Market Focus


The open road


Wave goodbye to the office and say hello to more freedom with a van- based franchise. Jack Sadler reports


other vehicle, you’re in good company with a mobile business.* Add to that the proven business model of a franchise


W


ith three-quarters of all vans on UK roads commercially owned, and with van traffic growing more than any


and you’re in excellent running condition. And it’s not hard to see why there are multiple benefits to a van-based franchise. The set up allows for a great deal of flexibility; you can organise your schedule around your external commitments and the hours you work are up to you. They also generally come with a lower investment


Greensleeves James Crossman


James has been operating his Greensleeves franchise in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, since February 2014


What did you do before franchising? I worked in the catering industry managing a variety of catering outlets.


Why did Greensleeves in particular appeal to you? I was a Greensleeves customer for many years, so I already had a belief in the service


they provided. After meeting with the company directors I realised this was the kind of business that I would enjoy running and be successful at.


How does your previous experience help you?


Catering management is all about dealing with people. This is a very customer- focused job, so being comfortable discussing lawns with customers was very easy and very beneficial to helping develop the business.


Planning work in catering is vital, be it staffing levels for peak times or ensuring enough product availability. Monitoring product usage throughout the day, understanding profit margins on products and upselling are all transferable.


18 | BusinessFranchise.com | June 2017


level than other sectors, and with no need for premises, costs are dramatically reduced. What’s more, your branding will reach thousands of different people every day across wide areas. Here, three franchisees discuss why they decided to hit the ground running and invest in a van-based franchise…


What are the advantages of a van- based franchise? The view from the office window is different every day but I don’t really look at it as a van-based business. It’s about providing a service to the customers, you just happen to be in a van.


How has your life changed since investing in the franchise? I have a better work-life balance now. There are some long days and short days, but my working hours are for me to manage. Generally, I finish earlier in summer as the outside work is less involved, but then I can spend more time in the office.


Have you got any plans for expansion? Definitely. I run a large marketing campaign that generates a good deal of custom for me and I am also looking at several ways to increase my customer base, which will eventually enable me to provide a salaried role to a second employee.


What advice would you give to anyone considering a vehicle-based franchise? Study the information given to you by the franchisors and speak to as many other franchisees as you can.


*Department for Transport


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