We spoke to one of our franchisees, Wendy, who made the switch after working at her previous company for 12 years as a credit controller. When she was leaving the job she didn’t want to go to another company and have to reestablish herself again so that’s where SITB came up trumps.
Wendy did not want to manage staff or have to deal with the normal office politics that seem to come with most jobs. She says “I have always worked hard but the companies I have worked for seem to gain more from that than I do.”
It’s a fair point – franchising can be really great for those looking for a change. It can fit around lifestyles, and it can offer you more flexibility than a normal 9-5 office job.
"I picked SITB as it was a business I could understand, I knew the products and I could see a need for the service. I could also control my working day. I wanted to start work at 9 after dropping my son at school and to be able to finish in time to pick him up. Plus, as an avid football fan I wanted to keep my weekends free."
"I started the business last January. SITB found the customers and did everything they said they would. They helped with the 1st stock orders, set up my routes, and trained me on how to find new customers. I had a SITB franchisee trainer with me for the first 4 weeks and even after I went solo I had several people I could call for help.
“After I established myself with the boxes, I then introduced vending machines to the business. I knew nothing about machines but with the help of the SITB team I learnt fast and even now I have the back up of 3-4 people on call for help if I have a problem. When dealing with customers it also helps to have that infrastructure behind you. It helps solve any problem or answer any questions."
So how is Wendy getting on now? Wendy is well established with her franchise business and enjoying the lifestyle that suits her best. She says:
"I work the hours I want, I am turning over more than I expected and I have learnt a lot. I would say Franchising only works if you are prepared to work. But if you need someone to tell you to work then it is not for you, but personally it suits me perfectly."