Continued Success With Trophy

Van-based franchises centre around...well, a van. But there's more to being a van than meets the eye, as pet food delivery specialists Trophy Pet Foods reveal.

Sue Reid's hand sweeps at the brightly liveried van, its back doors open to reveal a veritable mini pet shop. Bags of Trophy pet food, leads and collars, grooming aids, dog and cat treats, feeding bowls and many other accessories - they're all there in an easy-to-display format.

As Sales Director for Trophy Pet Foods, the longest established and leading pet food and ancillaries doorstep distribution franchise, Sue is making the point that for her company, the van is taken very seriously - for it underpins the whole business in so many ways. "It drives the business - literally" she says.

Trophy continually fine tune their support services to their franchisees, she clarifies, an important part of which is constantly seeking ways of improving the vehicle element that is so vital to the business. "Let's face it, the franchisee's van is their showroom, their shop on wheels, their means of delivering the orders to their Trophy customers, their mobile storage facility and their mobile liveried advertisement for the service they offer. This is why the right van is so crucial to the success of the business."

Indeed, she ably demonstrates how Trophy has recently refined the van's interior display to transform it into a superb showroom, for add on sales, treat and toy sales and accessory sales. "As well as sign writing the outside of the van with the Trophy Livery, as part of the package; we now fit each new vehicle with the Trophy Display Module. This is completely interchangeable so that each franchisee can lay it out to their own individual requirements." The van livery and layout, along with the Trophy uniform, promotional literature, kit bags, web site and food bags, reinforce a brand image that is established, well-known and well-respected in the pet food and ancillaries home delivery business.

Add this to Trophy's targeted 8 day training, powerful launch programme, which includes a launch base of 150 targeted customers, over £1000 worth of stock, the Trophy bespoke CD for accounts and customer management, full and continually access to the Trophy Franchise Support Managers (FSM's), emphasises Sue, "and you get a franchise that's not just easy to learn and operate, but also a highly effective business."

Great Customer Loyalty

Trophy Pet Foods started out as an Oxfordshire based home delivery round back in the late 80's. Owned and run by husband and wife team, Mary & Colin Maidens, it made a great start. But to expand the business and distribute nationwide was proving difficult, as far-flung customers were not benefiting from the personal service and nutritional advice that was offered.

Franchising the business became the ideal way to expand the business and now locally based, nutritionally trained franchisees offer a personal, professional service to very loyal and satisfied customers within their home area. Colin Maidens, Managing Director of Trophy Pet Foods explains. "Pet food customers are, of course, interested in quality and a competitive price (both of which are offered at Trophy, as we manufacture our own pet foods) however, increasingly the difference between one supplier and another is the all round service provided. The Trophy way revolves around giving a Complete Pet Care Service to our customers and their pets, on a one to one basis, in the comfort of their home. This results in a high degree of loyalty. Our franchisees are able to offer free home delivery, free nutritional advice, a Microchipping service, skin and coat management, a customer service / nutritional hotline and, of course, a huge range of Trophy branded foods, treats, pet care products and accessories. The best-formulated pet food is of no use whatsoever unless it is eaten by the pet. Here at Trophy we have ensured that our products are palatable, tasty and quality driven and that they appeal to the fussiest of eaters. This in turn ensures that there is a high take up once the customer's pets have benefited from free samples or the Trophy taste test trial."

Trophy Training

The Trophy Training starts with a 3 1/2 day residential training course at Head Office. This covers product knowledge, operational training, round management, marketing, canvassing, customer recruitment, sales training and much much more. It allows franchisees to qualify as a Trophy Nutritional Advisor. It is this nutritional advice that is so well received by the pet owner and one of the reasons they become a Trophy customer. The Training then proceeds to 4 days in field training with a Trophy Franchise Support Manager. Over the first 4 months of the business the new franchisee will have exclusive in field training, a hands on start to the business. The FSM will introduce the new franchisee to their first 50 targeted customers and will remain available to do follow up canvass training plus more customer requirement if required. "We arm all out franchisees with the skills and knowledge that is needed for their own customer recruitment," explains Graham Shaw, one of Trophy's FSM's. "However it they choose, or time become more precious as they expand, they can use our services as FSM's to do some or all of their customer finding for them." A telemarketing team are then on hand to provide the new franchisee with appointments to suit their diary. Finally the franchisee will return to head office after the launch is complete for their final days training, to access and review and to plan the next stage.

The Trophy Package

The Trophy Pet Food package offers anyone the opportunity of running his or her own business and tremendous job satisfaction. For an investment of £11,995(plus VAT) franchisees will receive a protected area of over 100,000 households. 58% of households in the UK own a pet, therefore the potential is enormous. Trophy franchisees know that this area is very large and will not be covered from day one; they will concentrate on their immediate home area. However in years to come and when expansion of the business is needed, they are comforted to know that they can expand without financial penalties or area constraints.

Trophy franchisees also benefit from flexible working hours, which can fit around family life and hobbies on a part time or full time basis.

Ongoing Support

"We're a bit passionate about the support we provide", reports Sue Reid, "our franchisees receive the full backing from Franchise Support Managers who deliver initial in field training as well as ongoing guidance and advice. They can do this as they are experienced Trophy franchisees themselves and know the business in-side-out." Practicalities are also sorted out from day one, like storage area organisation, van layout, customer management and accounts training via the Trophy CD.

Trophy franchisees then go on to benefit from product development, marketing advice, show set up and guidance, newsletters, training seminars, free promotional literature, local advertising, telephone support, problem solving, customer recruitment support and the Trophy web site, currently receiving 4000 hits per month.

"We offer a highly sophisticated support system which operates on a number of levels", continues Colin Maidens, -franchisees have the freedom to develop their business at their own pace with the confidence of an established system which offers back up and support on an individual level."

Discover Trophy Pet Foods

Trophy like to make sure that their franchisees will be happy with them and the package and support they will receive. Equally Trophy like to make sure they will be happy with the new franchisee. To this effect an individual meeting is arranged so that everyone can have his or her questions answered and the entire business can be explained. "We do not interrogate our potential franchisees", explains Sue, "but we do need to make sure they know what they are letting their selves in for. This is not a 9-5 desk job and the first year can be hard, it takes a certain individual to be self motivated enough to get their, but once there the rewards are tremendous. With our super-package, we are making it simpler for franchisees to get a fast-tract start in a pet-focused business they will love, it takes dedication, but it's a winning combination."

For more details on becoming a Trophy Pet Food Franchisee and / or an information pack on the business opportunity please call 01367 243434 or visit www.trophypetfoods.co.uk

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