Mac Tools franchise puts business owner in the driving seat

Mac Tools is the future for franchisee Steve Phillips, who was recently hit with double redundancy. Here he explains how he took control of his career by choosing franchising and Mac Tools

Steve Phillips had been working in the motorhome industry for over 17 years, mostly for a German company. Because of fluctuations in the value of the pound and euro, he was made redundant, so went into retail.

“I was then made redundant again and decided I was fed up of working for other people,” says Steve. “Surprisingly, I found an advert for Mac Tools franchising on the job centre website in conjunction with a new local programme, FranchisingWorks, so I did some research and spoke to Paul Clegg, Mac Tools’ Recruitment Manager, who made the process very easy, which was nice.”

Unemployment
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In May 2012 the Office for National Statistics reported that the unemployment rate was 8.2 per cent of the economically active population. This equates to 2.63 million unemployed people, a decrease of 45,000 from the last quarter, which is only due to people choosing part-time work rather than no work at all.

With so many people being affected by the economic downturn and changes in the workplace, redundant staff are often left feeling lost and without support to direct them to their next career move.

Franchising is an attractive option for those in this unfortunate situation and organisations such as FranchisingWorks (www.franchisingworks.org.uk) have taken the lead in educating people about a large range of opportunities. Investing in a franchise represents less of a risk than starting a new business from scratch. This is because franchising involves using a tried-and-tested model supported by a franchisor that has already developed a successful concept.

Says Steve: “I like the idea of franchising because it gives you your own business, but with back-up from a good brand and people who know what they’re talking about. This is important because when you go into business on your own you don’t know everything.

“Having a franchise helps a great deal because if you’ve got a problem you just ring someone and they’re always there to help. Mac Tools’ support is very important to me in that respect because I am not a mechanic and I didn’t know what tools were what, to be perfectly honest. Now every week gets better for me. My knowledge is growing, along with my customer base, so I’m already planning ways to expand and improve my territory in Scunthorpe.”

“From my first meeting with Paul, everything was explained clearly and precisely so it turned out to be the right option at the right time,” he says. “After finalising the details, I bought my Mac Tools territory in October 2011 using a bank loan from HSBC. I then had two weeks of training at the company’s European headquarters in Sheffield, followed by a week at the Mac ‘Tool School’ in Ohio, USA. There is also ongoing training available through the Regional Franchise Manager, who is able to tailor the sessions to your individual needs.”

Global
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Mac Tools is part of Stanley Black & Decker, an $11 billion-plus global organisation employing over 30,000 people worldwide and owner of the world famous Stanley Black & Decker, Facom, Britool Expert and DeWalt brands. The Mac Tools line consists of over 8,000 professional tools, including screwdrivers, ratchets, wrenches and assorted air tools, as well as its own toolboxes.

Mac Tools franchisees are trusted distributors of what many people consider to be the best quality tools on the market, with customers such as car dealerships, automotive repair shops, manufacturing units and engineering companies. There are currently over 100 Mac Tools franchisees in the UK operating in a potential market worth over £150 million.

“I would definitely buy another Mac Tools franchise because everything that has been promised has been delivered,” says Steve. “My recommendation for anyone who is looking to buy their first franchise would be to talk to the people who are doing the job - the existing franchisees.

“My plan for the future is to build my company up steadily in a way that is sustainable for many years. I want to continue learning more every day and securing a good life for my family.”

FIVE TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING A VAN FRANCHISE
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The process of finding the perfect franchise is a blizzard of information and decisions for anyone considering the franchising route. Paul Clegg, Mac Tools’ UK Recruitment Manager, has years of experience in franchising and has compiled a list of top tips to help you when evaluating a selection of van franchises.

### 1. UNDERSTAND THE LIFESTYLE ###

A van franchise is different to other franchise options in the sense that being out on the road is a particular lifestyle. You have to be happy with travelling, potentially sitting in traffic jams or coping with roadworks, and maintaining your van is an essential routine - it is, after all, your office.

### 2. UNDERSTANDING THE COSTS ###

How much does the franchise cost and where is this money allocated? Is your van provided fully signwritten? Are there financing options available or does the company have reliable contacts for bank loans? These costs should be factored into your personal finance capabilities and measured against the return you will receive.

### 3. MAINTAINING STANDARDS ###

Any training offered by the franchisor should be embraced. Regardless of previous experience, you are likely to learn new skills, as well as gain essential understanding of the company strategy and way of thinking. Some training may be completely new to you, such as sales, building customer relationships, placing and tracking orders and managing stock. Remember that the initial training is designed to offer all new franchisees an equal chance of success in their new venture You should also assess what support is provided during your launch, as this is a critical time for any new franchisee. Talking to the launch support team and associated staff will give a good indication of the resources assigned to this phase. Following the launch, how is contact maintained? Consider what methods are used and how often communication occurs. Face-to-face contact is also important and can build excellent networking opportunities within the franchise to share best practice.

### 4. CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION ###

You have direct contact with the end-user in their place of work, so your appearance and presentation becomes part of how you are recognised. Attention to detail can therefore become very important, as well as sharing common interests to aid conversation and rapport, so you need to be comfortable with dealing with a specific type of customer on a day-to-day basis.

### 5. TAKE A RIDE ###

After discussing details with the franchisor, arrange to meet and spend time with existing franchisees. Some of the best insights will come from people who have been through the same process. They can provide helpful details and understanding.

Paul Clegg offers independent advice to anyone considering a van franchise, so if you have any questions call 08450 6000 60.