Great prospects at printer ink cartridge franchise

Franchisee Graeme Lloyd is keeping it in the Cartridge World family in Coventry

When Graeme Lloyd, a leisure centre manager from Coventry, decided to start his own business Cartridge World provided the perfect solution and the opportunity to start a family tradition.

Graeme’s brother Stuart has been a Cartridge World franchisee, in nearby Nuneaton, for seven years, so when he heard that the Coventry store was on the market he was quick to highlight the opportunity to Graeme, who didn’t hesitate to look into the possibility of becoming a Cartridge World franchisee himself. And, just nine months after opening his store, Graeme’s business is going from strength to strength, with almost 70 new business-tobusiness accounts added to the books in the past six months alone.

Proactive
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Graeme attributes his success to attention to detail and a commitment to providing excellent quality products and customer service, alongside a proactive approach to networking and getting to know the local business community.

Commenting on how he became a Cartridge World franchisee, Graeme explains: “After a lifetime of working and earning money for other people, I was looking for a new challenge and considering the option of starting my own business. My brother has been a Cartridge World franchisee for seven years and I have helped him out in his shop and become familiar with the business, so when he told me the Coventry store had become available and suggested I become a franchisee too it was just the incentive I needed.

“Through my brother, I was already aware a Cartridge World franchise provides an excellent and very profitable business option for someone who is passionate, driven and has a thirst for knowledge about the printing industry and so far that is proving to be true for me. After just nine months of operation, I have a growing business and great prospects. I also hope to open some Cartridge World concessions within my area during the next 12 months to further add to turnover and profitability of the business.”

Stuart Lloyd adds: “Having had a very positive experience developing an extremely successful franchise in Nuneaton, I was happy to pass on the details to Graeme when the Coventry franchise came available.”

Since opening his store, Graeme has learned some valuable lessons that have contributed to his success. He has also received invaluable support and advice from other franchisees in the Cartridge World network.

He says: “First of all, it’s not rocket science - you just have to be prepared to work hard. If you want your business to grow, you have to put yourself in front of business owners and speak with them face to face to ask for the work. As long as you are selling good quality products that can save them money, as well as providing a better service than they’ve had before, you’ve got a recipe for success.

“Adding value by offering to service their machines and, in emergencies, offering support such as the loan of a printer when theirs breaks down can also go a long way when it comes to building good relationships with customers. Seeing what has worked well in other stores has also been tremendously helpful, so I am very grateful for the support of the other franchisees.”

Support
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Graeme sees his Cartridge World franchise as a family business and although his wife doesn’t currently work in the store, she helped him with the refurbishment and is on hand every day to offer advice and support. His children, aged seven and four, also love to pay a visit to the shop and describe daddy’s store as being a bit like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, with lots of gadgets and machines, but in Graeme’s case producing high quality printer cartridges not chocolate bars.

When asked what advice he would offer to other franchisees starting out on their Cartridge World journey, Graeme says: “Most importantly, understand your products. Product knowledge was what gave me the confidence to go out and sell. Join a vibrant business networking group and attend regularly - I visited a few to see which had the most committed attendees before deciding which one to join. This has helped us to grow our business-to-business offering and created opportunities for further referrals and recommendations.”

Cartridge World Coventry has recently taken on its first apprentice, allowing Graeme to spend more time growing the business-to-business side through networking and servicing the existing customer base.

“I would highly recommend becoming a Cartridge World franchisee because it has definitely changed my life for the better,” he says. “You can work hard and grow your own business to give you a lifestyle that suits you and your family, which is what I am aiming for. You can even grow a business for your children to inherit, which is definitely something worth considering in these difficult economic times.”

Cartridge World is a worldwide franchise network that offers high quality, cost effective printer cartridges for all major brands of printers to businesses and the high street consumer.

The franchising structure of the company was initially developed in 1992 in Australia and in 2001 the first UK Cartridge World franchise opened in Harrogate. Since then the network has continued to grow from strength to strength and today there are 1,600 franchises in over 50 countries across the world, with 170 stores across the UK.

With over 20 years of industry expertise and a strong reputation founded upon delivering excellence and quality, Cartridge World is the UK’s leading printer cartridge specialist.

Profitable
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Through the multiple business models available, Cartridge World franchisees are able to create a long term, profitable future. With no limits on franchise expansion, successful franchisees have the potential to grow their business and territory further with concessions and satellite stores. Cartridge World also offers a franchise option that focuses specifically on servicing the printer needs of local businesses in its new, Cartridge World Express model.

With 170 stores nationwide and a dedicated franchise team, franchisees can also benefit from an experienced community that provides invaluable support and where advice and best practice is shared and encouraged.

The required investment for a Cartridge World franchise starts at £29,950. Additional budget for outgoings such as legal fees and working capital will also be necessary. Cartridge World offers comprehensive training, over a 12-month period, covering all key areas required to be a successful franchisee, including understanding the brand, product range, franchise model, business growth and marketing.