WORK FOR YOURSELF
not by yourself
Be part of the network that
serves 25,000 customers a week
across multiple sectors
SHOWROOMS
TRADE SINCE
SERVICE
PRODUCTS
START YOUR
JOURNEY TO
INDEPENDENCE
ENJOYING THEIR INDEPENDENCE & REWARDS
Previous role: Garage Owner
Franchisee since: Jun 2004
“Before joining Autosmart, I ran my own garage, so I knew the products and had confidence in their performance. I also knew another franchisee, who told me that it was a good investment, so I enquired about the local opportunity.
Autosmart products sell themselves, you just need to show customers how to use them to get a great performance and then deliver an excellent service. If I was selling poor quality products, I’d always be looking for new customers, but I see almost all my customers regularly.
When I worked in the garage, I was on my own and information about products and services was a bit harder to come by 20 years ago. At Autosmart, I have the support of the franchisee network and head office so, if I have a question, I know the answer in a matter of minutes.
Over the years I’ve expanded the business and this year my son has joined me and he’s really enjoying being out in the showroom visiting customers so, it’s great to get my family involved.”
Previous role: Owner of a chain of take-aways
Franchisee since: Feb 2024
“I was looking for a change when I came across an advert for Autosmart. I was looking for an opportunity that would allow me to earn the same money but with less management.
After enquiring and going out with a few franchisees, I decided it was something I would enjoy doing. It’s been a bit harder than I thought but that’s because I’ve been growing the business, so lots of knocking on potential customer doors, but this has paid off as I’ve nearly doubled the average monthly sales in less than 12 months!
I’ve also really enjoyed the flexibility and freedom of being a franchisee – if you need to do something on one day, you can plan your routes to make up the time and not miss out on sales. In the take-away business, if the shop didn’t open you would lose the takings for that day.”
Previous role: Autosmart Head Office
Franchisee since: Jun 2024
“Before joining Autosmart, becoming a franchisee wasn’t something that I’d considered. However, after working at Autosmart Head Office in various roles across 5 years, I got the chance to learn and understand the business and industry from various aspects.
Becoming a business owner has been the most challenging step I’ve taken to date but I’m enjoying the process and learning along the way. It’s been rewarding to see the positive impact of my day-to-day efforts, with the business growing strongly since I started.”
Previous role: Salesman at Autosmart franchise
Franchisee since: Mar 2019
“I was in the pub trade before joining Autosmart. I was getting fed up with working evenings, every weekend, very long hours which was also having an impact on family life, as at the time I had a young child and was missing him growing up.
My father was already an Autosmart franchisee and was looking to recruit a sales person so, I thought I’d give it a go. That was over 20 years ago and I’ve never looked back.
When my father retired in 2019, I knew it was the right decision for me to take over the franchise. The business had been growing year on year and when I took over, I had ambitious plans to grow even further – I’ve since invested in a bigger warehouse and have gone from a team of 2 to 4.
I still work long hours as a franchisee. However, I enjoy aiming for sales targets and knowing that I’m the one who benefits and sees the rewards, rather than a company.”
Previous role: Manager of 3 car washes
Franchisee since: Aug 2010
“I’ve been at Autosmart since 2010, but it’s flown by. I have great relationships with my customers, so it doesn’t seem like a job and I still really enjoy going to work.
Having managed a few car wash businesses for 11yrs, I knew the Autosmart products and the previous franchisee really well. I was looking for a change when the opportunity came up and with my experience at the car wash and other knowledge in car mechanics and sales, I knew I’d be good at being a franchisee.
In the car wash business, you were never in control – for example if the weather was bad, the car wash would be quiet. However, as a franchisee you can make changes and work harder to make a difference. If you work hard Monday to Friday, the money is good and you have the weekends to yourself. I’ve more than tripled the business since I started and even after all these years my business continues to grow.”
Previous role: Transport manager
Franchisee since: Jun 2022
“As I had previously worked as a Transport Manager, Autosmart was a brand I knew, so when an opportunity came up locally, I thought I’d give it a go.
I could be working 7 days a week and all hours in my previous job and I was on a fixed salary, no matter how hard I worked. Being an Autosmart franchisee has given me more flexibility. I now work 5 days a week and you get out what you put in – since joining, I’ve doubled my monthly sales.
I love getting out and about and meeting customers and the support from the head office team is fantastic, plus the brand is trusted and well known… so what’s not to like?”
Previous role: Motorcycle dealership manager
Franchisee since: Jul 2023
“Before joining Autosmart, I knew it was time to do my own thing and I was considering what to do next. I wanted to do something that would allow me to be out and about.
I already knew the Autosmart products well and had my HGV licence so when an opportunity came up, I jumped at the chance. Being an Autosmart franchisee is everything I expected, it’s given me the freedom to be my own boss, I get on really well with my customers and to top that I’ve tripled my sales in the first 18 months.”
Previous role: Electrician
Franchisee since: Jan 2018
I already knew an Autosmart franchisee so when the opportunity came up, he advised me to take a look.
I went on a few ‘Try Before You Buy’ days and really liked the business model. I’m a real people person, so this job suited me. Nowadays I can’t go anywhere in my Showroom without people flashing their lights and waving at me.
You get out what you put in – I was the fastest growing franchisee over 3 years and I’ve tripled the patch since I started in 2018. The business model works, but you’ve got to work hard to get the rewards.”
CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
What’s available near to you
With over 300 market-leading vehicle cleaning products, we don’t just serve the automotive industry. Our customers range from car dealerships to hauliers and coach transport, rental companies to bodyshops, agricultural dealers to plant hire, and many, many more. Our recession-proof model has thrived through various macro-economic challenges and continued to be profitable.
FAQs
What do I do as a franchisee?
You will be working for yourself, being out and about in a mobile shop on wheels – which we call the Autosmart showroom! You’ll be supplying trade customers with our unique range of cleaning products. You’ll almost always inherit an existing level of established repeat business in the UK and you’ll want to grow your sales by finding the buyer, getting them to hop on the back and showing them how good the products are. You’ll have two types of activity – calling in on existing customers and also winning new ones.
Who would I sell to?
Our customer base is really broad. Your customers will be a mix of car dealerships, garages, haulage yards, the agricultural sector, plant hire, coach fleets, body shops, funeral directors, motorbikes… there’s so much potential out there, you can stop at any business that has vehicles, machinery, premises or staff to keep clean and safe.
How much competition will I face? How easy is it?
You will be investing typically in an existing business with regular, repeat customers, which gives you a good income from day one – and you then expand this base by winning new customers. You will of course, have competitors on your patch, which shows there is a strong market for the business! But, don’t worry: we are around 7 times larger than our nearest competitor, customers quickly recognise our products & service levels and we will train you how to compete. The harder you work, the more rewarding it is. Our franchisees stay with us for an average of 13 years because they love what they do and make a fantastic income.
How much do I need to invest?
As with any business, you’ll need to raise a pot of cash that buys and funds your franchise. You would invest some of your own money (which some franchisees do by releasing home equity) and borrow some money from the bank in the form of a business loan.
Autosmart’s franchise is ‘highly rated’ by HSBC, NatWest, Barclays and Lloyds and of course there are other financial institutions you can also consider. We don’t have a formal relationship with any banks when it comes to franchisee loans, nor do we receive any financial benefit or commission if you choose to borrow any money. Your investment goes into real assets that you sell on when you retire and is typically repaid within 2-3 years, by which time your hard work should be making an excellent profit.
See the ‘How it Works’ page for more details.
Will I like it? Can I do it?
A lot of our franchisees have never sold before. We train you how to sell, so don’t worry about this. What’s important is that you have the will to approach customers that you have never met before. We’ll coach you and help you build your confidence and your selling skills – you’ll soon find your feet.
Many of our franchisees say they’d never go back to working for someone else again. As part of franchisee recruitment process, we’ll ask you to experience some days out on the road with existing franchisees before you invest, so you can work out whether it is right for you.
What support and training do I get?
Your success is our success! We invest in you through ongoing field support from day one through to retirement. You will get a dedicated Regional Business Manager providing shoulder-to-shoulder coaching, as well as regular training opportunities at Head Office and within your region, a dedicated Support team and a stream of great new products being developed.
Where can I find the nearest franchise for sale?
We have several territories for sale, which you can find here . Our model means the franchisee will have exclusivity in that patch.
What are the next steps?
Together we’ll take the time to make sure we’re a good match for each other – after all, you’ll be investing your hard-earned money and we want this to be right for you too. Click here to find out more about the process in detail.
THE NEXT STEP
TO BEING YOUR
OWN BOSS