NIC Local

In this feature, we speak with husband-and-wife team Gary and Alison Murdock, the new owners of an established NIC Local franchise covering North West England and Scotland.

Having taken over an existing business through a franchise resale, below in their own words they offer an honest look at that process.

As well as their background and motivations, they discuss what it’s like to hit the ground running with a franchise that comes with a long history, established clients, and staff all in place – including all the challenges and benefits that entails.

Going from coffee shops to commercial cleaning

Gary: Alison and I come from a mix of professional backgrounds. We’ve both had experience running businesses over the past 20 years; I’ve worked in professional sport as a general manager and head of recruitment, while we also owned and ran a local coffee shop for a number of years.

We both felt ready for something new, and I wanted to step away from my high-pressure corporate role. Specifically, we wanted a new challenge where our hard work could directly benefit us.

We actually had a conversation with the previous owner of this franchise around five years ago. The timing never quite worked out until recently, when everything aligned and we decided the moment was right to take over the reins.

Getting going in an established business

Gary: The business we took over is actually the longest-established NIC Local franchise, having been operated by the outgoing franchisee for over 25 years.

That meant dealing with legacy processes that needed modernising to fit current best practices within the franchise network.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for us was dealing with over 40 staff already in place and long-standing clients who were used to the way things had always been done.

Alison: Our first few months were focused on implementing new procedures, and building trust with the team and clients.

It was a challenge, especially being spread across such a vast territory, from Cumbria to Scotland. We found ourselves in towns and villages we’d never even heard of before – the sat nav has come in handy!

Gary: We quickly realised we needed to define our roles more clearly. Initially, Alison drove the business forward with the support of a new supervisor, while I stepped back slightly.

Now we’ve aligned around our strengths: I focus more on the initial client enquiries and business planning, while Alison is the face and voice of the business, meeting clients and leading operations.

Making marked progress and securing new contracts

Gary: We’ve made a lot of progress. In just five months, we have exceeded the sales target set for us during training.

We’ve secured six new contracts, including schools, which are huge for us. Some of these new contracts have come from client referrals, which we take as a huge compliment. Others have come from proactively responding to opportunities and building relationships quickly and effectively.

Client retention has been key

Gary: While new business is exciting, our biggest goal was to retain and stabilise the existing client base. With the previous owner stepping away, there was always a risk of clients moving on too.

We made it a priority to visit sites, meet clients personally, and show them that we were here to stay and committed to quality.

It paid off. Relationships have strengthened, some contracts have expanded, and we’re now confident we’ve got the right foundation to build upon.

So perhaps the biggest win so far is we haven’t lost a single existing client. In fact, we’ve expanded several current contracts by increasing their hours.

Benefitting from head office support when it mattered most

Alison: The early months were a real test, but we never felt like we were doing it alone. The head office’s franchise support team was always there when we needed them.

Whether it was for marketing advice, business planning, or just having someone to talk to, we always had someone to call.

We’ve now developed a structured marketing plan with our Business Development Manager (BDM). Over the coming months, we’re focusing on targeted growth with Head Office and BDM support. They’ve been great at listening and offering ideas without overwhelming us.

Administrative support has been a huge weight off our shoulders

Alison: With so many staff and contracts already in place, handling all the admin involved – like HR and payroll – from day one could easily become overwhelming.

But the support from the central team has made it manageable. The wages department has been brilliant, and any time we have a question, someone is available to help.

Having that back office support has allowed us to focus on the parts of the business that we do best. Without it, we probably wouldn’t have taken the leap.

Designs on scaling to a £1 million+ business and beyond

Gary: We’ve set ourselves a clear five-year goal to grow the business to over £1 million in turnover.

But based on where we are now, we think that’s achievable much sooner. We’re already tracking over £500,000 within our first six months.

The long-term vision is to build a scalable, efficient operation that we can manage hands-off in future years.

Eventually, we’d love to build it into a valuable asset that could be sold on when the time is right.

What we’ve learned from our journey so far

Gary: The biggest thing we’ve learned is the importance of getting the foundations right.

The first few months were spent restructuring, hiring a new supervisor, recruiting staff, and understanding the territory. Now, with those systems in place, we’re ready to accelerate growth.

We’ve also learned to lean into each other’s strengths. We don’t always work the same way, and yes, we do sometimes step on each other’s toes! But we always work it out, and having a shared vision keeps us aligned.

Our advice? Go into the opportunity with your eyes open

Alison: For anyone considering buying an NIC Local franchise resale, we’d say this: go in with your eyes open.

Be ready to work, and trust the support around you. If you do that, you’ll find it incredibly fulfilling, just like we have.

There have been challenges, of course, but there’s also been so much reward. We feel like we’re building something that reflects who we are. 

We’re in control of our future, backed by a brand that supports us.