If you are confident in your ability then why not be your own boss? – Phil Marshall
After 26 years in the insurance industry, Phil Marshall has proved that you don’t need specific experience in a sector to set up a successful franchise. Having moved his family to Devon to avoid the city commute, Phil turned to franchising. He saw this as a way of coupling the benefits of running his own business with the advantages of being able to work from home and spend more time with his family.
Phil said: “I began researching franchise businesses over a period of three to four months and kept coming back to Netstationers. When I eventually spoke to the management team there, my fear of signing up to a franchise and watching the company take my money and run disappeared. Not only did they inspire confidence as individuals but I was also given the contact details of 10 to 12 Netstationer partners of varying size and success so I could speak to them about their experiences. All of those I spoke to agreed that the communication and support was excellent. Phil’s experience has proved they weren’t wrong.”
Netstationers offer its customers over 20,000 standard products as well as bespoke solutions in a number of vertical markets including print, print management, furniture design, facilities, janitorial and work-wear. All products are available through Netstationers’ tailored web-based trading solution.
Phil decided to join in November 2006 and began two months of extensive training covering the technology and industry as a whole before he officially launched his franchise in January 2007. “One of the major reasons I chose Netstationers was the support and training offered to franchisees. I had no experience of running my own business before so needed a franchise that would provide me with a broad level of management support to ensure that everything ran smoothly. I have certainly found this with Netstationers, the support is second to none and I am comforted knowing that I can call the management team at any time for advice or assistance with an account. This is very reassuring not only when you are starting out but also during the ongoing development of yourself and your business.”
With no formal experience of direct sales or the stationery business, Phil approached the market with the same level of professionalism that he had been used to during his 26 years within the insurance industry. “Initially I found the prospect of contacting potential customers a little daunting but after my training, I realised that it is less about selling and more about filling a requirement,” explains Phil. "This way of thinking has made it a lot easier for me. I never ‘cold call’ from a long list of contacts but instead prepare a more targeted list of companies I have researched and qualified as those that we are most likely to make a difference. By taking this sort of approach I can more readily engage with the decision make to understand their challenges and establish how we can help to solve their business problem.”
The office supplies market is a £6 billion industry in the UK and there is no shortage of opportunity. Netstationers has built its business around transparency of activity and results, readily making prices available to customers where required. By taking advantage of the Netstationers business model, Phil and his customers can benefit from the collective purchasing power of a larger entity and streamlined business model. Netstationers franchisees are therefore able to offer lower overall product prices and administration overheads than traditional contract office suppliers, dealers and mail order specialists.
“When I left the insurance industry, I was tired of filling someone else’s swimming pool and wanted to fill my own for a change as well as looking for job security after working in such a turbulent environment for so many years. I am now realising what a great opportunity this is and love the fact that I am in control of my own destiny. The potential to get a pay rise every day adds to the excitement and is a great motivator.”
It wasn’t all plain sailing though, and Phil readily admits getting traction with customers was tough to start with. But Phil believes if you work smart, have the energy and self belief, there is no reason why you should not reap the rewards of your hard work and generate a significant income. “Becoming a Netstationers franchisee was truly a life changing decision for me but what is clear is that you only get out of it what you put in. The first few months were hard financially but I was always confident in my abilities to succeed. In a relatively short period of time I have managed to build and own a valuable business asset,” continues Phil.
“Another principal goal of mine was to create and own a £1 million business within three years while having fun doing it. I am happy to report that I am ahead of schedule and should achieve, if not exceed this target, by the middle of next year,” enthuses Phil.
One of the main advantages of being a Netstationers franchisee is the excellent customer service and all the back office support on offer, which allows Phil the time to research potential customers. All of the stock and deliveries are taken care of as is the worry of customer invoicing and credit control. “The tool set you are provided with from day one is truly a unique offering, providing me with at least 22 USPs when I am pitching for new business," said Phil. "In actual fact there are probably more than 22 but it is the confidence I have in our offering which makes such a difference.”
Looking to the future, Phil is thinking about making the company a family affair by eventually being in a position to bring his wife into the business; to reduce her working time away from the family home and provide direct rewards for her efforts. “You never know in six years time when my daughter has finished her education, I may be in a position to give her the chance to run a successful business from home also” concludes Phil.
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