fastest possible deliveries.

With the introduction of superwide broadband connections last year, ordering times have been reduced considerably, with the average phone order taking only two minutes. Customers can now text their choices or call a national hotline that connects to their nearest store.

‘Real-time’ technology monitoring productivity built a competitive spirit between stores, and orders leaving stores in less than 15 minutes increased by more than a third.

Other new incentives for the network’s owner–managers included an Elite Club, offering prizes and system-wide recognition for top performers.

Speed is not the only measure of a good pizza and Domino’s responds quickly to market demands for fresh, interesting and healthier products.

A menu development committee of ‘foodies’ and franchisees came up with six new pizzas last year, recommended removing hydrogenated fats and introduced a low fat mozzarella cheese.

Domino’s strength comes from a combination of system consistency and local flexibility; maintaining standards, while allowing individual franchisees to adjust pricing, menus and marketing initiatives to meet local needs.

While national expansion continues apace, the Domino’s ethos ensures that local people run their stores, keeping communities and customers at the heart of the business.

Speaking at the presentations bfa Director General Brian Smart said: “We were particularly impressed with the ability of Domino’s Pizzas to identify customers’ demand for faster delivery times and to respond with such innovative and effective strategies to meet that demand.

“This company deserves recognition for its outstanding achievements and demonstrates how the franchising model can be used effectively to overcome the challenges of a very competitive market.”

For the first time this year the bfa Franchisor of the Year Awards were presented in Gold Silver and Bronze categories, with Gold going to automotive diagnostics specialist Snap-on Tools, and the Bronze award being taken by domestic cleaning franchise Molly Maid