Card Connection Network Their Network

Northern
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Card Connection’s network of franchisees work at the sharp end of the business, merchandising over 12,000 displays across the country and dealing with the many challenges of working onsite in often busy stores and outlets.
“It makes sense that if you want to inform and motivate a dedicated workforce like ours, that you need to take the show to the troops on the ground,” said Michael Johnson, Managing Director of Card Connection. “That’s why we’ve been the length and breadth of the UK as well as across to Ireland!”

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“Sharing the bigger picture about the company’s performance and future plans, plus all the news an relevant issues facing the company in the next few months is vital process in keeping our network up to date with the company’s strategy and bringing them onside so we’re all heading in the same direction,” continued Johnson.

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Graham Staff, Card Connection’s National Sales Director finds the Regional Meetings invaluable: “The overview we give on how each region is performing is an opportunity for franchisees to benchmark their performance against their neighbouring territories, plus share tips and best practice that can help all franchisees to improve their businesses. A little healthy competition never goes amiss and it’s great to have franchisees successes recognised not just the Farnham head office but also in front of their peers.”
From a creative perspective, regional meetings are where franchisees get to see all the exciting new product first. At these meetings they got so see the all-new Christmas Ranges for 2019, plus lots of exciting everyday product development. Creative Director Kelly Courtenay obviously enjoys this part of the meetings the most: “It’s great way to share our enthusiasm and understanding of trends behind the designs, so that franchisees are aware of all the thought that goes into making our cards as commercial as possible for the convenience market we operate in. The creativity behind the designs and their eventual sales success is intrinsically linked.”

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MD Michael Johnson finds these meetings are an invaluable part of a franchisee business: “They’re not just for our franchisees,” he explains, “In addition to the 50 franchisees that took part, 16 Card Connection staff also benefited by attending one or other the meetings. It can sometimes feel like a lonely world out there, so our franchisees enjoy being reminded they are part of something bigger, with knowledgeable and professional people always available at the end of a phone, ready and willing to help them.”