Optic-Kleer Franchise News Feed Big News from the Optic-Kleer franchise - 28-April-2022 MD, David Overton is very pleased to announce that, after many years of intensive negotiation, he has now secured an incredible new deal for the Optic-Kleer franchise network: Optic-Kleer franchisees are now able to trade in the car parks of more than 450 Sainsbury's stores nationwide David says; “I can't tell you what you what a big deal this is. Sainsbury's don't work with just anyone! “They are very particular about who they partner with, and you will very rarely see any kind of concessions in their stores and car parks. With this deal, Optic-Kleer franchisees are better placed to reach more customers than ever before, but it's worth even more than that. “By partnering with such an exclusive and discerning retailer, Optic-Kleer is showing what a premium service the brand can offer. Sainsbury's has recognised that having Optic-Kleer operate on their premises is not only a significant new benefit for their customers, but also further raises the profile of their stores as essential community hubs. In turn, they're showing their customers that Optic-Kleer is a brand they can trust.” A huge new pool of customers With this deal, Optic-Kleer franchisees are better placed to reach more customers than ever before. In any given area, Sainsbury's holds a staggering 16% of the market share – and because everyone goes to supermarkets, that's 16% of everyone in a local area. Now Optic-Kleer has that too! This means that as a franchisee, you can now have direct access to 1000s, if not 10s of thousands, of potential extra customers in any given territory. Add in Optic-Kleer's already established relationships with Morrisons, B&Q, and Homebase, and you're suddenly looking at an opportunity to open a new business that already has a huge coverage of potential customers – right from day one. Turnover is expected to soar for both new and established franchisees This deal unlocks a massive amount of new potential for anyone working with Optic-Kleer as they can now operate in a prime position for the incredible 12.5 million customers who visit Sainsbury's every week! With even more great developments in the pipeline, this is shaping up to be a truly fantastic year for Optic-Kleer. This new deal means there has never been a better time to get involved with the Optic-Kleer franchise. This is a brand that is really going places. Isn't it time you were a part of it? The top 5 benefits of running a 'man-in-a-van' franchise from a man (in a van) on a mission - 20-January-2022 When researching franchise opportunities, there are many options to consider. However, if you’re looking for an opportunity that provides you with flexibility, where you won’t need specialist experience and you can save on marketing costs, a ‘man-in-a-van’ franchise may be the option for you. From auto repair to veg box delivery, there are a wide range of franchise opportunities to consider. It’s a common misconception that as a van franchisee you need to be pushy or use difficult selling strategies to make a living. Whether your business is based around a service or product, sales experience may be an advantage but building great relationships is key. With 3.4 million workers using a van (the equivalent of one in 10 employees)1, you’ll be in great company as you hit the road to success with a van-based franchise. Here at Optic-Kleer, we pride ourselves on being a great example of a successful van franchise, especially with our recruitment of 16 new franchisees since September 2020. We are passionate about each and every one of our franchisees’ businesses, especially as Managing Director, David Overton, began his Optic-Kleer journey operating as a man-in-a-van franchisee himself. David’s journey Optic-Kleer founder, Eric Howe, was extremely happy with what David was doing with his franchise and, at the time, was regularly having to commute between Britain and America. He decided to ask David if he could work part time in the franchise support team. As this work progressed, David was training and mentoring new recruits. Following this, Eric asked David to step up and take on the role of Franchise Manager full-time. When Eric made the decision to concentrate on building the Optic-Kleer brand over in America, he offered David the chance to buy half of the business and with that David became a 50% shareholder. In March 2014, David and his wife Sarah made an offer to buy the rest of the business and took control of the UK operation. So, who better to give advice when considering a van franchise than our Managing Director here at Optic-Kleer, who used to operate as a franchisee himself? David’s top reasons to invest in a man-in-a-van franchise Here are David’s top 5 benefits of running a man-in-a-van franchise: You don’t need specialist experience – many businesses require certain skills and qualifications, which isn’t the case with most van-based franchises. Almost anyone can make a great Optic-Kleer franchisee as long as they are dedicated, have a good attitude and motivation, as we can teach you the rest. Great branding reduces marketing costs – if your van is branded with your company information, it will effectively promote your business as you drive around. It will also make your van stand out from the crowd, with a professional touch. Having a well-presented van with visible contact details will enable you to increase your customer base. Flexibility – your route, your schedule. The flexibility that comes with running a franchise allows you to run your business and other commitments while achieving the ultimate work-life balance. Your franchisor will give you the tools to make the most of the locations in your territory and maximise returns during your time out with your van. Here at Optic-Kleer, our head office team even help you plan which retail sites you should visit and how often. Low start-up and ongoing costs – you won’t need a ‘bricks and mortar’ premises, so you won’t need to make rental or utilities payments. A man-in-a-van operation means you are unlikely to need to hire staff when you first start your business and often man-in-a-van franchise models like ours have a support structure eliminating the need for additional staff costs. Sector is on the up – vans generate £56 billion for the UK economy – that’s 11% of the total GDP1. Not only do we use vans in our operation but we also fix van windscreens which means we are able to take advantage of all those vans on the road needing essential repairs! More about the Optic-Kleer van-based franchise Our Optic-Kleer model has been refined by streamlining the organisational infrastructure, smooth IT systems and forming robust contacts with retail partners. Having been a franchisee previously, David has a unique understanding of what our franchisees need to become more profitable. His focus is on delivering the complete package for all of our franchisees. “A van-based franchise gives you the freedom to decide how you want to run your business, because that’s exactly what it is – your business. Motivation, discipline and hard work are the key ingredients to being a successful franchisee,” said David. Our team at Optic-Kleer liaise with franchisees, helping them plan ahead so they know where they’re working for the next few weeks. Sarah assists the franchisees with booking their sites and is a vital link in supporting the network. Customers are able to track when a franchisee will be local to them and can register for text alerts. “Forget cold calling, leaflet dropping or door knocking – your customers come to you for a solution. If you have the right attitude and approach you will have plenty of happy customers. With the ability to scale business in line with demand in your area, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.” If you want to be an owner-operator, there are plenty of van-based opportunities you can explore. There are no ‘best kept secrets’ when it comes to a profitable van franchise - simple hard work and a positive attitude are the things to remember. “As well as your fellow franchisees, our head office support team will be in regular contact with you from day one. When you become a franchisee, with any brand, you become part of a team and a support system designed to help your business prosper. And even better, you’ll have a community of likeminded individuals who can offer friendship and support, understanding what it’s truly like to be a man-in-a-van franchisee.” *Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, 2019. Optic-Kleer achieves 5 Star Franchisee Satisfaction Status - 25-October-2021 With hundreds of franchisors all shouting about how good their training and support is, it’s difficult to stand out from the crowd and hard for prospective franchisees to identify the best franchise opportunities. WorkBuzz already recognises exceptional franchisors through the Best Franchise Awards, the 5 Star Franchisee Satisfaction builds on this, helping to differentiate outstanding franchisors. How it works: WorkBuzz invite existing franchisees to complete their confidential online Franchise Satisfaction Benchmark survey. They guarantee that franchisees’ responses will be confidential, so they can provide honest feedback. On average 79% of franchisees complete the survey. They then use this feedback to help franchisors to benchmark their training and support against other franchisors, identify key priorities and, over time, strengthen their relationships with franchisees and their support package. What WorkBuzz measure to award 5 Star Franchise Satisfaction status: Training and Support - The training, mentoring and support that helps franchisees to establish, maintain and grow their businesses Franchise System - The competitiveness of the products / services and proven business model Culture & Relationships - The culture and ongoing relationships with franchisees Leadership - Franchisor’s leadership and maintenance of franchise system standards Overall Satisfaction - How it’s compared to franchisees’ expectations and whether they would recommend the franchise So what did the Optic-Kleer franchisees, who took part in the survey, feel were the best things about their franchise? A great brand All necessary equipment provided Back up and support from head office, with total commitment to improve the brand. Be my own boss. Work life balance Being appreciated for doing an excellent job. Choosing the hours you want to work. Computer system in place Control my own time / destiny Customers come to me, I don't have to hard sell Earning a very good living in a stress free environment without working crazy hours Easy to contact & effective communication Enables you as an individual the freedom to manage sales/marketing in the way you wish. Established company where everyone is friendly and approachable Freedom to choose hours of working to enable work/life balance Freedom to plan your own work/life balance Full control Good earning potentials Good support Great customer Feedback and satisfaction About the Franchise Satisfaction Benchmark (FSB) The FSB is provided by WorkBuzz, a leading independent franchise consultancy. It works by inviting existing franchisees to participate in an anonymous online survey which asks them 31 questions about their franchise ownership experience. Using a consistent methodology, the franchise is assigned an overall FSB score and the highest performing franchisors are recognised in the Best Franchise Awards. For more information please visit bestfranchiseawards.co.uk From franchisee to happy and fulfilled retiree! - 14-June-2021 Franchising is an extremely popular route to business ownership for ambitious entrepreneurs of all ages. If you’re considering semi-retiring or are approaching retirement age, investing in a franchise can be a great way to uphold a steady income, without having to deal with the long hours and inflexibility of a full-time job. Former Optic-Kleer franchisee, Graham Bastow, was no stranger to the world of franchising when he took on his Stockport territory. Graham had always had the desire to run his own business, but after his career in building surveying took off and with a young family to look after, Graham put his dream on hold. But when he was made redundant in 1991 that all changed, and Graham had the ideal opportunity to look into his options. This is when his journey with franchising began. Graham went on to run three successful franchise businesses, eventually selling each of them on. After selling what he thought would be his final franchise, Graham and his wife moved to Cheshire in order to prepare for retirement. When his part-time contract with the company he was working with came to an end, Graham made the decision that he would build up one last business before he retired, where he could enjoy the autonomy of being his own boss. He was sure this would be his last franchise venture and didn’t want to worry about staff calling in sick or machines breaking down. Graham wanted a franchise that could be set up relatively quickly, where he wouldn’t have to take out a lease on a business premise or buy lots of new equipment and where he could earn an income from the outset. After speaking with Managing Director of Optic-Kleer, David Overton, Graham decided to invest. He set himself a four-year window to build this business up, before selling it on to retire. Graham’s 4 top tips for choosing a franchise if you’re looking to retire in the next 5 years: 1. Use existing skills for something new – If you’ve spent many years working in the same discipline, you can use your skills and experience to invest in opportunities in the same sector. Or you can consider if your skills are transferrable in order for you to explore an entirely new venture. With the range of options across all industries available, you’ll find your perfect franchise fit. 2. Work the hours you want – One of the great joys of franchising is that you don’t have to work full time to make your business work, whereas as an employee you will have been expected to work a set number of hours a day. So, look at franchise opportunities where you don’t have to operate every day from nine to five if you need more flexibility than that. That way, you can still make time for other commitments or spend precious time with family. 3. Keep yourself busy – For many, the long days of retirement have no appeal whatsoever. As well as keeping you busy, running a franchise will give you a huge sense of achievement. Even if you can draw on your pension, you may still prefer to stay in work rather than fully retire – especially if you have your own financial goal or want to expand savings. Think about choosing a franchise that you can pass onto a trusted colleague or family member to manage if you’d still like to keep your mind active during retirement. 4. A proven playbook – Franchising provides you with a proven playbook in the form of established business methods and strategies – often with a documented operations manual. A good franchise company will provide all the training, support and coaching you need to be successful – keep your eye out for this when you do your research. “When I’ve previously sold franchises, the process has often been lengthy. Lots of people are quite cautious if they’re coming to franchising for the first time as to whether it’s really for them. But with Optic-Kleer and the support of David and head office, the sale ran smoothly and now I’m happily retired,” said Graham. David aided Graham in ensuring there were a few methods in place for when the time came to start looking at selling his franchise. However, the perfect opportunity presented itself when a prospective franchisee came to David looking to invest. “I suggested to a local prospective franchisee that he consider taking over an existing territory. His previous role had been impacted by the pandemic and he wanted security. He could keep the momentum of Graham’s business going whilst Graham could retire with a welcome addition to his pension pot,” said David. Whether you’re an experienced franchisee, or just want to enjoy the autonomy of running your own business, a franchise could be the right choice for you. With owner-operator franchise models like Optic-Kleer, you can get set up quickly, enabling you to earn an income from day one. The road to recovery - 17-May-2021 In May 2020, AA president Edmund King told the BBC that, based on the analysis of official figures and his organisation’s own monitoring, traffic volumes in Britain were “akin to those in the early 1970s.” Cabinet Office data from March earlier in the same year also showed that motor traffic had dropped by 73% compared with pre-pandemic outbreak levels. So, how have franchises that rely on people getting out and about in their cars, such as windscreen and repair brands, faired during the pandemic? David Overton, Managing Director of windscreen repair franchise Optic-Kleer gives the lowdown. “For our windscreen repair professionals, the usual base of operations includes retail parks which had significantly less footfall than normal,” said David. “Despite not being able to operate from some of our supermarket and retail park locations throughout lockdowns, our franchisees were instead able to pivot and operate for longer periods from their DIY store locations – which throughout the pandemic had a larger customer base. It’s been important for us as franchisors to give guidance on how our franchisees could pivot their approach to daily operations. “For those essential workers still out and about on the roads, our service was also essential. There are two types of purchase – an emotional purchase, such as buying a new watch, and a stress purchase. Even for those not needing to be out in their cars often, car maintenance is needed for the weekly shop or just to ensure it is road worthy for emergencies – fixing your windscreen is a stress purchase. So, despite there being less cars on the road, people found time to complete those stress purchases.” Documenting and advising on safe working practices for franchisees during the pandemic restrictions was obviously a priority for many franchisors since early 2020, but David believes it would have been a mistake to only concentrate on that. Whilst we have secured national contracts for our franchisees some time ago, it’s important for a franchisor to look ahead and innovate so the network can emerge stronger from any economic downturns. Negotiations with large retailers are extremely important for our franchisees,” explained David. “Then it’s all down to communication. As the economy opens back up, a brand’s online presence, from review sites to their own websites, is more important than ever before. Giving customers the confidence to re-engage is vital. Customers will subconsciously notice your environment, if it’s clean, if you have hand sanitising stations available and, in what we’re all calling the ‘new-normal’, you’ll have to be prepared for questions. Keeping your website up to date, so customers know what they’re coming back to and if you have any new customer policies in place, is essential too. “Every business is a cog in a bigger wheel. People rely on us to get them back on the road – whether you have a van delivery to pubs or parents driving the kids to school. Communicating our COVID-safe operations clearly online will give customers the confidence to return. Everyone has their role to play as we set out on the road to recovery.” Welcoming 16 new franchisees aboard the Optic-Kleer franchise - 02-March-2021 Despite the past 12 months proving testing for many businesses, it’s been full steam ahead for the UK’s leading windscreen repair professionals Optic-Kleer. The innovatory brand is working its way towards national coverage and has welcomed 16 new franchisees on board in the six months since September 2020. Optic-Kleer’s work has been able to continue throughout the pandemic. With the correct COVID-19 safety precautions in place, an essential windscreen repair can be carried out while a customer is doing their food shop and the paperless administration of the repair can be processed at a safe distance. It’s no wonder that new franchisees have been keen to launch their businesses, with 12 of the 16 new franchisees already operational. Julian Rolfe is the latest Optic-Kleer franchise to launch. From his first day out of classroom training, Julian was repairing customers’ windscreens and started earning an income the day he launched his business in Oxfordshire. “I had researched similar companies but what attracted me to Optic-Kleer was that I could almost immediately earn an income. From day one you are set up in a supermarket car park with potential customers in plentiful supply. With a lot of other franchises, the initial months of setting up your business would be eating up your savings as you wait for sales to complete, but that’s not the case with Optic-Kleer. “The training with Optic-Kleer was amazing. It couldn’t have gone better and made me realise that I had definitely made the right decision. The moment I met John, a franchisee himself since 2011, who delivered the training, things began to click into place. I know John, David, Optic-Kleer’s MD, or any of the team at head office will always be able to assist me going forwards.” Managing Director, David Overton, is passionate about each and every one of his franchisees’ businesses and is delighted about the growth of the brand in recent months, not least because he used to be an Optic-Kleer franchisee himself. “It’s an extremely exciting year ahead for Optic-Kleer. The new British Standards for windscreen repair are coming soon, something I have been personally involved with. The whole industry will have to ensure they are up to standard and Optic-Kleer is perfectly placed to lead the charge,” said David. “We’re continuing to work our way towards national coverage by the end of this year. Our goal is to recruit 30-35 new franchisees this year, which would bring our national network to around 85 strong. Alongside that we’re identifying new partnerships with large retail sites for our franchisees to add to their regular locations to strengthen the agreements we already have in place with large retailers.” Optic-Kleer Franchise News Feed Last updated: 28-April-2022
