Autosheen: The ultimate management franchise - Running your own multi-van operation

Autosheen is the UK's leading mobile specialist vehicle valeting company. The Autosheen business franchise package requires the management of specialist, professional, valeting services for hundreds of corporate and residential customers each and every day, all across the country.

Peter Butler, Autosheen's CEO tells us: 'Demand for our services outstrips supply on a regular basis and we currently have exclusive UK territories waiting to be filled, with jobs waiting to be done.

'Autosheen is celebrating its 22nd birthday this year, so all new business management franchisees can be confident they will benefit from years of extensive business management knowledge, our proven success, professionalism, credibility within the valeting sector and our established franchise network.

Market Potential

Peter continues: 'The UK valeting market is estimated to be worth in excess of £5 million per year. Over 30 million cars now use the UK's roads - and all need cleaning at one time or another. Consequently, the potential to run a successful Autosheen business within the automotive sector and maximise earning potential is huge. There has never been a better time to join Autosheen.

Autosheen became part of the Myhome International plc group recently, the largest home services supplier in the UK.

Says Peter: 'Becoming part of Myhome has opened up enormous opportunities for our franchise network to provide valeting services to families and individuals who are cash rich but time poor.

'With the busy lives we all lead, leisure time is important to most people, so seeing people spending valuable time washing their cars is a very rare sight.

'We are able to tap into a marketplace that spends £9 billion a year on some sort of domestic service. If you add this to our existing national account client base, an Autosheen franchise offers a fantastic business opportunity.

'Demand has never been stronger for the Autosheen service. Since opening for business in 1984, the company has become the number-one brand leader in the world of mobile vehicle valeting in the UK, consistently setting the benchmark in the industry.'

'As a result of the growing demand, Autosheen is currently embarking on a nationwide franchisee recruitment campaign aimed at individuals who want to run their own business and be a part of a very successful brand.

'Autosheen was one of the original companies to start franchising in the UK back in the early 1980s, pioneering the concept of 'bringing the car wash to the car'. From then on it has grown to be a very successful company.

'New franchisees have the comfort of knowing that by following our proven start-up format they will succeed. This type of franchise can also be of interest to business builders who are looking for a management opportunity - securing an area large enough to run a multi-van operation and have people working for them. We have a brilliant record of helping franchisees succeed in business.'

The Package

The Autosheen franchise package has been tailored specifically for budding entrepreneurs or experienced business people who are looking to run a successful business management franchise. When you purchase an Autosheen franchise package you are buying into a profitable business - not just a job.

Every new business management franchisee attends our own residential training academy to learn the secrets of success, how to win new customers and keep them for life, then once the business begins trading in your own exclusive area, support is provided from day one to help you build a sustainable and profitable business.

Autosheen provides dedicated hands on training within the Institute of Motor Industry approved Training Centre of Excellence, ensuring that every individual achieves the business standard IMI QAA accreditation.

Included in the franchise fee, Autosheen provides all the tools and equipment, stock, stationery and clothing needed. A retail marquee is also included, so you are able to promote your business and services at high street locations within your area, building the Autosheen brand awareness and your potential customer base. Once trained, you can start earning money from day one.

Autosheen not only provides the day-to-day valeting needs of the general public, but also offers specialist vehicle cleaning to its many national account customers. Organisations such as Royal Mail, the Department of Work and Pensions, Customs and Excise and Motorola, to name a few, all use the company's services.

The first point of contact for customers is the Autosheen call centre. They are able to pay by cash, cheque, credit card or, if they are an account client, Autosheen allocates them an order number - the transaction is as simple as that.

Autosheen operators are able to take payments by all major credit cards, so there is no need to give credit to any customers. With regards to national account customers, Autosheen pays all its franchisees each week, so unlike most start-up businesses franchisees don't experience cash flow problems.

For a first-class valeting service, tried-and-tested business systems, including central invoicing, there's only one company that can deliver - and that company is Autosheen.

Franchisee Focus

Ray Oliver, who launched his Autosheen franchise in Warrington in April, 2003 was successful in his previous occupation as a production supervisor but, like most proactive people, he always knew he had it in him to run his own successful business.

Ray takes up the story: 'I had always had an interest in cars so I started looking around for a business that I would enjoy doing. I became aware of Autosheen, a national mobile valeting company.

'By making enquiries with Autosheen I found out that my area was available as a franchise. I received the information pack and attended an open day at their head office in Oxfordshire. The whole concept seemed very interesting to me. I was able to become part of the best-known mobile vehicle valeting brand within the UK but still have control of my own business.

'My first contact with Autosheen was in April 2000. It took me a long time to make up my mind to jump into the world of self-employment, but I'm really glad I did. Autosheen helped me with the launch of my franchise by marketing my area whilst I was being trained. Once I was on my own working my area they were there to guide me through ever step of the way, pointing me in the right direction, having regular business assessments and reviews.

'I had researched my competition and I found two things they all had in common - one, they all went after the same type of customer and two, they all sold on price. This is where my Autosheen training came in. With Autosheen's many national accounts I am able to target a lucrative client base my competition could only dream about.

'I now run a very successful Autosheen franchise operation, my customer base and my earnings are growing month on month and I am not that far away of my aim of adding a second van to my business.'