A New Business After A Years Travelling
Adam & Kim return to the UK to set up their own business.
Revive! Auto Innovations are the leading provider of minor paint repairs in the UK. Their recent contract with Fiat group for a national program with their dealerships is testament to the fact that they provide professional SMART repairs and are widely regarded as the Automotive Trades choice.
Adam Smith and Kim Richardson Revive's! most recent franchisees report on their training and business launch.
What made you interested in SMART repairs?
AS: Well, we were introduced to the idea by a family member and following our return from travelling we needed to look at some sort of employment or starting a business. As we researched the idea of SMART repairs we saw that Revive! ,first and foremost, has a business model that appeals to us and our situation.
While I have always had an interest in cars and repaired and fixed up cars for sale in the past I don't really want to be a man in a van for any length of time. The multivan franchise and business model appeals to both Kim and I and we can see us working well together with a fleet of vans in our territory.
It seems to me that Revive! are the only company in this sector that offer this management franchise. Indeed others are somewhat misleading and suggest how easy work is and this is wrong. Because no matter how well we are doing, hard work is paramount to our success.
What is your background and how did this help with training?
AS: I have a chemistry background having worked for a blue chip company and Kim is a bio-chemist, not really close to paint repairs! I suppose that I am very used to following systems, knowing there are no shortcuts and this is what the training taught us in abundance. The training program gave us a very strong technical proficiency which has led to an immediate acceptance of the work we do. A number of dealers have commented on our technical skills and how much better we are than other local suppliers, we have only been working a month and while it is nice to hear it is also testament to the strength of the training program.
The beauty of a good franchise is that you don't need to have the technical skills, these can be taught. It is important that you understand the core values that Revive! have but if you are looking for more than a man in a van operation you would be hard pushed to find a better organisation. We have come out of training confident in our ability, technically strong and ready to work on high end cars from day one. The processes are great and to give the training one word would be exceptional and a thoroughly enjoyable experience from start to finish.
How did you research the business?
AS: We looked at various companies advertising on the internet and at exhibitions and while we viewed a number, Revive! stand out because of the development of the business. We understood what we were going to do on a day to day business but really important for us was how we could develop. Without a doubt Revive! are the only company that look to develop our business with us. A word of caution, there do seem to be businesses out there ready to take your money and offer little support. I am surprised that people are interested in signing up to a business that asks for a flat fee as I wonder how the business is motivated to support??
So, 5 weeks into your launch how is business?
AS: I have to admit to being surprised by the success we have had . The team at Revive! prepare us well but we are looking to achieve well in excess of £5000 in our first month. I think we are months ahead of our business plan and really now it is about keeping our feet on the ground before we move the business on!
How have you achieved this success?
AS: Without sounding over confident, even after one month the dealers we work with tell us how much better we are technically than the existing competition. We really work hard to meet the service needs of our customers and to maintain excellent service levels and our prices while not cheap are competitive.
And your plans for the future?
AS: Well, if we continue as we are we think Kim will be in a van on her own by October and then continued growth to a four van operation by the end of next year. We are looking forward to Kim being Revive's first female technician!
What advice would you give people looking at franchises in this sector?
AS: If you want to be a single van operation I don't know if you need a franchise. There are plenty of stand alone businesses that offer training. If you are looking to grow a business, really there is only one company to look at. Both the structures and the people involved with Revive! are great, real advice and no gimmicks.
