It’s been business as usual for this Kettering-based franchise which continues to grow its UK base, amid the on-going global pandemic.
October was another successful month for award-winning tool manufacturer Snap-on. During the first full month of autumn, the UK-wing of this global business welcomed 23 new franchisees through its doors. And while this latest group are all at different stages of development, the company do not appear to have any problems attracting potential new business partners.
Some of these new recruits have already hit the road in hot pursuit of early business, while others are taking a slower route and are still undergoing training. Lisa Law, Snap-on‘s national franchise manager, explained the reasons behind this latest surge of applicants: “With more and more people determined to take control of their future, we’ve seen a near constant stream of enquires for the franchise.
“We’ve witnessed a great deal of interest from the highlands of Scotland down to Bournemouth on the south coast. Even with a network of over 400 franchisees, we still have plenty of opportunities for vacant territories, where people can launch and build their own businesses from scratch.
“There are also a number of resales up for grabs, where an existing franchisee is looking to move on, and has therefore put their business up for sale. And I think the level of support we offer our business partners clearly resonates with people who are keen to take a different direction with their careers.”
One of the new recruits is former construction manager Jonathan Garside. Jonathan has no automotive experience and has never run his own business, but he jumped at the opportunity to join Snap-on. He said: “I reached a point in my career where I felt that the construction industry was getting a bit too cut-throat for my liking. Everything was becoming more and more cost orientated. It was less and less about quality, which meant a poorer experience for customers.
“I was first introduced to Snap-on in 1990 when I bought some tools from my local franchisee. I was impressed with the quality and have been a big fan of the company ever since. And now I’m finding that my customers feel the same way. The products are top quality and it’s my job to provide the best support possible.
“When I joined the franchise, I came in with a grand plan for the future in terms of providing financial stability for myself down the line. To date, I’ve exceeded my goals with a manic first few weeks. If you’re prepared to put the hours in, then the rewards are there. I’m only sorry I didn’t do it years ago.”
Founded in the US in 1920, and launched in the UK 45 years later, Snap-on‘s global franchise network now exceeds 4,300.
And the UK is certainly doing their bit to expand the brand even further, with Lisa Law adding: “Eight new starts began in September, we have nine more in for training in November and another eight already booked onto our January training course. I’m so proud that we’re continuing to do extraordinary things, given what the nation has been through this year.”
Note: Snap-on has been shortlisted in the category ‘Franchisor of the Year‘ for the 2020 British Franchise Association (BFA) Awards sponsored by HSBC. This prestigious award recognises every aspect of franchising (training offered to franchisees; innovation; financial performance; ongoing growth; and support given to business partners during the pandemic). Winners will be announced on November 30th at this year’s virtual awards ceremony.
