Case Study - Darren Senior
Seasoned salesman, 47-year-old Darren Senior, took over an existing Dream Doors franchise in July 2010.
Says Darren: “I took my Exeter-based business on shortly after talking to Dream Doors. I didn’t make any major changes to the business, and even kept the same advertising in place as the previous owner. But even without making any major changes at all, I turned over more than the pre-existing business had made in six months. I had 14 appointments in my first month with nine sales, which I thought was a fantastic start.
Why such a dramatic difference in results?
I think the difference in results has been down to handling the leads reliably and professionally. It’s simple adjustments like this that will almost certainly improve conversion rates.
My philosophy is to listen to the customer, and deliver to their expectations by accurately explaining all of the features and benefits of the kitchen or kitchen facelift they’re about to buy. Most importantly, you’ve got to stick with the customers who are undecided and need reassurance. During my first two months, I’d say 50 percent (of customers) signed there and then, and most of the others signed on the second visit.
It’s important to give the customer space to make a decision – stand back and let them fall in love with the product. If the product is excellent you simply end up becoming a facilitator to the sale.
In short, new franchisees should never be afraid of selling, because it’s a great skill, it’s an important part of life, and when somebody is ready to buy, they want to be sold to.
Self belief is also vital. I have every confidence in myself and in Dream Doors’ products, and I believe in delivering ultimate customer satisfaction. Which means that, whatever the situation, my customers will always be looked after.
Why choose a Dream Doors Franchise?
The third time I looked at Dream Doors was a natural juncture in my life. I’d moved down to Devon and was looking to either start a new business from scratch, or buy a going concern. Dream Doors had a resale opportunity in Exeter – one that I thought I could make more profitable than it already was.
Another thing that drew me to Dream Doors was that it had been around for more than ten years, and in that time has proven itself to be a good, solid operation. It’s also a full member of the bfa, which is very important to me, as it demonstrates a firm ethical stance. Another thing is, because I’m not originally from a kitchen background, I knew that there would be a lot of learning to do; Dream Doors offers fantastic training, and that is backed up by the high proportion of successful franchisees operating within the network.
Last but not least, there’s nothing like a really passionate MD driving a company forwards. Troy Tappenden, who started Dream Doors a decade ago, is just that. He genuinely cares about his business.
What about the day-to-day running of your Exeter business?
I used to work in furniture retail, with responsibility for six stores with multi million pound budgets. Most of the sales presentations took place in the showrooms. With Dream Doors, however, I tend to meet customers in their own homes.
While I do pretty much everything when it comes to running the business, I have one member of staff Adam, who drops materials at installations, assists on fits when required and helps in the showroom when I am visiting customers . At this stage, it’s just him and me, but as the business expands, the infrastructure will need to expand with it which will mean taking more people on.
And your final word of advice to potential franchisees…
My advice to potential franchisees looking to buy a business is to forget the rest and go with the best. And it goes without saying that I think that Dream Doors really is the best. It’s a solid business, not a fad, and is a concept that works and will continue to work – whether that’s in 10 or 20 years time.
