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Yorkshire Franchise Show arrives in Leeds for second year running
The exhibition showcases 35+ innovative, inspiring and proven franchised business formulas handing you a safer and supportive way to start your own business. And all exhibitors have licenses available for the Yorkshire region and beyond
The event is a one-stop-franchise-shop for the general public - and the shows are hosted with a smile. They're are unstuffy, relaxed, informative and somewhere amongst the exhibitors youre sure to find your perfect business format.
Free entry. Free car parking. Easy to find venue. And once here, you can browse the businesses on offer and take in drop-in workshops advising on finance and start up enterprise
You're looking for that new challenge this year? Then well see you at Elland Road in February and well hand you the keys to a new self employed career.
Saturday, 27th February 2010
Elland Road Conference Centre
Leeds United FC
LS11 0ES
Can Technology change the way we franchise?
Whether you are developing your own franchise business or looking to join another, you need to outsmart the competition, keep your overheads down and above all conquer the ever talked about recession. So how can you not only survive the recession, but come out the other end smiling? One common claim by franchisors is that software can be a valuable weapon, helping you manage and grow your business. But are these claims really true?
We asked industry expert George Perfect, a consultant for Biznik, how he feels software is used in franchised businesses today. He stated that "Although most businesses use IT daily, many restrict this to just the basic accounts and office software. Some companies have now gone further and started to use software to manage relationships between franchisees and franchisors, improving the franchisees experience and making their business more competitive"
Many franchisors have experienced the benefits that a well-designed franchise management system can bring. Simon Albert from The PC Support Group chose to use software to help manage his franchise as he felt it would help with his franchise recruitment. "The fact that we use central software to manage basic sales lead activities like appointment setting and opportunity management is a big bonus for new recruits - it shows just how much we care about their success". His fast growing IT franchise used Franchise 360 designed by GreyRidge Software "because it works the way we do, fast and to the point."
Another success story comes from Ginny Murphy, BFA member and CEO of The Wheel Specialist. She bought in software to gain a better understanding of her business as a whole and to help her monitor her growing franchise network wherever she was in the world. The software we use directs us towards activities that will help us to grow, giving us the efficiency and visibility that helps our business succeed."
Many businesses worry that investing in software is an expense that they could do without. George Perfect disagrees "Actually, it is the other way around. Those that don't invest in smart systems are stacking up big problems for themselves and might well lose their competitive edge over time. Plus, due to the recession there are some great deals around at the moment".
If you are looking to invest in technology, experts recommend that you work with a good supplier, who knows exactly how your business can benefit from a system. Many software houses will tell you that each franchise is the same and an off the shelf product will do. Realistically, only you know your business, if you can work with a supplier who understands what you need your system could deliver great results. As ever in franchising keep your eyes on the money and shop around until you find a system and a supplier which suits the way your business works.
How To Deal With Low Morale During A Recession
Worry causes stress and right now job insecurity is every employee's biggest worry - no-one can guarantee that people won't lose jobs - who knows how much longer the recession will last - but what you can do, as a team leader, manager or business owner, is be aware' of the signs of low morale and stress, and step in as quickly as possible to do something about it.
If you are a sensory' manager or business owner - you will actually feel' low morale. You will sense a deadness or an apathy in your people. And being sensory you will pick up that lack of energy very quickly.
However, for non-sensory managers or owners, there are some very clear signs that morale is dipping in your team or business.
The signs are:
Sickness levels will increase as people start to succumb to various bodily symptoms - headaches; insomnia; an increased susceptibility to colds and flu because they are feeling low
Accidents will increase as a result of low attention to detail
Productivity will be affected - and no amount of whip cracking will help
So here are my ten tips for dealing with low morale and worker stress during a recession - or during ANY turbulent times...
1. COMMUNICATE - in the absence of real information (even bad news) employees will speculate; the gossip mill will be rife and stories become embellished with the telling. Be honest and be honest frequently. Keep people informed
2. Celebrate the good stuff - even if there isn't much to celebrate right now FIND SOME THINGS - and do this also on a frequent basis - like Today we salvaged a customer who was going elsewhere and we did it by offering them the very best customer service and care'
3. Involve your staff - have regular brain storming session about ways to create efficiencies and reward the best ideas with 2 movie tickets ($40 won't break the bank)
4. Have a theme' of the week - like this week we are going to have a quality' drive - anyone who can improve the quality of any system or process can have Friday afternoon off
5. Do an employee draw and let the winner spend a morning in a different department - amazing what people see in another area
6. If the office or plant is fairly quiet - ask everyone to write down ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN on a piece of post-it pad - and ONE THING I'D LIKE TO TEACH - and let people pair up for a couple of hours a week
7. Offer a Mystery weekend for the very best idea anyone can come up with for a new product or service
8. Organise a few impromptu things - like ask everyone to bring in a plate and have a joint breakfast - organize a temp for ONE HOUR to man the phones - use this opportunity to let your people know how much you value them.
9. Have a weekly employee draw and let the winner go out and visit a client or a supplier- getting to know our customers and suppliers face-to-face is a huge energy boost for both parties - they may even come back with an order or reduced supply cost!
10. Instead of an employee of the week' which has become a bit yawn, yawn, have a competition one Friday afternoon for joke of the week - or song of the week - or story of the week... prize can be as simple as a bar of chocolate
When I sent the tips over to the journalist she commented that what I seemed to be saying was have more fun' at work. Yes and no. Fun is great - I have no problem with creating a fun place to work. But this is about more than fun - it is about re-energising people; which is very different from just having a fun day. After all, who will appreciate a fun theme when their job is at risk - it is almost insulting.
So the theme to my tips is more about finding cheap ways to keep people energized and interested - there is nothing that affects productivity so much as lack of energy.
My belief is that if you keep finding ways to keep the energy levels high, even though sales might be low, people will be motivated to come to work; they will be motivated to get involved in all the productivity improvement ideas, because involvement has been fun and creative rather than a whip across their shoulders.
Recessions can be the best thing that has ever happened to your business. They can actually bring your business to LIFE!
About the author: Ann Andrews is a specialist in working with high performing teams. An ex work study engineer and initiator of self-managed teams in a manufacturing organisation, Ann is now an international speaker; HR consultant; team facilitator; author and the creator of The Corporate Toolbox. She has written four books and contributed to five others. One of her books Did I Really Employ You? is being translated into Arabic and Russian. Ann is a past National President of NSANZ (National Speakers' Association of NZ) and a CSP (Certified Professional Speaker) one of only 120 women in the world who have achieved this standard of accreditation.
Seeking the Holy Grail of Online Advertising
Because online advertising can seem easy at first, many companies go about it the wrong way. Too many people see online advertising in the same way as traditional offline advertising. In the real world a business succeeds partly through making their brand constantly visible, regularly bringing it to the attention of potential customers, through such media as mail shots, flyers, leaflets, business cards, radio and television. But this principle does not apply online in the same way.
Bombarding people with banner adverts and emails will more than likely result in your email address becoming added to spam lists, and rarely seen.
Banner adverts are becoming less popular as more and more people use software which filters out banners and adverts on web pages. Instead, tactics such as article distribution, backlinks, reciprocal links, search engine optimization and other techniques help to advertise and promote your business using a form of online advertising more akin to voting.
It is the companies online who are linked to, recommended, promoted and referred to across many different websites who become more visible, rising up the search engine results and being viewed more frequently on Google.
Knowing your niche market, and identifying appropriate keywords will help you to tailor your online advertising and promotion to the audience you are trying to reach. With so many millions of people online, it is important that your advertising is designed to target the right people, in the right way, rather than attempting to bombard as many people as possible with your brand.
One of the biggest challenges as far as online advertising is concerned is identifying ways in which you can communicate your message to the right people in ways which will not have your advert either ignored, overlooked or specifically filtered. The problem is that most users have become wise to banners along the top of websites, and vertical skyscraper banners along the side of some pages too. This has resulted in many users developing filtered vision, so that they become unconscious of these adverts.
To overcome this method of not seeing or overlooking adverts, some advertisers have developed adverts which cannot possibly be ignored or overlooked, with flashy colors, vibrant hues and rapid movement designed to grab attention. The trouble is that most of these adverts are embedded on web pages that the user has specifically navigated to for the purpose of finding out information, rather than being bombarded with a carnival of hypnotic gaiety designed to wrestle their eyeballs to the ground and force them to read the advert.
The trouble here is that this often results in resentment - not a good start for anyone attempting to use online advertising to attract customers.
Most modern web browsers have the option to filter certain advertisers'
messages and adverts, and if you resort to gross harassment of the peripheral vision, you are likely to find your adverts never even seen.
This begs the question - how can you possibly be successful when it comes to advertising online if an increasing number of visitors have developed the art of blinkered vision for those adverts which are calm and gentle, and actively filter those adverts which jump out in an attempt to grab attention?
The answer is simple - as with all forms of advertising, whether on the internet or in the real world - you have to think along different lines.
There are many examples of internet advertising trends which have become hugely successful, and although copying these ideas doesn't necessarily guarantee success, in some cases they can be worth pursuing, and if nothing else, they serve as examples of the fact that alternatives do exist.
Viral videos or viral advertisements are perhaps the greatest success story in online advertising. This is where a company or business creates what seems to be a spoof advertisement, or simple a very clever one, which has a massive appeal that makes people want to share the video with their friends and family. A hilarious, quirky, weird or thought provoking video, which may not even make it explicitly obvious at first that it is an advert at all, can often find itself receiving millions of hits, and being forwarded and shared across the internet at a rate which no normal advertising medium could possibly hope to match. Although instances of this are rare, they do exist, and are well worth considering.
One of the modern trends in internet technology is the wide range of ways in which people can share links, through website such as del.icio.us, digg.com, stumbleupon.com and network sites such as FaceBook. Finding a way to encourage users to share your adverts, videos and other content through these sites is perhaps the best possible way of promoting your site or services, at relatively little cost. It's not guaranteed, and does represent something of a gamble, but the benefit of success in this field of online advertising is phenomenal, and unrivaled by any other form of advertising.
Naz Daud is the founder of CityLocal. This Franchise Opportunity is for people who would like to work from home and be their own boss.
As property prices hit rock bottom, we give you our Top Tips on making fast cost savings
Q) In the current economic climate, what
would be your top tips for helping
companies make fast savings in their
property costs?
A) There are 4 key strategies. The first one
would be for example, to try and pay your
rent monthly instead of quarterly. Secondly,
it may be worth trying to trade one of your
lease clauses, for example you may be able
to negotiate a period of 3-6 months rent free
in exchange for handing something back to
the landlord. A common one would be for
example a break clause. Thirdly, if you are
struggling to pay your rent, it may be
worthwhile contacting your landlord and
negotiating a short term period of reduction,
whilst you are finding it difficult. Finally if
you have part of your accommodation
empty it could be possible to sub-let part of
that accommodation. You would of course
need to check your lease, but it’s something
that’s worth considering
Q) What other options are available to
companies if they now have empty floor
space, due to downsizing?
A) It could be possible to lodge an empty
rates application on the vacant parts of the
accommodation. It could be rooms or it could
be sections of a building. As a rule of thumb,
you would pay nothing for 3 months on
vacant shops and offices and you would pay
nothing on industrial properties for 6 months.
Q) Does the space need to be empty to
qualify for the relief?
A) Not necessarily, each local authority is
different but as a rough rule of thumb, I would
usually recommend moving any office
furniture into the least valuable space.
Q) Is there any other scope to reduce
business rates?
A) Yes it is still possible to actually
challenge your normal rating assessment.
They revaluate every 5 years. The current
one is still effective until 2010. You can
appeal their decision and get a reduction all
the way back to 2005.
Q) Typically from your experience, what
savings can be achieved?
A) It does vary depending on the property
types, but on average we can achieve a saving
of 14% per annum.
It started with a Nib
To celebrate its fifth anniversary, MP-PR announces its new brand identity and radically revamped website.
During a consultative process that included one graphic designer, two franchising professionals, and a visit to the pub to scratch out some ideas on the back of a beer mat, MP-PR’s new branding was born.
Having spent the last three months locked away in a darkened room designing, developing and fine tuning the website, MP-PR founder Matt Pigott and company director Alex Waite are now ready to pull up the blinds to tell the franchising world about the company’s latest developments.
Says Matt: “I’ve always loved the pen as part of MP-PR’s branding, but now it’s got a more modern, abstract feel to it. The silhouette of the pen nib on the new site represents the passion that we have for high quality writing and design.”
With a host of added extras, including valuable hints and tips to help franchisors recruit franchisees, the new site is an altogether better browsing experience.
“The vibrant pink was chosen to contrast with the standard blacks, whites and greys of the business world,” says Matt. “I wanted a certain joie de vivre to leap out from the brand, and I think we’ve succeeded in achieving that. Now we have a highly memorable, future-proof identity. Who knows, one day I might even franchise the business myself!”
Adds company director, Alex Waite: “As a PR consultancy that specialises in franchising, MP-PR’s new website needed to demonstrate a clear understanding of the franchise industry, a firm grasp of good copywriting, an eye for design and a handle on social media and modern marketing techniques. What people are realising today is that good sites aren’t just online brochures; they are entities that live, breathe and develop. Moreover, they should be interactive to encourage people to revisit the site. And that’s why we’ll be moving with the times and adding new content to the site every day.”
Designed and built entirely in-house MP-PR’s new site is simple to use, easily navigated and creatively fuses elements of business and fun.
Listen to MP-PR’s tune of the week, follow the directors on Twitter, get handy marketing hints and tips and learn more about MP-PR’s services as the franchise industry’s leading PR specialists
Fiat Group Awards Smart Repairer Contract to Revive!
Revive! leads the way in professional mobile smart repairs with over 80 technicians and 54 franchisees across the UK. Under the contract the Revive! service allows dealerships to offer SMART repairs to valued Fiat and Alfa Romeo Customers, adding a new service to the dealership and a new income stream.
Commented managing director of Revive! Mark Llewellyn: “Adding value to the dealership network in such a competitive environment is an important part of the FIAT and ALFA dealer solution. We are looking to work in partnership with the dealerships and add significant value to their existing services. If an Alfa Romeo driver or Fiat customer scrape or scuff their car they know that they will be able to return to their dealership and get the work done under the professional standards they are used to. Quality is paramount to us and I am sure our high standards of professionalism were a key factor in winning this prestigious contract from the Fiat Group.”
Typical work carried out by Revive! technicians will include repairing bumper scuffs, alloy wheels and other small scratches on the vehicle.
*SMART" is a term used in the car bodywork profession. It stands for Small to Medium Area Repair Technique.
ChipsAway couple with five territories sign for five more years
“If our ChipsAway business was not delivering the lifestyle benefits we expect, we certainly wouldn’t be committing to another five years at this point,” Anatol states. “We have enjoyed five extremely successful years and have grown our business substantially over that period. Whilst we have recognised the downturn and adapted our marketing strategy accordingly, the phones have not stopped ringing since the beginning of the year. We are booked solidly for three to four weeks ahead on all territories and frankly we’re struggling to keep up with new enquiries.”
Anatol and Michelle have a diverse customer base that includes private motorists, dealerships and business fleets. Whilst the credit crunch has reduced the business they do with premium and prestige dealerships such as Porsche and Mercedes, they have found that their services are very much in demand from other areas.
“People still want new or used cars, but it’s the small and economical marques that are selling well, like Smart cars for instance. It’s a different target market, but it still makes the same money for us,” Anatol explains. “Similarly, with business fleets, companies are keeping vehicles for longer rather than committing to the purchase of new cars. Accordingly, they have to invest in keeping vehicles in good condition to maintain their value and extend their life – that means more business for ChipsAway!”
The couple have also recently undergone training by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association to achieve accreditation as certified inspectors of fair wear and tear on rented or leased vehicles. This scheme protects customers from being charged unnecessarily on return of rented or leased vehicles and generates a revenue stream for ChipsAway where minor paintwork damage has been identified and is in need of repair.
“After your home, your car is likely to be the next most significant investment you will make,” Anatol points out. “We are strongly promoting the fact that damage to a car immediately wipes around £1000 off its value and a claim on insurance has a potential impact on no claims status and subsequent premium. As we can repair most minor paintwork damage for less than a typical insurance excess, it makes real financial sense in the long term to get a repair done by ChipsAway. Potential customers understand this message and have responded well, particularly as times are tough and the name of the game is saving money and thinking smart!”
The Anatol and Michelle success story started in February 2004, when the pair decided to invest in a ChipsAway franchise, after attending one of the company’s informal Open Days. Having completed their training, they launched their business the following May, writing 60 estimates for work and taking bookings well into the next month. They achieved £900 in their first week of trading, £4000 by the end of their first month, and the trend continued upwards.
Before long, Michelle and Anatol decided to extend their territory and take on a second vehicle. ChipsAway vehicles are specially customized into fully equipped mobile workshops, which enable franchisees to travel to customers’ premises – whether workplace or at home – to undertake the repairs, maximizing convenience for the customer.
“By early 2006, we decided we were so busy that the only solution was to expand again and take on a third vehicle as well as an employee,” he recalls. “Luckily for us, we were later able to take on the two territories of our very successful neighbouring franchisee, substantially extending our area,” Anatol recalls.
“To be able to acquire territories adjacent to our own was great for us, and for the outgoing franchisee our offer was the perfect solution. He made an excellent return on his investment, whilst we were happy to invest in well run, profitable territories to add to our own.”
Today, Anatol and Michelle have five territories, which they serve with three mobile units and a static ChipsAway CarCare Centre. The couple are positive about the future and applaud the continued support they have received from their franchisor.
“ChipsAway are planning a national TV campaign to support the franchise network and they have appointed a National Account Sales Manager, which is excellent news,” Anatol concludes. “Several large new customer accounts have been secured and we have benefited from leads already - no other SMART (Small to Medium Area Repair Technology) repairer has the national network to make a National Accounts system work, so that is a significant advantage for us. We continue to enjoy a great lifestyle, thanks to our ChipsAway franchise. It has given us control over our own destiny and has equipped us to cope whether the market is buoyant or tough. We may not be taking the three skiing trips and summer holiday in the Caribbean as we did last year, but life is good and we still get a tremendous buzz from our business!”
UK PLCs Missing Major Cost Saving Opportunity
It isn’t just MPs and Cabinet Ministers Iwho should have an eagle eye on their
expenses. The same goes for businesses
throughout the UK, according to a new study
conducted by research organisation YouGov.
More than a third (34%) of the 1,320 board
directors and senior managers interviewed
said that their organisations had not put in
place any cost reduction programmes for
business expenditure during the last six
months and nearly half of respondents (46%)
had not conducted any contract renegotiations
with suppliers since September 2008, when
the steep decline in the economy started. And
more than half of all respondents (56%) felt
they could achieve cost savings of 6% or
more for their businesses.
The study – Is your Business COSTING
you? - was commissioned by the Expense
Reduction Analysts’ Centre for Cost
and Purchase ManagementTM, to gain insights
into business expenditure management
from board directors and senior
managers across the country and a range of
industries.
Other findings included:
where contract renegotiations have taken
place, only 16% had gained an extension
in credit terms; and just 8% had
managed to change payment terms from
advance to arrears. In addition, just 36%
had negotiated a reduction in prices and
only 18% had agreed changes to service
level agreements to be more appropriate
to their requirements.
just 33% of those interviewed said their
organisations had measured cost
reduction achievements and only the
same percentage had benchmarked
suppliers’ costs in the marketplace over
the last 12 months.
less than 1 in 10 of respondents were
very satisfied with their organisations’
drives to reduce such business expenditure.
the biggest barrier to reducing costs, as
experienced by respondents, was lack of
time (39%).
39% of respondents said they had not
carried out any checks on the financial
standing of their suppliers and 18%
indicated that they had only conducted
checks every year or longer than a year.
51% of those interviewed did not feel their
checks on suppliers were adequate.
Robert Allison, Managing Director of
Expense Reduction Analysts, the UK’s
largest Cost and Purchase ManagementTM
consultancy says: “It is clear that a major
opportunity to retain profit during these
harsh times is going begging.
The prime focus for companies is the top
line – with 57% of respondents stating
increasing sales as the priority for increasing
profitability. However, the study highlights
that there is also a major opportunity to
increase the bottom line by reviewing and
taking action on day-to-day business
expenditure, which in many cases has gone
unchecked for a long time.
The survey also reveals that there is an
opportunity to renegotiate contractual
terms harder with suppliers during these
tough times. However this should not be
at the expense of the quality of service you
receive as this could impact on your
service to customers.”
He added: “It should be noted that any
reductions in business expenditure go
straight to the bottom line. Therefore, on a
typical industry profit margin of around
8%, a business would need to generate
sales of a quarter of a million pounds to
make the same bottom line impact as cost
savings of just £20,000.”
Colin Mills, CEO and Founder of The FD
Centre, a provider of part-time Financial
Directors, comments: “It is clear to see
that there is a significant untapped
opportunity for businesses of all sizes to
reduce costs, particularly important during
the current harsh economic climate.
Companies have been feeling the pressure
of the recession for some time now and they
really now need to step up to the mark in
terms of developing effective cost
management strategies, whether it be wider
and tighter benchmarking of suppliers,
measuring cost reduction achievements or
renegotiating contractual terms. By doing so
not only will they steer their
organisations through the current economic
crisis, but they will also ensure their companies
will be stronger when recovery returns.”
World Famous Founder Set For St Albans Seminar
John Schnatter, the youngest person ever to be inducted into the US Business Hall of Fame, has built his delivery and takeaway chain from one store in a Kentucky broom cupboard to 3,400 outlets across 30 different countries - generating a staggering $1.13 billion in 2008 alone.
Still the current chairman and CEO of the global phenomenon, John became fascinated with serving quality food while working in a local pizza parlour at the age of 15, and later sold his treasured Camaro to fund the purchase of his first oven and mixer.
Today the Camaro is back, sitting proudly in the foyer of Papa John’s multi-million dollar head office in Louisville, Kentucky – and the man behind the empire is ready to pass on some of the key points behind his success at a seminar in St Albans on Tuesday May 12th 2009.
The event will take place from 3pm to 4pm at Papa John’s St Albans store, 182 Hatfield Road and places are offered free of charge, but are strictly limited and registration is required.
Papa John’s UK managing director Ian Saunders is delighted that the company founder, who was also named as one of the Outstanding Young Americans at the turn of the century, will tell his story to UK business people.
M/F
He said: “John is one of the most inspirational people on the planet when it comes to putting your finger on the desire and drive that you need to turn a germ of a business idea into a huge success story.
“Opportunities to hear him talk in this kind of format are very limited and we are honoured that he has agreed to take some time out of his UK tour of stores to tell people how it all happened for him.
“As a franchise business we know that this country has a whole host of budding entrepreneurs who are looking for help and advice on how to really take their ideas and ambitions and turn them into results – and there is no better role model for that than John.”
5th Annual Conference report
While the competition was extremely keen Dan Normanton the Trafford franchise took the coveted Franchisee of the Year award for an outstanding all round performance during the year, growing the business significantly and producing consistent outstanding customer service.
Customer Service award went to Byron Lindsay, Outstanding Sales Achievement to Paul Brimelow and the Most Improved Franchisee was Rob Thorpe.
In other categories, chosen by the UK team, recognition was given to Zander McDiarmid (Accounts), Roger Boothman (Recruitment) and Phil Quartly (National Accounts).
Sound bites from the 5th Annual Conference
"The best yet! Fantastic organisation and a wonderful hotel"
"Thanks for an excelelnt conference"
"An inspiring day in every respect"
" I really got a lot out of the conference and I know I can take my business to the next level"
"A great balance between business development themes and technical"
"The content and pace of the day was spot on"
" A great concept to be developing business people rather than car painters"
Revive! are the only full member of the BFA within their sector to offer exclusive territories to their franchisees that guarantees the opportunity to grow a business.
Motoring on the road to a new career with Spettro
Spettro deals with claims for flood, fire, storm, impact damage and burglaries. They also are involved in rental property refurbishments and detecting the origin of water leaks. Spettro Limited is regulated by the Financial Services Authority which allows them to loss assess and mediate with all the major insurance companies, a service which is free of charge to the insured.
"I have been in the same industry for the past 14 years but have been on the lookout for a viable business opportunity for the past 2 years. While trawling the franchise promotional websites I came across Spettro last March. I requested some information and really liked the idea but the timing just wasn't right for me," explains Alan.
"With economic conditions worsening dramatically over the summer months I decided to look seriously again at the business. I spoke to Sandra and Tony initially, two of the directors at Spettro, and was put into contact with the existing franchisees for their opinions. Their responses were most reassuring when they confirmed their faith in the business and the management support from the Spettro team."
"I looked at what other businesses in my area were offering in this sector and felt there was more than enough room for Spettro (Belfast) to be successful with my efforts and the backing of all at head office. I passed my business plan to the bank who discussed the opportunity with me at length and all feedback remained positive."
"I have now completed my training and with the support of Spettro’s head office team I feel like I'm heading down the highway to success!"
Discovery Day
Thursday 2 July at 12.30
Dent Wizard, Flying Colours, Wheel Wizard,
Dunton Park,
Curdworth,
Warwickshire
B769EB
Recession, What Recession?
Reports have shown a decrease in new car sales, people are preferring to invest money into their current vehicles, ‘sprucing up' the look of a vehicle can instantly increase its value that where The Wheel Specialist come in. We offer an affordable quality total refurbishment, we even guarantee our work for twelve months! You will work from a static base, this way you are not limited to the amount of refurbishments you do in a day and no time is wasted driving to and from your customers. The great thing about the Alloy Wheel Refurbishment industry is the massive target market you have, basically anyone with a vehicle or any member of the automotive trade is a potential customer.
The Wheel Specialist go Nationwide
After a few short months Head Office have been bombarded by wonderful feedback from overwhelmed customers
Just a note to thank you so much for the excellent service and quality of job in refurbishing my alloys on the above car. I could not fault the service in any way, and will certainly recommend The Wheel Specialist to friends and colleagues" Ed – Newcastle
Hometyre Group In Shropshire Expand Operations Throughout The United Kingdom
With an ever increasing customer base and popularity as a much more practical and often far cheaper alternative way to replace tyres, you may well also be one of the countless happy customers already served.
After several years of successful trading locally, local businessman, Andy Lawrence teamed up with co director Andrew Scholes to transform the local Hometyre into what is now a national brand. Hometyre operate as a Mobile Tyre and Wheel Alignment Specialist and have built the brand around providing a convenient, flexible tyre replacement solution - together with excellent customer service and rapid response.
Following a successful launch period last year, the team have quickly established the whole package as a viable franchise opportunity in this exciting, fast paced environment.
Andy said, "Hometyre offers a profitable but ethical sales platform with a continuously recycling customer base. The franchise package has everything from the highest quality training to arguably the best equipped service vehicles on the road today. We have put together the ultimate mobile business with absolute support from day one."
Ruth Othen, Marketing and Media Executive said,
"The whole package has been skilfully created to make it both easy to implement and continue to operate. I work very closely with each individual area to tailor local marketing to suit the very different areas of the UK. With the Hometyre brand now represented in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales we have quickly learnt the often very different routes to market."
All sales enquiries are taken by trained staff on 0800 783 9310. Communication is then carried out between the support centre and the network partners through a sophisticated central IT system.
Andrew Scholes commented “We're really proud to have taken a Shropshire business and develop it into something much larger. Naturally we would like thank our loyal customers for the continued business and ongoing support”
THE new car market has taken a bit of a prang during the recession – but that's not bad news for a firm specialising in dealing with bumps, bangs and bashes.
And it has benefited as the new car sales market has hit the skids and more people are turning to secondhand motors or sprucing up their current drives.
The Brixton-based business was started in August 2007 by Ross Knowles, and covers Plymouth.
It's a franchise from Dent Wizard UK, itself part of the world's largest automotive services company, Manheim Group, which in turn is owned by the large multinational Cox Enterprises.
During the past year the business has grown in excess of 50 per cent, down in part to the development of the service by Mr Knowles, but also to increased demand because of the economic crisis.
Mr Knowles said: "Our business customers fall into two groups: dealerships that trade in secondhand vehicles, and private individuals.
"As more and more people choose to buy a secondhand car rather than a new one, dealerships are keener than ever to ensure the cars they sell are in tip-top condition.
"The Dent Wizard service means we're able to repair minor damage without removing panels, which would affect the manufacturers' warranty."
He added: "We're also seeing an increase in business from private individuals, who are taking pride in the vehicle they own rather than seeking to replace it with a new one."
Dent Wizard is a mobile service which goes to the customer, travelling anywhere across Devon and Cornwall.
Mr Knowles said: "We're delighted our growth has been so healthy and steady over the past year, and we believe the current state of the car sales market will mean more growth for us."
Mr Knowles has been supported by Martin Atkins, of Plymouth-based chartered accountants Francis Clark.
Mr Atkins said: "Dent Wizard is an excellent example of a local expert, in this case Ross, who is trained as a commercial vehicle mechanic, who has taken a franchise from a worldwide organisation and made it a regional success.
"Franchises are a good way to get into running your own business, and as the economic climate worsens and more people find themselves out of work, we anticipate that the franchise option will grow in popularity."
