The 6 Advantages of Operating Your Own Van Franchise

Have you ever considered joining a van franchise? We’re taking a look at the fast-growing sector and how you could capitalise on growing demand.

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Vans play a huge role in UK businesses; 3.4 million workers use a van, the equivalent of one in 10 employees. And within this category, 500,000 people are thought to drive a van as their main responsibility. Let’s find out how you could become one of them with a van franchise.

Firstly, though, we can’t stress enough just how profitable van-based businesses can be. The sector is on the up. In fact, there has been a 19 percent increase in the number of LGVs that have been registered over the last five years. Today, vans generate £56 billion for the UK economy – that’s 11 percent of the total GDP.

Today, vans generate £56 billion for the UK economy – that’s 11 percent of the total GDP

So, why start your own van-based franchise unit? Let’s take a look at the main advantages:

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Advantages of running a van-based franchise

1. The demand is there – Research suggests that 87 percent of UK consumers have bought one or more products online in the past year. And, by 2040, 95 percent of purchases will be made online. This means there is great potential to make an impressive profit from a van business.

2. You don’t need any specialist experience – Many businesses require certain skills and qualifications. This isn’t the case with most van-based franchises, although you will need a driving licence, of course.

3. You can save money with low start-up and ongoing costs – You won’t need a ‘brick and mortar’ premises, so you won’t need to make rental or utilities payments. Also, if you set up a ‘man in a van’-type operation, you can avoid hiring extra staff members and investing in recruitment and selection costs. And if you already own a van, you won’t even need to buy a new one.

4. You can save money on marketing costs – If your van is branded with your company information, it will effectively promote your business as you drive around. Vehicle livery is usually provided as part of franchise packages and will make your van stand out from the crowd with a professional touch. If you’re thinking of entering a competitive industry such as cleaning, having a well-presented van with visible contact details will enable you to increase your customer base quicker than competitors.

5. You’ll have flexibility – Many van delivery franchises allow you to work where you want, when you want – and when you’re not in the van, the job will be largely home-based. This flexibility allows you to run your business around other commitments and achieve the ultimate work-life balance.

6. There are plenty of opportunities to grow – You’ll probably start your franchise business on your own, but you should have the chance to expand into a multi-van operation, hiring employees to help with extra work. For instance, you could start a cleaning franchise and do most of the hard work yourself initially. Further down the line, you may want to hire employees to cover the growing customer base while you take on more of a managerial role.

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Van-based franchise opportunities

As you can see, running your own business in the van sector can be incredibly lucrative – and a fantastic opportunity to switch up your work-life balance. But what van franchises are there? Let’s take a look at some of the options open to you.

ChipsAway

About the franchise: ChipsAway offers a convenient and cost-effective alternative to car body shops, as it repairs scratches, scuffs and minor dents to cars on their owners’ driveways. You can benefit from the flexibility of being a ‘man in a van’ initially and expand into a multi-van or workshop model at a later date if you want to.

Becoming a franchisee: As you might expect from the largest network of automotive paintwork repairers in the UK, the training that’s provided is comprehensive. You’ll be enrolled onto a four-week initial training course, which is followed up with advanced training during your first six months. This means you don’t need any previous experience in the industry. And if you need any more support, you’ll be able to get in touch with the franchising team as and when you need to.

Autosmart

About the franchise: This is a cleaning business with a difference. Rather than providing cleaning services to the domestic market, this van-based franchise sells and delivers over 200 leading cleaning products to the commercial vehicle-cleaning trade. With over 100 franchisees already in the UK, this cleaning franchise is looking to grow by recruiting driven, determined and hard-working franchisees.

Becoming a franchisee: Every day promises to be different, as your customer base will comprise car dealership, haulage, car rental and valet businesses. As Autosmart is seven times larger than its nearest competitor (one in three trucks and one in five cars are cleaned with its product range), this is a franchise with great profit potential.

Wheel Wizard

About the franchise: Wheel Wizard specialises in refurbishing alloy wheels and is made up of 2,000 mobile businesses across the country. Today, increasing numbers of cars are fitted with expensive alloys and something as simple as scraping against a kerb can ruin the look of a car. Luckily for wheel refurbishment businesses, many customers look into getting their alloys repaired rather than replaced in order to keep costs down. As a result, there’s plenty of scope to start a lucrative business in this sector.

Becoming a franchisee: The flexibility and extensive training that are available when you join this mobile wheel repair franchise make this an attractive business option. You’ll also benefit from the company’s centralised enquiry system, which points customers towards franchisees and eliminates the need to chase leads. You’ll even receive regular updates from the franchising team about changes to the industry and new services.

Cafe2U

About the franchise: Running a van-based franchise unit doesn’t mean you have to work in the automotive sector – why not start a coffee business? Cafe2U is a mobile coffee franchise that delivers hot beverages and snacks to hungry customers. Franchise opportunities like this one provide flexibility that a coffee shop business can’t. Being able to move to where the demand is will enable you to maximise profits, and you can adapt your working hours to fit in with your other commitments.

Becoming a franchisee: This innovative franchise has developed a four-week training and support programme called the Acceleration Package. The pack provides new franchisees with classroom and on-the-job training, as well as valuable one-to-one time with a franchise development manager. And to make sure your business gets off to the best possible start, Cafe2U offers an income guarantee for the first two weeks of business – so you’ll know exactly what you will earn in that crucial initial stage.

Start a van franchise today

By starting a van-based business, you’ll join an industry that appears to be on the up. As more and more people make online purchases and opt for services that can operate at a place of their choosing, the demand for van drivers will rise.

What’s more, you can improve your work-life balance as well as your paycheck by becoming a franchisee. To view our full list of van-based franchise opportunities, consult our franchise directory for a full list of current options.