PART ONE: Screen Rescue catches up with Stevenage franchisee after a year in business

Keith Harrison joined the windscreen repair franchise during 2020, opening the doors of Screen Rescue Stevenage on July 27th.

This is the first of two articles detailing Keith’s fascinating, insight-filled interview with the Screen Rescue team, who caught up with the franchisee after just over a year in business as the owner of a windscreen repair franchise. Today, you’ll find out how he’s found the year, how he’s handled the challenges of COVID, and whether he’s been able to attain repeat business.

Explaining how he felt a year into running his own franchise business, Keith said, “I’m still very excited, I honestly love going to work on a Monday! I’m pleased I bought a franchise and didn’t go it alone. [...] With Screen Rescue I’ve found Amanda and Jaime and the head office team are always there to provide support and assistance whenever I need it.” He was asked what his biggest achievement had been thus far, and said that it was “to have built and grown my business to where it is now, despite COVID and the lockdowns”.

Further detailing how his business had adapted, Keith explained, “Free from lockdown, our business operations are proactive – we follow a well-trodden franchise business model. We’re strategic in our targeted prospecting of new clients and we proactively visit all our existing client sectors.” During the lockdown, operations had to change slightly, but Keith was “able to pivot the business and respond directly to the needs of [Screen Rescue Stevenage’s] clients”. Dealerships clients, for instance, were supported with their click and collect repair requirements by Keith and his team.

Keith also spoke about whether he’s been able to build a substantial repeat business client base (one of the franchise’s key promises), saying, “It’s coming along very well. I’m not from a salesy background, I was a taxi driver, but I now have over 80 clients and 80% of them provide me with lucrative repeat business. I’ll continue growing my business and, although it’s hard work, there is huge potential. It will all be worth it when I reach the expansion stage and grow my team.”

Screen Rescue’s fifth question to Keith was, “What difference are your services making to clients in your community?” In response, Keith said, “Part of my role is to educate my clients so they can see the benefit of saving money with windscreen repairs, rather than paying for windscreen replacements they don’t need. They are more than happy to make huge savings and there are some very proud moments when my clients pull me aside and tell me how honourable I am; how I deliver exactly what I promised them. I feel very valued by them.”

If you’d like to find out more about Keith’s journey with Screen Rescue, keep checking Point Franchise - part two of this fascinating interview is on its way. If you’re ready to make your move, you can visit the franchise’s profile page, linked above, to discover everything you need to know about investing and joining the windscreen repair network.