Hairhouse Warehouse won the National Marketing Excellence category of the Australian Business Awards as well as the Victorian Emerging Franchise of the Year award in this year's PricewaterhouseCoopers Excellence in Franchising Awards.
The Emerging Franchise of the Year award recognises the outstanding business success Hairhouse Warehouse has achieved across all aspects of its business.
The PricewaterhouseCoopers Excellence in Franchising Awards, run by the Franchise Council of Australia, is designed to recognise the outstanding achievements of individuals and organisations in the growth and development of their businesses and their contribution towards franchising in Australia.
Last financial year, Hairhouse Warehouse recorded its highest ever year of growth, increasing store numbers by 40 stores and increasing annual store turnover by 45 per cent.
Staff numbers increased by 28 per cent to a total of 830 Australia-wide, with a further 400 jobs expected to be created by the end of 2008.
Brothers Tony and Joseph Lattouf started Hairhouse Warehouse in 1993 with less than $20,000 in personal savings and have since built their initial three Hairhouse Warehouse stores into one of Australia's fastest growing franchises, being listed in BRW among the top 20 franchises in Australia.
Hairhouse Warehouse now offers more than 75 brands of professional haircare products at affordable prices under its retail arm, plus in-store hair and beauty services including a hair salon, Waxing, spray tanning, nail bar and body piercing.
Director Tony Lattouf said the Hairhouse Warehouse brand strategy has been built on extensive research, and features two national campaigns, the Face of Hairhouse and the Comb for Cash sales promotions, in addition to four catalogue sales throughout the year.
"We've invested $8 million into brand development and a complete re-brand of the company, incorporating the execution of a new store design, a new website and re-branded marketing collateral, underpinned by a comprehensive communications strategy."
"The sales promotions are delivering strong benefits to franchisees. Stores experienced a significant increase in sales and store traffic during April and May this year as a direct result of our Comb for Cash sales promotion, which rewarded customers and staff with more than $200,000 in instant cash giveaways," Tony Lattouf said.
"A big thank you to our whole marketing team for their efforts, which have led to the outstanding results recognised by the Marketing Excellence award."
The Australian Business Awards recognise success, innovation and ethics across all industry sectors and honour Australia's industry leaders through the acknowledgment of innovative business processes, business excellence and overall business success.
Managing Director Joseph Lattouf attributes Hairhouse Warehouse's impressive growth in 2006-07 to a strategic expansion of key departments and a significant investment in operational and marketing initiatives.
"Potential franchisees are attracted to our strong buying power, proven operating system, multiple revenue streams and comprehensive training program. They're also noticing that we've invested heavily recently in national marketing programs and in expanding our head office team to build the company's operations and infrastructure in line with projected growth forecasts," Mr Lattouf said.
The Lattouf brothers' vision for Hairhouse Warehouse has seen a new and improved infrastructure set up to support the company's growth, including a new international department specifically designed to research opportunities for potential overseas expansion into between 10 and 15 countries.
By the end of 2008, Hairhouse Warehouse is projecting to have a national network of 150 stores.
This article appears courtesy of Franchising Magazine.
11-Jan-2008