Martin & Co Franchisees
If you're looking for an object lesson in the importance of choosing the right location when setting up in business, then you need look no further than the success of Martin & Co's Winchester office, which opened for business in October 2007.
New franchisees Andrew Blick and his wife Tracy (he is an airline pilot, her background is in catering and restaurant management) did their research well prior to securing their high street premises.
They carefully looked at all the possibilities, eventually narrowing them down to just two streets. After analysing both the footfall and the traffic, they finally plumped for a former newsagent's shop in Jewry Street, in the historic heart of the city. Here, the support provided by Martin & Co came to the fore in the person of Premises Manager , who not only fully endorsed their choice of premises, but played a key role in the subsequent lease negotiations.
The couple didn't have to wait long before their choice of location was thoroughly vindicated. "While the shop was still being fitted out, we had prospective tenants looking in the window," says Andrew. "And even before we officially opened for business, we had already acquired our first landlord client. Within 2 weeks we had successfully secured a 6 month let on his property!"
Since then, the business has gone from strength to strength - and the importance of location is reinforced every day. "By far the majority of our business comes through the door," says Andrew. "Our investment in the right premises - and in choosing Martin & Co - has certainly given us the best possible start."
When Tony Deveney and Carl Doogan, who had previously forged a strong working relationship as senior executives at the Carphone Warehouse, decided to set up their own lettings business in Sheffield North, they researched the market with their usual thoroughness. "We did a full competitive analysis of all the available alternatives, and Martin & Co won hands down," says Tony. "Not only is theirs the leading brand in the sector, but - in return for a substantially lower initial investment and lower ongoing franchise fees - their package was easily the most comprehensive."
Another key factor in the choice of Martin and Co was the fact that neither Tony nor Carl were interested in taking on a straightforward turnkey franchise, he adds. "With our business background, we naturally wanted to be fully involved in every aspect of the planning and setting up of the venture, rather than simply buying a lettings agency in a box. With Martin & Co, we were able to choose the level of support we wanted - while at the same time, there was the reassurance of knowing that further guidance was always there, if we needed it," added Carl.
As for their success to date...having launched in April last year, Tony and Carl are having to radically revise their projections - upwards.
No surprise then that the partners are already planning to open their second office, in Barnsley. After which, the sky really is the limit.
Opening a property franchise and teaming up in business was a dream come true for brothers Nick and Charlie Diggle who are franchisees at Martin & Co in Cambridge.
"We wanted to start a family business and that's how we view Martin & Co. It's our local company but with the reassuring back up of a national name, brand and support network," said Nick, 28.
They were both raised and educated in Cambridge and have strong local roots.
Nick, a Philosophy graduate was an Account Manager in London for a major public relations consultancy. Charlie, 31, has a first class Honours Degree in Business and Management Studies and was a Project Manager for Credit Suisse in London. He said:
"Having been both landlords and tenants ourselves, we are confident that we understand the kind of service people will be looking for from us."
