Market Focus ChipsAway Richard Dexter
Richard was a talented film and TV animator before deciding to make a radical life change five years ago. He left his successful career and invested in a ChipsAway franchise covering Hereford
What drew you to franchising and ChipsAway in particular? I like cars and was keen to replace my desk-bound job with working outdoors, so the automotive paintwork repair brand ChipsAway immediately appealed to me. Having attended the company’s informal open day to find out more, my wife Emma and I found ourselves impressed with the
professionalism of the ChipsAway team and I joined the network soon after.
How did you find the initial training and support?
Our launch weekend went really well. We did estimates for around 60 customers with a total value in excess of £9,000 and booked a further 31 jobs worth over £5,000.
Now into my sixth year, I am pleased to note that over half of my business comes from word of mouth or repeat custom.
What is the ongoing support like? About a third of our leads still say they found us via Google, so the work performed by head office in keeping us
up at the top of the page on Google searches is also a key factor in generating new business. National TV commercials also currently generate approximately 20 per cent of our new business.
How have you found trading so far? What benefits are there to working in this industry?
As well as being able to spend much more time with my family, I am also fitter and happier! I enjoy working outdoors, I have no ‘office politics’ to deal with, I get a great deal of satisfaction from completing a good repair, and being physically active suits me better than being stuck at a desk. I just wish I had done this 20 years ago!
Would you recommend franchising to others?
I certainly would recommend franchising to others from my experience. The work is there as long as you follow the rules to getting it.
What are your plans for the future? My plans are to just continue as I am. I want to continue to grow and enjoy it as I go along.
Lawnkeeper Darren Morris
Darren launched his Lawnkeeper franchise in Peterborough in February 2012 after deciding he wanted to start his own business
What did you do before franchising? I was already working in the lawn care industry with 10 years’ experience under my belt.
Why did Lawnkeeper in particular appeal to you?
I had decided I wanted to work more locally as I was travelling to another area every day and was keen to become self-employed. By choosing a franchise you have some immediate support and a working model to hit the ground running.
How does your previous experience help you? I already had the qualifications and experience to do the job, it was just a matter of creating the customer base. I run the franchise with my wife, so with her previous office manager experience she takes care of the administration and
accounts. Our skillsets complement each other and this has helped our franchise to be successful.
What are the advantages of a van- based franchise? Your van is basically your office so you can run your franchise while you are still out and about working.
How has your life changed since investing in the franchise? It has taken a lot of hard work and long hours to get to where we are now. We are in our fifth year of trading with an established customer base, so we are now able to re-introduce more of a work-life balance and are looking forward to a few more holidays!
What about training and support? We have regular contact with our franchisor,
who is always available to help with any support or training required. Our working processes are constantly being developed and updated in order to help with costs and efficiency.
What advice would you give to anyone considering a vehicle-based franchise? If you are initially starting out on your own, then a vehicle-based franchise is a good way to be able to get your business up and running quite quickly. There is no better way to market your business than by having a moving advert on your van and being seen out and about working by loads of different people.
June 2017 |
BusinessFranchise.com | 19
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