Posted:13-January-2021
Looking to franchising after redundancy
‘This career change has been made possible by redundancy.’ Mark worked in the electricity industry for 26 years covering a wide range of positions. In his most recent role, he was travelling long distances and staying away regularly. He became weary of this so when the opportunity of redundancy came up, Mark decided to apply and saw it as the chance to change his work and ‘pursue something very different’. Marks runs his Snack in the Box franchise while his wife continues to work.
Why Snack in the Box? ‘A long-standing passion for running my own business but I recognised the need for professional guidance and support.’
Mark spent about 6 months investigating franchising via magazines and company websites and talked to a number of different franchise companies. He found Snack in the Box initially through the Franchise Magazine. Mark ‘wanted to buy into a proven business model which, by applying common sense, I knew would earn me a living.’
Mark adds, ‘Snack in the Box is a proven business model, is a long-standing business with a wealth of experience and support but the concept is simple which I felt would last even through the recession.’
A Typical Week: ‘A lot of planning, preparation and organisation is the key’
Mark describes his week as ‘very busy’ as his franchise territory is one of our larger ones. During the day, Mark spends his time servicing his existing customers (refilling their snack box or vending machine, then removing the cash) as well as canvassing for new business to develop and maximise his territory.
When he returns home, he prepares his van for the next day, packs new snack boxes to enable swift changeovers at customer sites the next day, arranges stock and carries out any administrative work. Administrative work includes updating his sales reports on a central database, banking cash and ordering any spare parts. He usually works about 8-9 hours a day. Mark also humorously adds that his 12yr old son is enjoying work experience and helping out at weekends!
Mark’s Customer Base
Mark covers a large franchise territory in the Midlands which is a mixture of snack boxes and vending machine customers. His customers are a wide range of business types including:
- Retail Stores
- Public Sector Sites
- Local Businesses
- Industrial Units & Factories
He has a total of 90 Snack Box customers, 60 Slimline vending machine customers and 2 larger Combination vending machine customers.
And the verdict? ‘You must be prepared to work that extra mile and offer great customer service’
Mark admits his first few weeks have been ‘very challenging’. He finds that making an effort with his customers is already paying dividends to develop long-standing relationships. ‘Whilst I’m new to the business, I already have some great customers who I serve weekly... I’m a friendly guy who enjoys meeting people so this side of the business is working great!’ Mark’s final tip is to remember that ‘my franchise is a business and I must always be striving for new and bigger spending customers’.
Interested and want to know more about Snack in the Box ?
The Snack in the Box profile outlines all aspects of their franchise opportunity and allows you to contact them for further information or to ask a question.
