Market Focus Dublcheck Len Donnelly
Len, who joined the Dublcheck network 10 years ago, won the prestigious Overall Dublcheck 20th Anniversary Award
What did you do before franchising? Before I joined Dublcheck, I spent 30 years in food retail management. However, this ended in redundancy and so I began to look at a number of other avenues. I could see other retailers restructuring as well and I realised that I needed to get into another sector.
Why did you choose to invest in a Dublcheck franchise? I looked at a few different franchises available in the UK, and when I came across the Dublcheck franchise, which was up for resale, I felt it was the most realistic financial proposition.
What is the training and support like? The training and camaraderie within Dublcheck is very good and we all communicate with each other for help and advice. I currently help with the mentoring programme and I am involved in the initial training being delivered to six new franchisees.
What do you attribute your success to? It has to be my commitment to customer service – word of mouth has played a huge role in generating much of my success. I spend the first week of any new contract working onsite and getting to know the client’s requirements. All my clients have my personal phone number so they know they can contact me with any issue they might have.
How has investing in a franchise influenced your personal life? In retail, it is all long hours and working weekends. Since I became a Dublcheck franchisee, my work-life balance has
improved a great deal. I can spend more time with my wife, Sue, and see more of my eight grandchildren, as well as have a lot more holidays.
Expense Reduction Analysts
Why did you choose ERA? For me, ERA ticked all the boxes. The concept made sense and I could see how it could have applied to the organisations I’d worked with and for. I really liked that no one just gave me the flowery version, they explained the challenges as well as the benefits. You mistrust people that paint the rosy picture and nothing else; ERA didn’t do that. I also spoke to franchisees who worked in the sector I’d come from and I was impressed with their knowledge and excited about the prospects!
What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing? The training was excellent and I know it’s changed to be even better now. In the early days, I probably drew more on the support that was available, but even now, the great thing about the network and group office is there’s always someone there to support you. You don’t get that in your own business.
Would you recommend a franchise opportunity with ERA to others seeking to run a franchise? To this day, I’m still staggered by the level
and depth of knowledge in the network – it’s second to none. I feel personally involved with every client I work with; I’m responsible and, crucially, confident that as a network we can deliver and delight. You get a real sense of pride from that. It’s great to be proud of your business and that’s a big thing that ERA gives me.
How has running a ERA franchise influenced your personal life? ERA really does give us a great lifestyle. We’ve got a big old barn that we’ve converted and done a lot of work on the interior and styling, which I love doing. But whether it’s working on the house, being able to walk the dogs in the sunshine, spend time with friends or just be spontaneous and take a day trip here and there, day in, day out, what the business allows us to do is truly brilliant.
What are your plans for the future? Re-signing another 10-year franchise agreement was a no-brainer. There was never a question that I wouldn’t re-sign; I’m not ready to retire and I don’t want to do anything else. I know that I can slow the pace down a little if I ever decide
that I want to, but for now, expect more of the same! The business has grown year on year, and the last two years have been exceptional. The work is varied, the people diverse and I thoroughly enjoy what I do.
June 2017 |
BusinessFranchise.com | 29 Tracy Follows
Tracy has been running her Expense Reduction Analysts (ERA) franchise since 2007. Since then, she’s built a substantial, profitable business, which continues to grow year on year
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