Case Study - Alison Browne
ALISON Browne has a real head for figures and just 18 months after setting up her Wiltshire Farm Foods franchise she’s proved she has a head for business, too.
When Alison took over the franchise at Edenbridge, Kent, she was turning over a steady income delivering ready-prepared frozen meals to customers.
Alison needed a change of job when her main business came to an end. She worked for an Irish tycoon and managed his property portfolio in London. But when her boss decided to come to England and take over the running of his investments, it was the ideal opportunity for Alison to start looking for a new business. She had trained as an accountant and kept the books for a number of small clients, one of whom has also become a Wiltshire Farm Foods franchisee.
When Alison discovered the Wiltshire Farm Foods territory around Tunbridge Wells, Kent, was up for sale she was keen to give it a go.
Alison heavily invested in her franchise territory, and spent the money on a refrigeration unit to store the food, on two vans (another pending), to make deliveries and additional finance was required to equip her office at Marsh Green, near Edenbridge. Wiltshire Farm Foods head office in Trowbridge sent over an expert to help set up her database and be on hand to assist with marketing and administration support.
Alison, 48, says: “I inherited about 610 customers from neighbouring franchises, but it was basically virgin territory. In 18 months I have built the business up and have exceeded my plans for growth.”
She says: “There’s real room for expansion in this business and I have done some market research in the area and found we have barely scratched the surface. We began delivering to more customers in sheltered accommodation and the feedback has been so good we now delivery regularly amongst them and other tenants.”
Like most Wiltshire Farm Foods franchisees, Alison and her team are very helpful to their customers and often run additional errands to make sure no one goes without their meals.
Alison concludes: “I really do enjoy this business. It gives me - in fact, it gives all of us a real sense of job satisfaction. We feel our work is tremendously worth while, which is why we all pride our selves on providing great customer service.”
Some of Alison’s customers order food for their elderly friends and parents to make sure they get a properly cooked meal. She even has a customer in Brazil who orders meals on line for his mother 5,000 miles away in Tonbridge, Kent.
