Posted:28-April-2017
The first TREND Transformations franchisees
Granite Transformations is rebranding to Trend Transformations as the products offered are now much more than just ‘the top that fits on top’ kitchen refurbishment that Granite Transformations is so well known for. The huge range of bathroom and kitchen renovation products including fantastic mosaic tiles with the leading trends in long-lasting, recycled composite slabs for work surface and tiling replacements means that the new brand name of Trend Transformations is, undeniably, more suitable.
Robert and Katy Campbell from Stirling in Scotland will be the first franchisees to open with the new Trend Transformations brand and larger showroom space. So, how did they reach this momentous occasion?
“I have worked in the oil industry for many years specialising in project managing the detection and removal of subsea pipeline blockages. I worked mainly in the US and with the oil price crash, I was made redundant in September 2015. I’d been working away from home and my family for 27 years and so it was time to look for something nearer to home,” explains Robert.
“About 70,000 people have lost their jobs from the oil industry and I knew getting another decent job like mine was going to be very difficult. My wife, Katy, and I had been thinking about running our own business for a while. We didn’t have any experience of running a business and knew that we’d need support. But we were one step ahead, we already knew about franchising and felt it was a safer way of getting into business.
“I registered with a franchise search website and received an email about Granite Transformations amongst others. I really liked the idea of ‘the top that fits on top’. What really attracted me though was that it seemed like one of the only franchise opportunities that looked like it could make a good return. I had a great salary in the oil industry and we wanted to be able to meet that income or exceed it so that the family could continue with our way of life.
“I contacted Granite Transformations on New Year’s Eve in 2015. By the New Year, I was speaking to their franchise recruitment manager, Dug Aylen. In my career, I had enjoyed the travelling and working with lots of different people and I could see that there would be the opportunity to continue this with my GT franchise.
“We moved quickly, Katy and I went to the GT discovery day on 14th January. We were taken to view a showroom in Tunbridge Wells and a local garden centre display. At GT headquarters we were shown the fabrication process and had a chance to ask questions throughout the day. It was at this point that we talked about opening as the new Trend Transformations brand.
“We had mixed feeling about being the first franchisees to open with the new brand style. We felt the development was necessary – I’m a geo scientist and I knew that the product wasn’t actually granite! They are high quality products but they are actually made from composite materials that are far longer-lasting than granite. But the proven business model is Granite Transformations and not Trend Transformations so we hope that the brand recognition will translate quickly and easily. The core demographic of GT customers is over 55s but we think Trend Transformations will appeal to a younger and trendy demographic so we wonder if this will deter our core customers or simply entice an additional type of customer to our showroom? We’ll be interested to track our customer demographics against those franchisees who are later down the line for the rebrand.
“For us the rebrand showed us that the company was continually innovating and committed to being ahead of the game for its franchisees so we forged ahead. We completed our training week in May 2016 at HQ. Both Katy and I really found the sales and marketing information interesting and I particularly enjoyed the hands-on side including fabrication.”
When their business launches, Katy will be taking on the financial and administration management roles whilst being based in the showroom for three days a week, “Learning about the brand, sales and fabrication process was vital as I will need to be able to communicate that to customers. We’ll be hiring someone with office management experience to also help with sales in the showroom for three days a week and the training has prepared me to develop that person and any team members in the future.
“We were introduced to a new person each day in the team at HQ and it was encouraging to see the support available to us. Now, when we phone up, we can put a face to the voice on the other end of the line!”
The new Trend Transformations in Perth with launch in 2016. “Our fabrication site is an old dairy 10 miles north of Perth and not far from our home. We’ll launch initially with a small garden centre display and a shopping centre stand in Perth while our showroom is completed,” explains Robert.
“I will be concentrating on marketing and home visits but I aim to become proficient in all areas from sales to installation so there is flexibility in the business should we ever have a temporary gap in the team. We’ll recruit a Fitter to do the templating and fitting initially and they will work with the Fabricator until the business grows.”
Katy is up for the challenge and is enjoying having Robert home with their family of four children, “We’ve been preparing ourselves to become business owners and have had the extra boost of Scotland’s Business Gateway service. As well as all the support we get from HQ as franchisees, the Business Gateway gives us an advisor and offers free courses from Using LinkedIn for Business to Financially Managing Growth. Becoming franchisees is about a partnership where we have to be committed to growing the business and can’t expect to just rely on the franchisor to hand it to us on a plate.”
Interested and want to know more about Granite & TREND Transformations?
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