Before investing in the logistics recruitment franchise, Gary Riches worked in the logistics industry. Recruitment had never even entered his consciousness as a viable career option. “What actually alerted me to the excellent business opportunities offered by a Driver Hire franchise was my experience of using the Bury St Edmunds office as a client,” he explains.
“One of the things that convinced me to invest was how easy it was to get finance to buy the business,” insists Gary, one of the most highly regarded new franchise owners in the industry today. Gary only bought into his Driver Hire franchise in November 2012, but has driven the business to pay dividends for him already. He adds: “Driver Hire, as a franchise, is unique. It has the largest network and a heritage that goes back 30 years. What also helped to clinch it for me was the enthusiasm and innovative thinking of the head office management team and support staff.”
The training that Gary received was suitably comprehensive and clearly provided him with sufficient expertise to be wildly successful: “The training covered everything I needed to know to kick start my business; from sales techniques to candidate recruitment and retention, margin setting to how to use the Driver Hire bespoke database system, which I use to manage my bookings. I’ve found that having the right people skills is the single most important ingredient and this has helped to direct me when looking for people to work within my team.”
In addition to great training and systems, Driver Hire prides itself on providing excellent support to each franchise owner in the network. “When I first joined Driver Hire, I knew nothing about recruitment, but the support and advice I get from my Area Development Manager, the head office team and other Driver Hire offices has really given me the confidence to deal with that side of the business,” Gary explains. “I love what I do.”
He shares a similar ethos to many other successful franchise owners across the industry: “Our success is about more than making a profit – though we do make a good profit. The thanks we get from our candidates when we help them out can really make our day.
“Naturally, I’m looking to grow the business even further. Compared to last year, our turnover is currently up by 110 per cent, which is great, but there’s always room for improvement. Being part of the Driver Hire network means that we can also tap into additional revenue streams. Driver Hire has a vocational training side to the business and is always looking to introduce new products to the market, which sets us apart from the competition.”
Driver Hire really has improved Gary’s life, as he now has that often elusive ideal – control of his own working life. He concludes: “Running my own business and being my own boss means I now have a lot more control over my destiny. It’s hard work, but I know I’ve made the right choice for me and my family for the future.”