Our very first Zones Annual Conference was held in the Chateau Tongariro Hotel, located on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu.
This year’s theme was ‘’Growing success’’ and the goal was to inform, inspire, motivate and educate franchisees to grow their business and succeed.
The inaugural conference brought new and existing franchisees together and was of great value to all. Through workshops and activities, the Zones team reinforced their cooperative spirit and learnt new skills.
A major highlight of the conference was the Annual Awards Dinner, where seven awards were presented for the following categories:
2017 Best Sales Growth of the Year
The 2017 Zones Annual Awards Dinner presented seven awards recognising the achievements of our people and businesses across the key areas that drive success.
The Sales Growth of the Year award judging criteria was based on the franchisees’ consistent and sustained revenue growth across 2016 and 2017.
The finalists were:
- Steve & Rochelle Strawbridge - 3rd place
- Stuart & Debbie Gill - 2nd place
- Matt & Boyd Gillespie - 1st place
Congratulations to Matt & Boyd Gillespie, who are based in the North Shore and Rodney, for winning Sales Growth of the Year with 90% growth in the last 12 months.
2017 Best Team of the Year
The 2017 Zones Annual Awards Dinner presented seven awards recognising the achievements of our people and businesses across the key areas that drive success.
The Best Team of the Year award recognises the franchisee who is growing their business by building the best team of employees, sub-contractors and supply partners.
The finalists were:
- Matt & Boyd Gillespie
- Steve & Rochelle Strawbridge
- Stu & Debbie Gill
Congratulations to Steve & Rochelle Strawbridge, who are based in Wellington, for winning Best Team of the Year.
2017 Franchise of the Year
The 2017 Zones Annual Awards Dinner presented seven awards recognising the achievements of our people and businesses across the key areas that drive success.
The Franchise of the Year award recognises the franchisee who is best using marketing, people and processes to scale up their business towards a successful future.
The finalists were:
- Steve & Rochelle Strawbridge
- Matt & Boyd Gillespie
- Stu & Debbie Gill
Congratulations to Matt & Boyd Gillespie, who are based in the North Shore, for winning Franchise of the Year.
2017 Landscape project of the Year
The 2017 Zones Annual Awards Dinner presented seven awards recognising the achievement of our people and businesses across the key areas that drive success.
The Landscape Project of the Year award recognises the franchisee who has best applied the Zones 5-step process to a project, resulting in happy customers and a profitable business.
The finalists were:
- Stu & Debbie Gill
- Matt & Boyd Gillespie
- Steve & Rochelle Strawbridge
Congratulations to Matt & Boyd Gillespie, who are based in the North Shore, for winning best Landscape Project of the Year.
2017 New Franchise of the Year
The 2017 Zones Annual Awards Dinner presented seven awards recognising the achievements of our people and businesses across the key areas that drive success.
The New Franchise of the Year award recognises outstanding new franchisees who are helping to build the future of Zones.
The finalists were:
- Tracey & Glen Barker
- Shane & Lian Woonton
- Kate Ryan
Congratulations to Kate Ryan, who is based in Auckland Central, for winning New Franchise of the Year.
2017 Marketer of the Year
The 2017 Zones Annual Awards Dinner presented seven awards recognising the achievement of our people and businesses across the key areas that drive success.
The Marketer of the Year award recognises the Franchise who is best using marketing to scale up their business towards a successful future.
The finalists were:
- Stu & Debbie Gill
- Steve & Rochelle Strawbridge
- Glen and Tracey Barker
Congratulations to Stu & Debbie Gill, who are based in Franklin, for winning Marketer of the Year.
2017 Customer Service of the Year
The 2017 Zones Annual Awards Dinner presented seven awards recognising the achievement of our people and businesses across the key areas that drive success.
The Customer Service of the Year award recognises the Franchise that has excelled at delivering the Zones offer, and has been verified by direct customer feedback.
The finalists were:
- Stu & Debbie Gill
- Steve & Rochelle Strawbridge
- Matt & Boyd Gillespie
Congratulations to Stu & Debbie Gill, who are based in Franklin, for winning Customer Service of the Year.
Here are some examples of their customer testimonials:
“Stu and his team are great. They have listened to our crazy needs and adapted and compromised with us to achieve what will be, at the end of the landscape, a perfect garden. We have already recommended Stu to a friend of ours.”
“Debbie was so easy to talk with and I felt at ease with her from the start. She listened to my brief and along with the designer nailed what i was looking for.”
“The person who is dealing with me is a very nice lady. Every time I send her an email she replies promptly and answers my questions clearly. Also, she always asks for my opinion and she is very friendly.”
“My experience with Stu was so smooth: there was great communication and we were informed throughout the whole process. Will recommend to friends and family with similar needs.”
“Very professional. Stu and Debbie understood the client's requirements. Worked closely with the client to work out solutions when facing challenges. Very detailed pricing in the quotes and transparent. Understood what's best for the garden, made good recommendations to the client when needed.”