Ian Oakes, Smart ABC, Poole

"It all adds up to a great sales opportunity"

New SMART ABC franchise owner and ex-regional sales manager Ian Oakes, who launched his Poole franchise at the end of January, has found the SMART ABC formula so successful that he's already purchased his second franchise territory and taken on his first employee, who is now being trained.

Ian previously worked for a large corporate company, managing a sales force that spanned the Midlands and North of England and overseeing a £70 million budget. He gave up this successful life in sales because of the pressure and demands that it was putting on his family. 'I'm married with two young children,' he reveals. 'I left my job as sales manager because it was affecting my quality of life and that of my family: stress, long hours, huge mileage and too many nights away from home.

'It was the great sales potential of SMART ABC franchise that caught my attention. Every franchise owner is backed by the high quality team at SMART ABC - they offer an exceptional product with an excellent brand image. Couple this with the huge market potential - more than 34 million cars registered in the UK - and it all adds up to a great sales opportunity, one too good to miss. Now I'm in control of my destiny, developing a successful business and enjoying a great lifestyle with my family. What more could I ask for?'

Ian launched his business with a promotion at his local Asda. 'The launch promotion was fantastic,' he continues. 'How many of us have had our car scratched or dented while parked at the supermarket? It happens all the time - in fact research has shown that this type of dent and run damage will happen to over 70 per cent of drivers. Perhaps it's not surprising then that during the launch weekend we were inundated with potential customers and wrote a huge number of estimates. I found myself working immediately and booked in over a month's worth of work.'

As Ian's diary continues to fill he is looking forward to continued success: 'The prospects are endless, even in the current economic climate there's plenty of work out there. My plan now is to expand my territory and recruit more SMART ABC trained employees to make the most of the franchise. In fact my first employee is being trained now. I just hope I can keep up with demand!'