Market Focus ChipsAway
How is business going so far? My business is going really well. I have built up a good reputation in my local area and am now beginning to get repeat business and referrals, which is really great! I plan on opening a ChipsAway CarCare Centre, and expanded the business last year so I can complete bigger, more complex repairs, together with a team of technicians working for me.
What advice would you give to anyone considering franchising?
Choose a brand that has a good support mechanism and make sure you build positive relationships with other franchise owners. Self-employment can be lonely, but with the right team behind you, you never have to feel this way!
Do you have any regrets? F
ormerly a training manager in the automotive industry, David Greenaway struck lucky with his ChipsAway franchise.
What made you consider owning a franchise business? Although well paid, my previous role involved a lot of travel and living away from home, which I felt impacted upon family life. It was for this reason that I decided to take my career into my own hands and go into franchising.
Why the automotive industry and why ChipsAway?
I initially looked at franchise opportunities in different sectors, but decided that, having always worked in the automotive sector, I wanted to stick with what I knew and loved. The next step was to look at a range of automotive-related franchises, and ChipsAway stood head and shoulders above the rest! I was impressed with the professionalism and reputation of the brand.
What has the training and support been like? I really enjoyed the intensive four-week IMI accredited training course. My business got off to a great start with a very successful launch, in which I secured £4,000 of firm bookings, and I put this initial success down to the support I got from ChipsAway. I also had an existing franchisee mentoring me, which I found invaluable during my launch and whilst I was establishing my business. Now, almost three years in, I have found the support from the management team to be top- notch whilst growing my business.
Definitely not. I love being my own boss; I can work when it suits me. People say I am lucky that my business is going so well, but in this game you make your own luck – the harder you work, the luckier you get.
Snap-on
Snap-on to be excellent. When I started to work for the company, I initially did a week’s training at the Snap-on training school, which is now in Dallas. Then I went out on the road and did what they call an ‘initial blast’ with my franchise developer, which means five weeks of tuition with him showing me the ropes. We now get together once a month and talk about new product and sales ideas with around 15 other Snap-on franchisees; this gives me the opportunity to bounce ideas around and talk to franchisees who have been doing it for longer than I have.
I went back to the training school after six months and did a refresher training course to bring in some new skills. There is continuous training available and diagnostic training that we can participate in, if we want to.
What challenges have you faced running your franchise and how have you overcome these? There are pitfalls in every walk of life. I think mistakes can occur when people try to reinvent the wheel and stop following the procedures that are put in place by the franchisor. The franchise works because the systems are tried and tested, and the really successful Snap- on franchisees understand that if you follow the process, the sky is the limit.
What is a typical day like running your business?
N 30 |
Businessfranchise.com | July/August 2014
ick Allen joined Snap-on nearly 10 years ago and has been a part of the franchise system in various roles ever since. He now operates a Snap-on
franchise in his own territory.
Why did you choose a business in the automotive sector, and why Snap-on? I used to work with a Snap-on franchisee and I happened to mention that I was looking to start a new business working for myself, so he suggested that I investigate the Snap-on route. I was aware of the product brand name, and it was operating in an environment that I was comfortable in, so it was a fairly easy decision to make.
What training and support do Snap-on provide? I’ve found the support I’ve received from
My day starts about 7.15am. I print off my daily sheets, which gives me a list of all the customers I am going to see during the day and also shows me anything my customers may require, such as back orders and products they have asked me for. I then carry this around with me throughout the day and it’s this personal service that sets Snap- on above the rest. I normally get home around 5.30pm and do about 50 minutes of paperwork, clean down the truck and close out my day. I get a real buzz from selling the Snap-
on product. I get to liaise with all the different areas and people within the company and I meet somebody different every day!
Has investing in a Snap-on franchise improved your lifestyle? The Snap-on franchise has changed my life. I feel in charge of my own destiny now, rather than working for somebody doing the same thing from Monday to Friday, nine to five. I am now driving my own business forward, able to create my own goals and achieve my own targets.
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