Chamberlains Security Franchise, Security For your Business
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Local Licence
Our package for Local licences offers more support and 'Head Office' functions than the others, and can be likened to a self-employed licence arrangement that you see in milk rounds or perhaps a 'barbers chair'.
Don't be concerned about self-employment... there are some great benefits to this way of working (and some obvious disadvantages as well). If you are worried about this, as a first step we suggest that you ask around in your family or circle of friends to see if someone you know has been self-employed (there is really little point in asking the opinions of someone who hasn't!) and we can put you in touch with a great accountancy firm who specialise in this way of working.
The package is only available in & around Coventry & Warwickshire, where advertising is already paid and customers already buy from us.
Very low start-up costs make this the ideal way to start your own business, and we have various ways to help you make the transition from your current job to self employment.
You provide the vehicle, and we will handle the branding and advertising. We will even carry out your mobile patrols and alarm responses for the first few months, so that you can keep earning a wage whilst you build up your business.
- You must be an SIA licenced security officer
- You must have some experience of mobile security operations
- You must be wiling to work hard (on your days off!) to promote the area
- We will take the sales calls for you
- We will give you the forms and paperwork to sign up a customer
- We will accompany you on sales visits for the first few months, showing you how it is done
Security Training
We will show you the standard that we operate to, and will expect you to deliver the same quality of care to your customers, when acting under our banner (for very good reasons!).
We will not train you in 'How to be a Security Officer'... if you are not trained and licenced already, this is not the franchise for you, sorry!
You will have to fill in computerised forms in Microsoft Word to record events, so you (or your partner) needs to have a computer with an internet connection, and a basic working knowledge of Word and email.
Marketing Training
Don't worry, we don't expect you to be a Marketing Expert or a Direct Salesman, but you do have to learn how to promote your business.
We will give you simple tasks to do this, in a logical and easy format. For instance, we will ask you to walk a part of your area for an evening or two each week, putting leaflets through doors and recording likely target customers. You will need to do a bit of research on the Internet, and fill in some details about your 'prospects' on our web-based system. You will need to print and send letters each week, using the templates that we provide. We also expect you to use your PatrolGuard car on a day-to-day basis, parking it where it can be seen to promote the business and effectively replacing your own car.
If you want a confidence booster, we can arrange for you to attend a superb training course in business marketing and selling. The course is aimed at 'small business owners' and is held every month over two days in a hotel in The Midlands. It is run by a specialist company, and costs about £1500, but we can promise you that it will be worth it! If you would like to know more, send us an email from the 'contact' page.
Monthly 'Booster'
All Licencees are invited to our monthly 'Booster' session, where we discuss issues, performance, sales techniques and successes. Hints and tips are exchanged and National or Regional customers are identified for possible marketing in other areas. The event is held in Leamington Spa and includes at least one useful training session. Lunch and refreshments provided.
The Remarkably Low Costs!
A Licence fee of £3,000.00 is payable in the first year, which includes the costs of:
- Three days training in operations, marketing, sales and Risk Assessment
- Support and guidance through sales enquiries for the first six months
- A selection of branded uniform, and branding (stickers!) for your vehicle
- Tracker, vehicle safe, key pouches, rings and seals
- Marketing cards, postcards and leaflets
- Inclusion on website and email address
- Stationery pack of letterheads, business cards
- Warning boards, stickers and mini-cards
The ongoing Management fee is 10% of your turnover (limited to £3000 per year for the first two years), and also includes:
- Taking your sales calls and passing on 'warm leads'
- Invoicing your customers, collecting payment
- Maintaining Paperwork / administration process
- Maintaining relief / holiday / sickness cover
- Maintaining and updating Website
- Control Room functions (except alarm call outs - see below)
- Advertising in Yellow Pages and Yell.com
Bear in mind that you will have to pay:
- Vehicle lease or purchase costs (It does not have to be new!)
- Fuel, tax and car insurance
- Vehicle repairs, servicing, tyres etc.
- 'Standard' security uniform and any extra branded uniform required
- Personal safety equipment; i.e. Stab vest, torch, mobile phone
- Phone and or mobile phone costs
- Computer and printer related costs
- Computer printing of forms, reports, documents etc.
- Postage and fax costs to Patrolguard or customers
- Any unusual site associated costs; i.e. Deister recorders etc.
- Control Room costs of £5 per call-out
- Personal SIA licence costs, driving convictions, parking tickets etc.
'Prospecting' costs; i.e. stamps, fuel, telephone, internet access etc.
Covering Your Sites
You may choose to give up your present job straight away, to concentrate on building your new PatrolGuard business, or keep going until you have enough customers to cover your wages. It's up to you, but you will have our backing whichever way you decide.
If you need to keep earning a wage for the first few months, we will take care of alarm activation calls on your sites, either with our own vehicle or by using your neighbouring Licencee, and we have a simple way of accounting for this. Obviously, you won't earn any 'call out' fees if we get someone else to attend, but you will still earn the annual keyholding fee for each new customer that you sign up.
Whilst running the area on your own, we will use the same method to cover days off, holidays, sickness etc. so that you don't have to be on call 168hrs per week!
In the long-term, you will need to have a small team of people that you can trust to cover the week, and we will insist that they be vetted and licenced to our standard.
Targets, Expectations
We are not going to share our sales plan here, but we realistically expect you to turnover £45k in your first full year, before costs. We are delighted to say that our share of that would be £4.5k, and you can see why we are running this scheme. Let's face it, even after your costs, you have the potential to earn significantly more in your first full year than an employee, and your business can grow and grow!