Ashley Smith opened his Cartridge World franchise store in June 2003. Looking back, it proved an ideal time of the year to open the doors for trading as it afforded Ashley time to get to know the business, get to grips with the technology and make the most of the marketing support available. All this stood Ashley in good stead before business picked up in the first September of trading.

 

Locating his store in the right place was a vital ingredient for success. Ashley identified a shop situated on the main Wickersley Road, at the better end of town, that also offered parking to the front of the store. “The location we found has been great for making it easier for customers to pop in and they can find parking locally. I’m glad that I invested the time in finding the right premises – there was a little luck involved too as this was the only shop large enough in the area I wanted to start up in!”

 

It was certainly a departure for Ashley as his previous career was spent in the construction industry but there have been no regrets. Six years on, Ashley employs 6 members of staff and having more staff has enabled him to effectively organise his working week to gain a work/life balance to spend time with his wife, two sons and daughter as well as deal with the development of his business.

 

I had the ambition to be my own boss but I didn’t want to miss out on spending time with my family. I’ve found that I can achieve a great balance in both areas now.”

 

Clearly the last 18 months have been tough for all business and this is no exception for Ashley’s store. Grit, determination and ensuring that the customer experience is first rate, have combined to keep turnover on track while he is pleased to reveal that profits are good and getting better.

 

The ‘green’ card has been important factor when competing against local rivals on the high street. Ashley explains: “Customers value the quality of the Cartridge World refills as well as having a genuinely cost-effective alternative to the manufacturers’ originals. Increasingly however, customers tell us they refill cartridges because they’re aware of the environmental impact of sending empty cartridges to landfill.”

 

Ashley puts the success of his developing business down to paying close attention to detail, being highly organised and focusing on customer service. In the last couple of years, he has concentrated on the retail side of the business but business to business sales are improving too and now account for around 35% of turnover.

 

He highly rates the marketing support that he receives from Cartridge World and in his 5th year of trading was delighted to have his success recognised by Cartridge World with an award for ‘Franchisee of the Year’ in 2008. Ashley’s healthy rivalry with another Cartridge World franchisee, Nick Fellows, played a part in helping Ashley win this accolade.

 

Ashley said: “Nick and I trained together in Australia before opening our respective franchises within weeks of one another. We talked almost daily sharing our experiences on everything from the technical aspects of refilling and remanufacturing to marketing the business. There has been a ‘mini championship’ each month to claim the higher position on the franchise league table.”

 

Ashley has also been commended for his input to a number of Cartridge World steering groups, and his support and training of other franchisees.

 

It’s good to know that while setting up your own business, you are surrounded by like minded people. Ashley adds: “The benefit of owning a franchise is that assistance is available whenever we need it. Cartridge World technical support is always available to provide any help needed. It is genuinely reassuring to know that you are not isolated and it’s great to be able to share ideas with other franchisees.”

 

Mark Holland, UK General Manager for Cartridge World, said: “Ashley has demonstrated great commitment to making his business increasingly successful. He’s nurtured a strong team, two of whom have been with him virtually since the business launched. The combination of efficient service and a commitment to quality have ensured the loyalty of his customers. Cartridge World Rotherham demonstrates industry best practice, and Ashley has shared his experience and knowledge to help many other franchisees grow their own businesses.”