I have been an Optic-Kleer franchisee since 2011.
How did you hear about Optic-Kleer?
“Through my brother-in-law actually, he had his windscreen repaired, by a technician down in Dorset. He told me about it and thought it was a great opportunity and we should look into it, so we did.”
What were your next steps?
“The next steps we took were to have a meeting with the director, David Overton. We had a couple of meetings with him and moved things forward quite quickly.”
How did you find the transition from leaving your old job?
“I was in a position where I wasn’t very happy what I was doing, the transition to Optic-Kleer was great for me because it was the opportunity I needed at the right time and it just fell perfect for me.”
What was training like?
“The training was really well setup, we were given accommodation the night before and arrived nice and fresh on the Monday morning. The initial day of training was quite relaxed, it was enjoyable, it was exciting because it was something new. I was really impressed and enjoying it. We learnt an awful lot. We learnt about the kit and the industry. David was very helpful and knowledgeable because he had been there and done it himself. So it was a very enjoyable experience.”
Did talking to David help?
“David Overton was great, because he started as a franchisee himself, worked his way up to operations manager, and then has obviously become director and now owns the company. His knowledge was invaluable in letting us know how things work. Becoming a franchisee was a real buzz for me, because I always wanted to own my own business. Becoming a franchisee would give me the opportunity to run my own business, and that is very much the way I looked at it. Although I have the safety of the umbrella of an organisation, I felt like I was about to embark on my own business, which was fantastic.”
How did you feel when you had your first customer?
“Obviously your first customer is a bit nerve wracking, but I was confident in using the equipment and quite able to do the repairs. Because I had the support of David with me on the first day, that too was invaluable. He put me at my ease and we went through the process, everything I was taught in the training room, and everything just went from there. We had a very successful day, I think we did 10 repairs on my first day, which was wonderful.”
Do you get much support from Optic- Kleer?
“The girls in the office are unbelievable. They sort absolutely everything out for you, they are always available on the telephone, if you have got any queries. And the way they process all the guys’ transactions, I don’t know how they do it. It’s very efficient and they have never let me down in terms of any admin errors or anything.”
