xxxxx Franchise Focus
Coming of age
Mail Boxes Etc. celebrates 21 years in the UK INVESTMENT LEVEL: £60,000
A
21st birthday is a milestone and the champagne corks are popping as one of the world’s largest retail franchises, Mail Boxes
Etc. (MBE), celebrates 21 years in the UK. This is an ideal moment then to look back at the development of a business model that’s gone from strength to strength, with a network that now comprises 150 stores throughout the UK and Ireland, and a first-class reputation among franchisees and customers alike. Undoubtedly one of MBE’s best attributes is its people. Whatever their backgrounds, MBE franchisees share a commitment to personal customer focus that combines local knowledge with a unique mix of services that help meet people’s everyday needs – from UK and worldwide parcel delivery, copy and print and mailbox rental to postal services. There’s no better advocate for MBE than Girvin Vincent, who also has cause for celebration this year. As the first person to join the MBE UK network, starting his business in 1993, Girvin was already familiar with both franchising and MBE from living and working in Canada. In the UK, however, the brand was still unknown and franchising little understood, so by signing up as MBE’s first franchisee Girvin was a pioneer on two counts. After leaving his native Belfast to work for a Canadian bank for 15 years, then transferring to London and being made
redundant eight years later, Girvin was ready to work for himself, and was very impressed when he came across the MBE franchise. “It offered exactly the right combination of opportunities that suited my experience, talents and skills,” he says.
“Our franchisees are very much individuals”
Girvin’s leap of faith paid off. He went
on to create a highly successful business, spending the next 18 years working as an MBE franchisee in London, opening stores in several locations and ending up in Great Russell Street. He recently decided to go back to his roots, however, and is back home in his city centre store in Belfast. During Girvin’s years as a franchisee, the MBE network has grown steadily. “There have been many changes over the years in franchising, which – as a sector – has also expanded at an incredible rate,” he observes. “But MBE has continued to maintain the same values and high standards of customer service crucial to the brand’s success.”
Franchise development executive Rachel Perry underlines the company’s commitment to core values: “The MBE brand is ubiquitous on the UK’s high streets these days, and it’s vital to us that
customers perceive their local MBE store as somewhere they can go not just for everyday services, but for help and advice from our knowledgeable teams. “Brand awareness and consistent values are what drive footfall, and the customer’s experience is consistent across our network because our people have the skills to create the confidence and build the relationships that lead to higher value sales and repeat business. Having said that, we’re not about homogenisation – each of our franchisees is very much an individual; their personalities, skills and areas of expertise are reflected in their approach.” MBE franchisees come from all walks of life. Many have backgrounds in key business areas such as logistics, which allows them to exploit their knowledge in advising customers on shipping and export while contributing to the strength of the network by sharing expertise with other franchisees. Younger entrepreneurs often join the network straight from university, gaining experience in an MBE store before setting up their own business. Coming of age is also a good time to look ahead, and MBE is confident that its formula will continue to evolve to meet the needs of franchisees and customers alike. “With all the set-up assistance, training and ongoing support we give our franchisees, there has never been a better time for forward-thinking, energetic, conscientious individuals who are dedicated to friendly, personal service to talk to us about joining the network,” says Rachel. n
MAIL BOXES ETC.
WEBSITE:
www.mbe.co.uk/franchise_ opportunities
EMAIL:
franchise@mbe.co.uk PHONE: 01608 649 238 CLASSIFICATION: Mailbox rental / parcel delivery
October 2014 |
Businessfranchise.com | 109
Investment: £50k-£100k
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