The FastSigns franchise business started 23 years ago and has evolved constantly since then, so much so that its very name was questioned. Rather than change it, the company has adopted vision statement that plays with it: “We’re more than just fast and we’re more than just signs,” says UK managing director John Davies. He might also say that FastSigns is more than just a just a franchise.
Davies is new to FastSigns and to printing, but brings with him experience in running franchise operations including a 45 outlet retail business. FastSigns is not this size yet: there are 20 FastSign outlets in the UK currently, there will be 24 by the end of the year, rising to 30/32 by the end of 2017 and 40 by 2018. His conviction suggests there is little room for doubt.
Exactly what each outlet will look like is less certain. This is no standard franchise business where everything looks the same in well defined territories. Instead there are three routes open to FastSigns: a conventional franchise, a conversion where an independent business feels it would be better off throwing its lot in with FastSigns, and the co-brand offer.
This is attractive to an existing business that has a demand for large format printing, but which lacks the skills to set up by itself. The first of these co brand has opened in Oxford North, where says Davies, it is working well for the design and photographic business that FastSigns is attached to.
The company worked in the education sector and was receiving requests for banners from schools for sports days, open days or to advertise their Ofsted rating. It amounted to £200,000 of work that was being sourced.
“It allows the existing business to carry on as before, with no royalty due to us from this,” says Davies. “A franchise is not an option here because the owner is expected to devote 100% of their time to it. The business will need space if can give over to FastSigns, perhaps an adjacent unit, and that can be fitted out with equipment and branding.
“In Oxford we changed the equipment to the supplier we recommended, which was also cheaper. We sent him for training in Dallas and equipped him to run the new business. It is a model that works and is proven to work.
“He didn’t want to do it by himself, a process that he calculated would take ten to 15 years. Now he get to where he wanted to be in three to five years as a partner of FastSigns.
“His story resonated with me. There must be lots of businesses in similar scenarios that we could partner with.”
All the advantages of franchise chains are in place, from strong marketing to negotiated prices on print equipment and supplies. What is missing is a walk up trade and defined territories. Much of the walk up business that fed old style high street print franchises has gone online.
Davies is convinced that the FastSigns customer is not going to spend £500 online on something that he is not confident with. This calls for face to face meetings, and part of the package is that the partner business engages a full time sales person who works away from the business, knocking on doors and making presentations.
“We don’t see online as a viable alternative for people buying our product and service,” he says. “Every project has bespoke needs and you can’t go online to buy a sign or banner that fits the outside of a business unit. That customer needs a high design content and will not understand the tolerances and shrinkages of the materials used.
“The internet is great for RFQs and as a marketing tool, but winning business requires our experts to talk with customers to understand their needs.”
There are tools to help this. One identifies where an onlooker will gaze first and therefore where signage has to work hardest. Another will calculate the precise size of any sign from ground level, even if the finished sign is to be five floors up. Estimates are accurate to 3% says Davies.
And the territorial issue is simply because one customer may have outlets scattered around the country, a retail or food chain for example, or a business with a number of local offices. The location of the head office or first point of contact dictates the lead, although others may be involved in fulfilling the eventual business.
FastSigns is not the only signage franchise chain in the UK, but Davies is convince the model is the strongest. “We encourage those that approach us to look at the others; we want them to make an informed decision, the right decision. If it is a good fit for them, we can then carry on the conversation.
“One new sign up called when I was on holiday and was waiting for me at 10am when I got back. He returned his franchise agreement two days later.”
John Davies is confident that FastSigns can expand its presence in the UK through a combination of traditional franchise and co-branded outlets. These he believes will be attractive to printers who wish to accelerate expansion faster than would be possible alone.
