Low investment and high standards; the perfect blend for franchisees

Sub £10k franchise fee removes financial barrier, as Marla Custom Blinds launch national expansion drive

By waiving the licence fee, Marla Custom Blinds’ (MCB) franchise start-up costs have been slashed to less than £10,000 – an attractive proposition for individuals in search of both value and quality. In fact, the only things franchisees have to pay for are those things that constitute a direct cost to the company’s head office. These include a two-week training course, launch marketing, all promotional materials, and essential tools and equipment.

Says MCB founder and Managing Director, Martin Froud: “We’re looking for franchise owners to help us expand outside of the Portsmouth and Southampton areas. You don’t need any experience in this business, so almost anyone could do it. There is an element of DIY skill required to fit the blinds, but if you know one end of a tape measure from the other, and can put up a bracket, you’ll have no problem. The significantly reduced entry cost gives an added incentive to potential franchisees that have real business drive, but might be held back by a lack of investment capital.”

MCB has been manufacturing and supplying blinds in Hampshire and throughout the South West for 15 years, and has an enviable portfolio of repeat customers such as Portsmouth City Council, BBC South and the Beaulieu Estate. As well as being bound by the British Blind & Shutter Association’s (BBSA) and the bfa's strict codes of ethics, MCB are also fully vetted members of the Checkatrade scheme, an independent monitoring service allowing customers to publicly judge the company’s performance. With high average voting scores of 9.7 out of 10 for MCB, Martin is proud of the company’s achievements so far.

“Ethical trading should be a priority for all businesses, particularly in the home improvement sector,” he adds, “and is something we take it very seriously. I insist that all MCB franchisees are monitored by Checkatrade to ensure consistency across our brand, and satisfaction for all of our customers. We’re really looking for dedicated and hard working people who uphold the same ethics we do, and who believe in a high level of customer service. That’s why we place so much emphasis on training and support – to ensure our franchisees treat their customers with the same care and respect that we’ve always done.”

In Hampshire, MCB are also members of the ‘Buy with Confidence’ scheme, which lists only reputable and vetted businesses and prevents customers from being conned by rogue traders. Franchisees joining MCB will benefit from their association with these organisations.