What does award-winning field management look like?

Sarah Stowe

Stephen Halls, right, has excelled at field managementHow does a field manager help his franchise achieve a 15 percent growth in less than two years?

The newly awarded Poolwerx business development manager, Stephen Halls, has done just that. Halls was recently named Field Manager of the Year at the Franchise Council of Australia’s 2016 QLD/NT Excellence in Franchising Awards.

And the key to his success is inter-personal relationships.

“I call all franchise partners at least once a week to check in and offer support. As a former franchise partner myself I want my franchise partners to feel comfortable talking to me so we can address any issues promptly and bring about a speedy resolution,” he says.

“I estimate that 90 percent of my working life is spent on the ground, in the field, supporting, training and encouraging franchise partners. The remaining 10 percent is spent on reporting and administration. And I think that’s the right ratio.”

Halls has clocked up more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, including close to a decade as a franchisee himself. 

Now managing a $14m dollar region, Halls provides leadership and support to 21 franchisees operating 36 mobile territories and 19 retail stores, spread from Brisbane, Gold Coast, Northern NSW to regional Far North Queensland.

“More franchise partners in my region exceeded sales targets in the last year, than any other result in the country,” Halls reveals. “So to my mind this award has less to do with me and more to do with recognising the hard work and achievements of the whole team.”

John O’Brien, founder and CEO of Poolwerx, says “Stephen has implemented a number of innovations in his region that were so successful they’ve now been rolled out nationwide.

“Our franchise partners believed and subsequently invested in the Poolwerx brand and model, and people like Stephen play a significant role in understanding their business aspirations and helping them achieve their dreams as business owners,” he says.