Franchisees : Ex Forces Stewart and Kim Bisley Area : Glasgow
'For me, the best part was going out myself and getting a machine sited with a new customer - it was a great boost for me!'
Leaving the Military and Looking to the Future
Kim and Stewart are based in Glasgow. Stewart is a Chief Petty Office in the Navy and is a submariner. He currently spends months away at a time, but he has just under 2 years left of being in the Navy so the couple were keen to find a business that they could develop and work in together once he left the Navy.
Kim has a sales background and has been busy developing the business together with some additional help whilst Stewart is away. They have a young daughter Maia and so are looking at a future which would enable them to maximise their family-time and support them financially whilst avoiding either Stewart or Kim having to work in an office or deal with long commutes. Kim also feels that her sales background and people skills will help them grow the business.
Why They Chose Snack in the Box?
'A Snack in the Box Franchise is Buying Into an Existing Business Model'
Kim said that they chose franchising as 'buying a business felt safer with a franchise. You are buying into an existing business model'. She also added 'I liked the idea of a head office cushion. We could run it ourselves but have the support and training of a bigger company.' Kim and Stewart did a lot of background work before they decided upon Snack in the Box. They investigated different franchise companies by looking on the internet, visiting a couple of exhibitions and subscribing to the Franchise Magazine.
Ultimately, they chose Snack in the Box as they felt it was recession-proof. 'We liked the idea of this business because although we are in a recession, everyone needs a little pick-me-up bar of chocolate or a feel-great treat.' They heard about Snack in the Box from the Franchise Magazine. Kim also added, 'We liked Snack in the Box from day one of our enquiry. We found them really helpful and I liked the products.
'A Typical Week in Running a Franchise with Snack in the Box'
Kim and Stewart cover a large area and 'no two weeks are the same'.
They have a mixture of Slimline machines and a handful of Combination machines.Their customers include shopping centres, distribution centres, nurseries and care homes. While Stewart is still away, they have part time help servicing their customers. Their plan is that once Stewart leaves the Navy, they will be able to spend more time canvassing for new customers and really growing their territory. Kim meanwhile also deals with orders, reports, taking deliveries and any other customer issues and has also been busy putting in a tender to provide a vending service to a large local customer.
'So Far, So Good!'
Kim admits she has found it a very exciting time. She also admits that the thought of canvassing for new customers to grow their territory was a little daunting but she went on a sales training day organised by Snack in the Box and found it 'invaluable'.
It also enabled her to meet other franchisees near her. " For me, the best part was going out myself and getting a machine sited with a new customer - it was a great boost for me!'