Forget the glossy literature! When you read between the lines what should a franchise offer you and your customers? Small business owners Cathy and Bob Cawte opted for franchising as an opportunity to develop a new venture and phase out their down turning print business.

The prospect of ongoing support,national branding and a steeper development curve proved very attractive to the couple, and the Calbarrie Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)franchise fulfilled their requirements.

As part of the Castle Group with over fifteen years franchising experience and an impressive list ofhigh street brands as customers, Calbarrie was established in 1970.

"Health & Safety is a growing industry and we felt Calbarrie would be a good way forward for us while enjoying the training and support that we felt we needed," Cathy reveals. "Although Calbarrie was relatively new to franchising, we feel that it is a company going places and we want to move forward with it."

On speaking with existing Calbarrie franchisees,Cathy and Bob were encouraged that they were making the right decision. "The training was very good and Calbarrie has been very supportive,"Cathy confirms. "All our equipment has been provided, including sign-writing on our vehicleand marketing materials. In addition the company has trained our engineers to a City & Guilds level, and supported us in such tasks as building the database. They really did take away all the headaches you'd normally expect with setting upand running a business. Two and a half years later we can still pick up the phone for advice whenever we need it."

Cathy and Bob developed their customer base so that it now consists of over 100 businesses of varying sizes and from different sectors. "Servicing is primarily carried outannually, so we do get lulls in the business," Cathy explains. "But this is to our advantage: when it's quiet we sendour engineers for further training or to head office if they're busy."

In April Cathy and Bob introduced Fire Extinguisher Maintenance services to their customers, which Cathy maintains has made ahuge difference to the business. "We haven't come across any business offering these two services," she continues. "We're finding more and more that if we provide a quote for PAT, thecustomer will also want a quote for Fire Extinguishers."

Within the next two and a half years Bob and Cathy are aiming to sell their print business and focus 100% on developing their Calbarrie franchise by taking on further engineers and continuing to develop the new Fire market.

"People are now beginning to recognise the Calbarrie name and logo, thanks to the company's ongoing efforts promoting the brandand winning national accounts," Cathy rounds off.

"We've had a lot of help from friends to juggle the businesses, our four teenage boys and three loony dogs. It's been exciting running our new business, and it's really given me something to get my teeth into."