5 Advantages of Running a Van Based Franchise

If you’re looking to start your own mobile business with the support of experienced professionals, then franchising with a van based company is a fantastic option, and a chance to meet new people every day in a dynamic and exciting new career. Here are the five biggest advantages of running your own van based franchise.

If you’re looking into franchising and considering whether or not you’d like to start your own van based franchise, there’s plenty to consider. From the fact that 11% of UK GDP comes from workers who rely on vans to work [Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders] to the benefits that come with life as a franchisee, this article will explore all the best arguments for starting your van based franchise and jumping into the industry today.

Why start a van based franchise in 2021?

Starting your own business in a dynamic and profitable area of franchising might seem like a risk after the impact of the global pandemic but, in reality, this is a great time to get on board in many different sub-sectors of industry. Van based businesses cross many different industry lines, from coffee van franchises like Cafe2U, to mobile home improvement franchises like Access4Lofts, and - if you do your research prior to investment - you’ll be able to find an opportunity in a sector that’s actively bouncing back.

If you like the idea of maintaining a vehicle (or a full fleet depending on the size and type of investment you make, and whether your role is on the ground or managerial), and delivering mobile services to your customers, then 2021 is as good a time as any to start a van based franchise. Keep reading for even more reasons why...

The 5 biggest advantages of a van based franchise investment

1. There are a huge amount of options available to you

Since van based franchise opportunities can arise in any industry, there’s a lot of room for you to find your place and locate a franchise opportunity that’s perfect for you. If you do your research, you’re sure to find something that’s right up your street, not just in terms of specialism (with options all the way from food and drink, to pest control and drainage) but in terms of cost of investment, too.

If you’re looking for a low cost franchise investment option, you’ll find it in a van based network. Van based franchises are, generally speaking, much cheaper to run than franchises that are tied to a premises. There are lower overheads to consider, and lower maintenance costs to account for (though that’s not to say there’s none). The average cost of starting a franchise in 2018 was £42,200 [British Franchise Association], but interested parties can invest with Greensleeves, a mobile lawn care franchise, for a minimum initial amount of just £9,000.

2. Often, you won’t need any specific experience or prior qualification to invest

This is one of the biggest advantages to franchising, even beyond the lower level of personal risk and the access to an existing brand name and customer base. As a franchisee, you won’t - in most cases - need previous experience in the industry that you’re making an investment in. All you’ll need is the ability to drive, a willingness to learn, and enough ambition, determination and resilience to succeed.

Without an iota of directly relevant experience, you could grow your business into one of the top van based franchises in the UK. It’s been done many times in the world of franchising, in which truly invested franchisees rarely ever fail. Just remember to be certain on the terms of your franchise agreement before you invest, as - if you are lacking in the experience department - you’ll want to know that there’s plenty of training and support waiting on the other side of your financial commitment.

3. You can benefit from changing consumer priorities

Driven by technology and an on-demand culture, younger generations of consumers have grown up with media and services that are available at the push of a button, anytime and anyplace. [...] Millennials generally prefer not getting in a car to pick something up if cost and product availability are equal. True convenience, in a digital landscape, means the products and services are available to come to you.
- Jeff Fromm, Forbes

The changing shape of consumerism means that more people than ever appreciate businesses that can come to them, rather than the other way around. As a franchisee within a van based network, you’ll be able to travel widely within your operational territory, meeting customer needs without requiring them to go out of their way. The portability and flexibility of a van makes it a future-proof investment, according to current data.

4. You’ll have plenty of room to grow your business and expand over time

Whether you begin your business ownership journey as a single person with a single van, or as the manager of a fleet of vehicles, you’ll always have room to grow when you’re a franchisee. In the words of Really Awesome Coffee, “While a van itself may appear to be a significant investment, the franchise businesses operating in the mobile market are usually lower cost opportunities. However, this does not mean low earnings. We have seen our South Lanarkshire franchise partner achieve earnings within their first year of trade to enable them to add a second, and then a third coffee van.”

Hear that? For a low cost initial investment, you can become the owner of a franchise that has no financial ceiling, and you can create long-term expansion plans. Lay out clear growth goals in your van based franchise’s business plan, measure your progress towards them, and adjust them as and when you need to. In five or ten years, you could well have become a master franchisee.

5. You’ll never be short of variety in your working life

Fifth and finally, running a van based franchise won’t keep you shackled to a desk in an office every working day. If you’re a person who loves variety and hates monotony, an investment like this might well be the perfect choice. You’ll help new people and visit new locations every day, and you’ll never know exactly what’s coming in the week ahead. With a franchise like DALROD, for instance, you’ll be actively responding to drainage and plumbing emergencies.

Traditionally, the need for variety at work has been completely squashed. Fortunately, as innovation in technology increases, we are also starting to pay attention to how we work together and to appreciate innovative ways of working — we are all opening our minds to doing things differently.
- salt, Medium

Become a franchisee and start running a van based business - you’ll find profit in no time

If these advantages have left you more ready than ever to make your investment, stay on Point Franchise to continue your research. Check out the wide range of van based franchise investment opportunities available to you, all the way from an investment with an estate agency board services franchise like Agency Express, to an investment with a windscreen repair franchise like ChipsAway.