FRANCHISEFOCUS
"A London Bath Co. franchise truly is a partnership between franchisee and head office and the support they offer really is across the board"
How are you finding running your own business with The London Bath Co.? It's hard work and long hours but incredibly rewarding and really exciting to see the business developing so quickly
It’s been a tumultuous first year! Now that you’ve come through lockdown and reopened, to a surge in business, how do you feel? I didn't know what to expect when we first reopened, I was really just concerned about survival to be honest but then the phone started ringing and it really hasn't stopped since. I can honestly say I'm busier now than I was before the pandemic! Being cooped up at home with a grotty bathroom has definitely forced the issue for some people plus most haven't been away this year or had expensive holidays and they’re spending that money on home improvements. Most builders I know are rushed off their feet at the moment.
The London Bath Co. is a ‘clicks-to-bricks’ model in that it generates awareness online that drives footfall – what benefits does this bring? I've actually asked head office reduce my online advertising recently as I can't deal with any more inquiries at the moment! In fact, I started trading
THE FIGURES
Franchisee Projections: Year 1 * £693,000 ** £72,000
Year 2 * £875,000 ** £104,000
Investment breakdown: Franchisee fee: £30,000 Showroom rent deposit: £18,000 Showroom fitting out: £25,000 Total Investment: £73,000
* Sales Revenues ** Profit – before taxation & distributions
We recommend franchisees to have approximately £30,000 of working capital available to support their business during its launch. Loan finance is available at extremely competitive rates (subject to status).
whilst the store was still being fitted out and was really busy from day one with online inquiries. It is reassuring to know that if passing trade does
quieten down, I can boost inquiries by contacting head office and asking them to increase my online advertising budget for that month. I've had a steady flow of business from the start but there have been times when the online enquiries have helped fill my diary on the odd days here and there. We have a great marketing department and real experts working on the company’s Google campaign which accounts for most of the inquiries we receive online.
What do you enjoy most about the business? Meeting people – and I really enjoy designing bathrooms. The CAD programme we use is really intuitive and once you get the hang of it it's really enjoyable transforming drab rooms into luxury hotel-style bathrooms.
How does The London Bath Co. support you and your business? It truly is a partnership between franchisee and head office and the support they offer is across the board. Our online marketing is really sophisticated and we have slick marketing materials and showroom brochures that give our clients confidence and that big company look and feel. Plus fixtures and fittings are ordered directly from head office so I can concentrate on simply designing and selling the bathrooms and managing the installation process with my clients. It’s that hands-on approach that makes the difference between using a professional company like ourselves and taking a chance and hiring your own builders with varying reliability and capability.
What are your plans for the future? Resales are really popular in franchising. There are lots of people who don't want to start a business from scratch so I'm building a strong financial history in the business and eventually, one day I hope to be able to sell the business on as a profitable going concern and for a healthy profit.
THE LONDON BATH CO. Bathrooms 07428 747474
franchises@tlbco.co.uk thelondonbathco.co.uk
66
Investment level: £20k-£50k
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