Franchise Focus Business News…

With record snowfall across the UK, one wonders how businesses are surviving during the cold snap. While retailers definitely feel the winter pinch, other businesses can enjoy an upturn in trade as a result of cold weather. It is estimated that the cold weather and resulting staff absenteeism can cost businesses across the UK between £250 million to £1.2 billion per day (according to FPB/RSA Insurance).

Automotive businesses in particular thrive as road conditions deteriorate and it becomes necessary to find ways of increasing your car’s grip in the frosty weather as well as ways of defrosting the car! During icy weather, road owners flock to auto accessory shops to buy de-icing sprays (stocked by AutoSmart franchises!), as well as scrapers, snow socks for your tyres, night time car covers and perhaps a thermos flask to make the journey a little easier. Although more popular in Scandinavian countries, snow tyres are also becoming more popular in the UK. Hometyre franchisees, amongst other automotive businesses across the UK fit snow tyres for drivers.

Recently Continental Tyres carried out a survey on winter driving habits amongst UK drivers and found that four out of ten motorists drive without fully clearing their mirrors or rear windscreen from snow and ice and nearly two million drivers came close to crashing at least three times last year.

Scientists claim that due to climate change, these harsh winters set to stay in place for years to come, so snow and ice are weather that we are all going to have to adjust to and take enough precautions to ensure that the whole country doesn’t come to a standstill every time it snows.

Starting your own automotive business can be a good way to capitalise on a new need among drivers to get their cars ready for the winter, but there are other businesses which can thrive on cold weather also. Online shopping retailers are likely to benefit as shoppers are unable or too cautious to brave icy streets, one way for store front retailers to combat this is to ensure they have an effective online store set up to compliment their existing business. IT companies can also benefit by helping businesses set staff up to work from home, using remote access, video conference chat and other IT facilities. Plumbing businesses will no doubt be very busy during cold snaps, to fix exploded pipes and burned out heating systems.

Below is an interesting infographic from Continental Tyres on trends amongst drivers during the winter in the UK.

If you love cars… or simply like serving people… or would welcome the challenge of managing a demanding but lucrative business, then an automotive franchise might be the right choice.

Think of the advantages that an automotive business offers:

• Staying power – cars are not a trend, but a necessity. Unlike food, fashion or entertainment fads, cars never go “out of style.”
• Local, loyal customer base – automotive service can’t be outsourced. People like to deal with a local provider close to home or where they work.
• Free advertising – your happy customers are your best marketers, and their word-of-mouth news about your services will bring in more business.
• Enthusiastic employees – most automotive technicians love cars and their work. They choose to be in an automotive service environment, unlike workers who just show up for a paycheck.
• Lot of options – there is a diverse variety of automotive franchises available to fit different lifestyle preferences and investment levels.

That last item has a lot of appeal. For anyone thinking of buying a franchise, the success of your venture depends heavily on choosing the right business best suited to your financial situation and goals. You have to consider your personal interests, stamina, and commitment levels. For instance, do you want to directly interact with your customers? Do you want to be there full-time? Do you want to manage a workforce, or instead be a hands-on provider without any, or maybe just one or two, employees?

Do you want to be at a fixed location everyday, or on the road? Are you interested in automotive technology and will you keep up with the latest developments in the field? And, as with any franchise, can you adhere to established systems and “go by the book” in running your business?

For anyone eager to start their own repair service station, buying a franchise lets you leap frog the learning curve, with all the business systems and services processes in place from the get-go. Many automotive franchises don’t even require any experience in the field – all the training and tools are provided.

Automotive franchises offer a lot of flexibility as far as financing goes. Some require a substantial investment because you must secure a location, buy equipment, hire technicians etc. But these also offer the potential for the biggest returns. Rather than working with wrenches everyday, you’ll probably be more of a business manager, focused on marketing, team work, suppliers and revenue growth.

There are also many choices for prospective franchisees not ready to make a six-figure commitment.

Most likely a large portion of your investment in these automotive franchises will be the mobile van used to deliver services. You’ll also be more personally involved in the business, directly interacting with your customers. Of course, if you’re successful with your initial efforts, you could wind up owning a fleet of mobile service vans, manage a crew and never pick up a tool! These types of mobile automotive services are in big demand and offer tremendous growth potential because of the convenience they offer customers.

And speaking of customers – they are truly the key to the success of your automotive franchise. It is essential that you and your employees deliver high quality service every time. All services and repairs must be precisely executed for customer satisfaction. And courtesy counts! You want your customers to be happy and to recommend your business to friends, family and co-workers.

An automotive franchise is really a “people” business. And one that can offer longevity in your marketplace, ongoing multiple revenue streams, long-term growth, and big profits. Cars could be the driving factor behind a successful future for entrepreneurs looking to own a franchise business.

Check out Franchise Direct’s directory of Automotive Franchises to find one that could be right for you!