A Day in the Life: What It Takes to Run a Van Based Franchise
Lily Sweeney, writer
When you begin looking into starting a van based franchise, you’ll soon see that there are many different specialisms and options available to you down this avenue. If you’re looking for a low cost investment option that yields high returns and is uniquely scaleable, you’ve found the right place. Deepen your research by discovering what it takes to run a van based franchise below.
Van based businesses are increasingly popular in the UK, as consumer desire for convenience continues to rise. Customers want to be met where they are, and with a van based franchise investment under your belt, you’ll be uniquely equipped to do exactly that. Before you make a career change with a van based franchise, here’s everything you need to know about what you can expect from your professional life, post-investment.
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A day in the life running a van based franchise
There’s a lot you’ll need to think about and consider as you embark on a journey towards starting your own van based franchise. One of the biggest things you’ll need to figure out is whether the industry is truly right for you. To do this, you’ll need to think about the daily/regular responsibilities you’ll have to undertake as a franchisee, and whether you’d be suited to them. Responsibilities like:
- Maintaining your vehicle/fleet of vehicles (depending on the size and type of investment you make, and whether your role is on the ground or managerial)
- Loading your vehicle/fleet of vehicles
- Delivering goods, products or services
- Collecting goods, products or services
- Planning routes
- Recording mileage
- Updating records
- Maintaining relationships with suppliers
- Attracting new customers and maintaining existing customer relationships
Assuming those all sound doable and appealing, you’ll then need to figure out the niche that you’ll occupy within van based franchising, and measure yourself against the tasks associated with that niche. A van based franchisee with a window cleaning company like My Window Cleaner(/franchise/my-window-cleaner), for instance, will have very different daily responsibilities to a van based franchisee with a property signage company like Countrywide Signs.
Advantages of running your own business in the van based sector
There are several key advantages to running a van based business, even beyond the rising level of demand mentioned above. For one thing, there’s all the benefits associated with franchising - the comprehensive training provision, the lowered level of risk, the proven business model and the easy access to franchisor support. And there are benefits specific to running a van based business, such as:
- The flexibility of running a business on the move
- The unlimited room to grow
- The ability to change your offerings with ease as consumer desires shift
- The varied, exciting working life
- The ability to find a niche among many different options and thrive
Challenges of franchising with a van based business
As is true of most things in life, running a van based franchise won’t be without its challenges. But as is also true of most things in life, these challenges can be mitigated with proper preparation and careful thought. Here are a few challenges you might face, along with the ways you’ll be able to defeat or prevent them:
- Having to drive a lot - If you don’t like driving, look for a more managerial role that doesn’t see you out on the road every week. Play to your strengths.
- Struggling to market your van based franchise and grow your customer base - Your van is your walking billboard, and your expert franchisor team is always there to turn to for support with things like advertising and lead generation.
- The cost of getting things up and running stretching you thin - Anticipate costs carefully ahead of time so that you’re not surprised later, and so that you’re prepared to meet financial demands as they come at you. Gather real data from existing franchisees, for instance.
- Challenging customers - Present in every industry, the best way to deal with them is through creating streamlined customer service and complaints procedures, and through hiring a trusted and resilient team of employees.
Franchise opportunities in the van based sector
Here are just three of the amazing range of investment opportunities currently available to you in the van based corner of franchising. If you’re trying to narrow things down and find the van based franchise that’s right for you, these three trusted franchise networks are the perfect place to start your search...
1. Agency Express
Agency Express is the UK’s largest estate agency board services business, with an impressive network of over 117 franchisees. It’s an award-winning and well-recognised franchise which requires low start-up costs and has no national competitor.
- Becoming an Agency Express franchisee: You don’t need any industry experience, but you will need to be hands-on, motivated, energetic and willing to learn.
- How much you need to invest: You’ll need to make a minimum initial investment of £12,500, with a total investment cost of £24,500.
- What you get for your investment: You’ll receive 8 days of comprehensive training and plenty of pre-launch support. On top of this, you’ll be provided with a van, tools, equipment, insurance, clothing, stationery, marketing literature and manuals.
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2. ChipsAway
ChipsAway is a van-based franchise which was first established in the UK in 1994. Providing SMART windscreen repairs to car owners across the UK, the ChipsAway network is rapidly expanding, and currently consists of over 200 franchisees.
- Becoming a ChipsAway franchisee: You don’t need any industry experience. According to ChipsAway, the ideal franchisee is simply someone looking to combine a flexible working lifestyle with true job security.
- How much you need to invest: You’ll need to make a minimum initial investment of £15,000, with a total investment cost of £29,995.
- What you get for your investment: You’ll receive a full programme of training and support, including marketing guidance, IT assistance, technical training and business mentoring.
3. Cafe2U
Cafe2U is the UK’s premier mobile coffee franchise. Founded in 2004 by Tom Acland, Cafe2U has since grown a substantial amount, and offers franchisees single and multi-van investment avenues.
- Becoming a Cafe2U franchisee: You won’t need any previous industry or business experience, but you will need a strong desire to succeed and a commitment to the responsibilities of running a mobile cafe.
- How much you need to invest: You’ll need to make a minimum initial investment of £12,000, with franchise fees of £20,950 and a total investment cost of £70,900.
- What you get for your investment: You’ll receive comprehensive training, a territory launch programme, sales support and a franchise development manager to coach and assist you.
Now you know how to run a van based franchise, it’s time to make your decision
If you’re now more certain than ever that this is the kind of franchise investment you’d like to pursue, stay on Point Franchise and continue your research. Discover three of the top van based franchises in the UK, or five tips for building a business plan for your van based franchise.
Lily Sweeney, writer