At the start of a new decade, Dream Doors, the UK's most successful kitchen facelift franchise, has implemented three key strategies to help its 30 franchisees grow their businesses. In the spring, the company will launch a new high-end kitchen door range at a price that offers its customers previously unattainable products. A new national marketing initiative has already begun with adverts in The Times and the Daily Mail. And by forming close links with Checkatrade – a national customer feedback scheme – Dream Doors is tightening its customer care programme to ensure complete buyer satisfaction.

 

Says Dream Doors' founder and Managing Director, Troy Tappenden: “I've spent the last decade building Dream Doors from a small local business into a franchise with 30 showrooms around the country. We're the market leaders in our sector, and have won lots of awards in this industry. But I'm not satisfied with just that. I feel we can take this business to new heights, and 2010 is the year that we move into an even bigger league.”

 

At Dream Doors' annual conference held recently in Portsmouth the company welcomed more than sixty delegates and five new franchise owners to announce its three New Years' resolutions.

 

The first to present was Dream Doors' biggest supplier, introducing a new door range that will enable franchisees to sell high-end products at middle-market prices. Says Dream Doors operations director and bfa regional chair Kelly Chambers: “This type of door was traditionally reserved for buyers with £30,000 or more, but now they'll be available to Dream Doors’ customers with less than £4,000 to spend on a kitchen facelift. What's even better is that all of these doors are made-to-measure. We'll also be adding to our own exclusive range, which at the moment offers seven door styles that can't be bought from any other company in the world! 2010 is the start of a new design decade, and our suppliers intend to be at the forefront of new manufacturing innovations so that Dream Doors will compete with all kitchen and bedroom companies.”

 

After undertaking intensive market research, Dream Doors has launched an advertising campaign that mixes franchisee's local marketing efforts with adverts in key national titles.

 

Adds Chambers: “Our new consumer marketing campaign hit the streets last month with adverts in The Times and the Daily Mail. These were testers for a new style of pared down advertising that has a message that’s easily understood. Later this month we're placing a three-month series of half-page adverts in the Mail on Saturday. With more readers than any other Saturday paper, and an average age of 57, it's sure to increase public demand and enquiries for all our franchisees.”

 

Says Tappenden: “Without satisfied customers all of this marketing activity is academic. Which is why we asked the owner of Checkatrade, Kevin Byrne, to come to our conference and make sure all of our marketing efforts are backed up by his fantastic customer feedback and monitoring scheme. Kevin demonstrated to all of our franchisees how to use the Checkatrade system to boost Dream Doors’ sales even more. To date, some of his members have seen a 50% increase in sales by properly using the site, and that’s something we’re now working towards as a network.”