I took over the existing Exeter franchise in July 2009 and in my first month I had 14 appointments with nine sales totalling £44,000, which was a fantastic start.
In the first two months we increased turnover significantly and made as much as the previous owners had in six months. In theory, if I get 40 appointments a month I’m confident that I can secure 65% of those clients, giving me 26 deals per month with each sale averaging £3,500. That totals to £91,000 a month, which adds up to more than £1 million turnover in a year.
I don’t operate to a fixed schedule. I had planned to start writing this article at 10 o’clock this morning, but I had to reschedule because of a last-minute sales appointment – that’s just the way things go. But the good news is: I got the sale!
I generally wake up at six but the store doesn’t open until 10. I have an hour and a half commute, which can make the days long. On some occasions I have early morning appointments with customers. Initially, they will come to the showroom or phone up and express an interest in a new kitchen or makeover. We then book them a home visit and take various samples, measure-up the kitchen and discuss the options on offer.
The fitting is done on a subcontracting basis and I have one full-time employee, Adam, who drops materials at installations, assists on fits when required and helps in the showroom when I’m visiting customers. At this stage it’s just Adam and I, but as the business expands the infrastructure and staff will need to grow with it.
Generating leads is the most challenging part of business, and is something we focus on throughout the working day
On Saturdays I’m in the showroom all day, so it’s completely different to weekdays. I meet customers and deal with face-to-face sales. As the business develops I’ll also need more employees to help me with showroom sales.
Industry experience
Before buying the franchise I worked my way up to area manager for a large furniture retailer, with responsibility for six stores and multimillion pound budgets. I was there for 13 years and gained a lot of experience in the industry, which is why I feel confident owning a Dream Doors franchise.
Running this business doesn’t differ significantly from my last job, although the retail environment is on a much smaller scale. In my previous career most sales presentations took place in the showrooms, but with Dream Doors I tend to meet customers in their own homes. That said, the showroom still needs to be presented well, which I attend to each morning.
I don’t have a set time for lunch – I just grab a sandwich when I get the chance – but I always eat something because my wife kindly packs my sandwiches in the morning, so it would be rude not to! However, as an entrepreneur you always have your mind focused on the business – even when you’re eating.
Generating leads is the most challenging part of business, and is something we focus on throughout the working day. You must get the advertising and marketing right. Other crucial tasks include presenting the product correctly and competently selling it to customer. Also challenging yet enjoyable is sealing the deal – without which we wouldn’t have a business.
The sale is the heart of any business. At the moment I’m leading the sales function myself but when I have more employees my focal point will be to manage a sales team. My philosophy is best encapsulated as: listen to the customer and meet their expectations. Accurately explain the features and benefits of the kitchen or kitchen facelift they’re about to buy. Most importantly, you’ve got to stick with the customers who are undecided and need reassurance. During my first two months, I’d say 50 percent of customers signed there and then, while most others signed on the second visit.
It’s important to give the customer space to make a decision – stand back and let them fall in love with the product. If the product is excellent – and all Dream Doors products are – you simply end up becoming a facilitator to the sale. In short, new franchisees should never be afraid of selling. It’s a great skill, an important part of life, and when somebody is ready to buy, they want to be sold to.
Self-belief is vital. I have every confidence in myself and in Dream Doors’ products, and I believe in delivering customer satisfaction, so that whatever the situation, my customers are always looked after.
It’s always a low point when we’re struggling for sales but that’s the same with any business. You’ve got to keep positive, maintain high standards and you will survive the quiet times. With any business there are going to be peaks and troughs. Our finest moment was taking over the franchise and tripling turnover, proving that hard work, dedication and salesmanship make the difference in business.
Every day is different. Daily challenges vary from planning the marketing to correcting problems with a kitchen fit. Because I manage the business largely by myself I handle a range of errands. I’d say my time is split roughly 50-50 between working in the store and being out and about, which usually means I’m visiting customers on a sales appointment or during and after an installation.
I try to manage my time effectively and allow time for accounting and VAT returns, usually in the afternoon. But if I’ve got the opportunity for a sales appointment I’ll do that instead – the accounts can always wait.
Sharing ideas
I also speak to the Dream Doors team every other day. As a national company we have ‘best-practice days’, where we discuss our news and problems and share ideas and best practice. Recently we had an area marketing meeting in which we examined advertising strategies.
Our regional manager also visits the shop on a regular basis and is always on hand to answer queries.
If I have an evening appointment booked in I can work any time up to 9pm, but the good news is, if I’m in a customer’s house at that time it’s likely to result in a deal. One evening I didn’t finish work until 10: I was dealing with a client and left with a £5,000 deposit to fit a new kitchen, so I was absolutely delighted to have stayed so late!
If I have no afternoon appointments I generally finish work at five and I’m at home by 6:30pm. Once I get home I spend time with my beautiful wife and two lovely children. Sundays and summer evenings are spent surfing the North Devon and Cornwall beaches with my 9-year-old boy Jack, who is a keen and competent surfer and starts competitive surfing this year – so watch this space.
I must confess, I still think about how to improve the business and increase its turnover during my free time (maybe that’s why I fall off so many waves!). Eventually I would like to open a second branch covering the north Devon territory, because we’re located in south Devon and there’s quite a big divide between the two regions. I think the north needs another showroom to exploit the business to its maximum.
With support from the Dream Doors team, who have done much of the groundwork, I’m positive for the future. And there’s nothing like a really passionate MD driving a company forwards. Troy Tappenden, who started Dream Doors a decade ago, is just that. He genuinely cares about his business.
My advice to aspiring franchisees is to forget the rest and go with the best. And it goes without saying that I think that Dream Doors really is the best. It’s a solid business, not a fad, and the concept works – and will continue to work in 10 or 20 years time. Owning a business is demanding and the long commute can cut into my evening, but ultimately there isn’t a single thing I dislike about my work.
