Before Matt Bestall even considered running his own business, let alone franchising a business he was working for Barclays bank, and had done since leaving school, in their customer service department.
Matt says that: “This gave me a fantastic foundation when it comes to understanding the customer journey, and the customer service standards that should be strived for. However, after 5 years I realised that life behind a desk just wasn’t for me.
“In a complete u-turn I trained in construction and landscaping, starting at the bottom, learning the ropes, developing my skills. Once I was fully trained I set up my first landscaping business; I combined my landscaping skills with excellent customer service.
“Over the years the landscaping business slowly migrated into a resin driveway installation business, and Approved Resin Driveways was born soon after.”
Matt did not initially plan on going the franchise route to grow his business; however he did know that he wanted to expand but was unsure of exactly how he would achieve this.
Matt expands saying: “I was always mindful to document, develop and streamline our procedures and processes. And having spoken to some very experienced and helpful people, in the franchise industry, it was obvious to me that the franchise route was perfectly suited to our business expansion.”
Matt decided in 2019 that franchising his business was the best route for him, he and his wife Ami consulted The Franchising Centre and with their help they developed the Approved Resin Driveways franchise package. The initial plan was to roll out the franchise as of March 2020; however, due to COVID-19 this was delayed by a year.
So was Matt, effectively, the first franchisee (pilot franchise)?
“Yes, I was although we didn’t actually know it at the time! We like to think that we have taken all the risks and made all the mistakes first, so that our franchisees don’t have to.”
Matt did not base his franchise on his experience alone as he explains: “We had a ‘proper’ pilot franchise who has now converted into a normal franchise. Even though we had plenty of information from our own trading history, we needed to make doubly sure that we were able to replicate the numbers we had achieved. We also used our pilot to streamline our procedures and ensure our franchise package was of huge benefit to the franchisee whilst also good value for money.”
Approved Resin Driveways really is ‘family run’ as Matt’s wife, Ami, is also his business partner and, therefore, an integral part of the business, Ami has helped develop their franchise package and has been working closely with franchisees.
So what challenges have Matt & Ami faced since franchising their business?
“As with many businesses the main challenge for us has been COVID,” says Matt. “It stalled our franchise roll out buy a year; so for that reason, and to help catch up on a little lost time, we offered our first 4 franchises at a reduced price.”
Matt adds: “I don’t think there is a better ‘high’ than someone wanting to buy into your business; it’s really a tribute seeing that all the hard work, the blood, sweat and tears you have expended have actually been worth it. There is something really special about seeing your brand develop and expand throughout different regions.”
Approved Resin Driveways currently have 3 franchises, and hope to be adding one or two more very soon.
How do you train & support your new franchisees?
“Our franchisee training is completely bespoke to the franchisees, so that no experience is necessary when choosing to purchase our franchise.
“Franchisees are invited to our head office for at least a week of training, after the initial training, we then train onsite, with our head office installation teams. Then we also join our new franchisees on their first few projects, to ensure they go as smoothly as possible.
“Ongoing support and training is our real focus; we are here to ensure that every Approved Resin installation is perfect and that our franchises are seeing real value in the Approved Resin franchise. Our support doesn’t stop once the training is finished; we are on hand 24/7. We are here for absolutely everything, nothing is too much trouble when supporting and working with our franchisees.”
What would your advice be to someone thinking of buying a franchise?
“Chat and visit. You are in an exciting position where you can choose your next career move, but you have to make sure it is right for you. You also need to make sure that the people you are working with day in, day out, are on your wave length and share your long term goals. Take that extra bit of time to visit head office and get a feel for the business and what working with them might be like.
“Thank you for taking the time to read this, I wish you luck in your career and I hope you enjoy your franchise journey as much as I have”
Matt
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