Pip Wilkins CEO BFA

The UK franchising sector brings £19.1 billion a year to the UK's economy, but how are its businesses using AI to increase that figure? 

"Have you introduced AI into your business over and above using ChatGPT or similar?" and for those who responded positively, we asked them a follow up question of: "If yes, what difference has it made to your business?"

The results to the first question were:

  • 43% said yes, they were very pro AI but hadn't used it over and above ChatGPT or similar,
  • 40% said yes they were fully embracing AI and were using it across multiple areas of their business,
  • 15% said they were very cautious and unlikely to do anything with it in 2026
  • 2% said they were ‘not a fan' and wouldn't be using it at all.

Moving on to the second question of what difference it had made to their business; the results were less clear cut.

  • 42% said they had seen no discernible difference,
  • 33% said it has allowed them to offer better customer service,
  • 14% said they had seen an increase in profits
  • 11% said they had seen an increase in recruitment.

We offered our members a chance to leave us a comment with their vote and their messages told a fascinating story.

Phil MacKechnie, director of franchise development at domiciliary home care franchise Radfield Home Care gave us an in-depth look at the savings they are making: "Two years ago, we made a deliberate decision to take AI seriously - not as a trend to experiment with, but as a genuine operational lever. We've built structured prompts aligned to our brand standards, deployed call transcription across strategy and finance meetings, and developed internal tools that give our franchise partners access to operational guidance around the clock. Most tangibly, we replaced a legacy franchise management platform costing £1,500 per month by building our own in-house solution for £100 in token costs. The ROI case is no longer theoretical for us."

Sarah Aires, owner of Headshots With Sarah, a photographer who is a supplier member with the BFA and works with many of our members said: "AI has become a genuine working partner in our business.  We have been upgrading our tech infrastructure and have been using Replit to code entirely new platforms that link everything together, from client experience to delivery.  I use AI daily to develop content strategy, refine some client communications, and think through positioning.  AI has moved from a nice idea to something that's shaping how the whole business operates."

Paresh Mistry, MD of Right at Home Ilkley, Keighley and Skipton said: "The AI tool we use for Care Assessments ensures we capture the clients' needs and wishes in their own words. The Care Plans are therefore more person centred" and Joanne Aldridge, head of franchise at The Holiday Franchise Company explained how she and her franchise network use it: "For us AI is currently being used to generate new ideas on projects and as a sounding board to build in current ideas. We utilise it to create the foundations of documents, which could take days or weeks to write. You do however need to be vigilant and check the contents are correct, but it is a fantastic aid to start a project off. We have plans to build on its use by automating manual processes, which will give our franchisees more time on sales."

Two franchisors needed no explanation of the benefits to their business, or anyone else's for that matter: Ben Brookes, MD at Agency Express said: "AI is no longer the future. If you aren't investing time in transitioning your business to embrace AI, you will be left behind." Rachel Brooks, MD of Swimtime UK Ltd agreed: "Embracing the power of AI to automate customer touch points, improve internal processes and drive overall efficiencies is the way forward for any business."

Not everyone was fully on board, Adam Daniel who owns a Creation Station franchise in Dereham, Thetford, Attleborough and Wymondham reminded us of the potential negative effects of AI: "AI has a place in the business sector but I am cautious to rely on it completely as it can take away the creativity which my business is promoting, I also worry about the environmental and sustainability impact given how much AI data banks draw from natural resources to enable users to access its tools."

We recently brought members together for a dedicated AI seminar, where industry experts guided attendees through everything from compliance and risk to a practical tour of the tools available. Theo Millward, founder of Swimtime UK Ltd showed the room how AI is already embedded in his business, while a panel of marketing and PR specialists led a discussion called ‘The Human Touch', a timely reminder that however powerful the technology, keeping brand voice personal and authentic remains key.

As you can see, our poll revealed that the UK franchising sector is very much on the front foot when it comes to AI; our members are keen and experimenting, finding ways to make their businesses more productive, profitable and pioneering, and we look forward to seeing the advances AI will bring to the sector over the next 12 months.

For more information please visit the British Franchise Association.