FIVE STAR franchisee: Gabriel Moreno

In September 2011, Gabriel began training as a CeX franchisee Gabriel stated: “Having spent a while looking over the various franchise opportunities available, I kept seeing CeX. I became confident that the business model was strong, and I committed to opening my first store there and then.”

After taking control of his new franchise location in Poole, Dorset, Gabriel began to build the store up and he was not alone thanks to the structured and constant support from CeX as he explains: “I had a large amount of support from day one. From the property search to opening my doors, support the franchising team has always been to hand when help has been needed. This gave me a lot of confidence and peace of mind that my investment is heading in the right direction.”

Gabriel made the decision to become a multi-unit CeX franchisee shortly after his first year running the Poole store and began to see the impressive returns on investment immediately. His second store opened 12 months after the first one, and Gabriel soon realised that he was not going to stop at just the two: Gabriel remarks, “It has been a challenge to develop a structure to support and supervise different locations, but again CeX has been available whenever needed for advice, guidance and support.”

Recently, Gabriel opened his fifth location in Newport, Isle of Wight, off the back of the success his other four stores have seen over the last three years, and has set his sights on not only ensuring each one of them remains profitable and successful, but to double his stores by the end of 2015.

"I have already gone from three to five stores this year, the plan is to double its store count by the end of 2015,” continues Gabriel. “Commercial property is a complex area to deal with, but if everything goes according to plan, we will achieve this, and that will be very exciting!”

Overseeing and running five locations is not an easy task and due to the many different aspects of branch life, Gabriel has seen his shop front time diminish and be replaced with managerial and operational duties, but that does not mean that he isn’t aware of the need for strong training for his employees who run the shop day to day: Gabriel comments, “Operating five locations stops me from working the shop floor for most of my time. The majority of my days are now computer–based and mainly working with staff, managers, supervisor, etc. developing and training them to the best of their ability. This will ensure that all the locations operate smoothly and efficiently.”

Maintaining the CeX brand, not only an industry leader but also as a customer centric brand, is very important to Gabriel and something that he implements in his stores, as Gabriel explains. “We wouldn’t try to upsell a product that a customer does not need only for the sake of a higher transaction. We rely on honest and simple advice for the customers to make an informed decision. We recruit technology–savvy employees and experts on each digital sector so they can give the best advice to customers when buying a product. We do not endorse any brand or make and never push a product, it is always customer led,” explains Gabriel.

Having seen the success of his franchise locations, Gabriel has no hesitation is recommending the brand to anyone looking to enter into the franchise world. However, he is a firm advocate that it is not just a case of turning up and the store becoming a success, you need to put in a lot of hard work and time: “If you are looking at becoming a franchise owner and want to be part of an ever growing brand, CeX is a must!

Look no further than the average store ownership in CeX. The average franchise owner has two or more stores; the whole network has a lot of confidence in the business model. That said, you would need to work hard; the more you put in the more you get out! Jump in before it is too late.”