Country Properties franchise is paying off handsomely for a mother-and-daughter team (Business Franchise Story)

When Linda Payne and her daughter Zöe Grist, owners of the Country Properties franchise in Hatfield, first decided to go into the property business, they were accused of doing too much homework. Two years on - and in a very different market - it has paid off handsomely, says Zöe

It was back in 2004 that we decided to go into business together. Linda had been membership manager for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club for a number of years, while my background was in TV production management. At that time, the choice of the property sector was by no means a foregone conclusion: we researched a number of different sectors. Basically, we were looking for a service industry where we could bring our inter-personal and managerial skills to bear to best advantage. Eventually however, our own - not entirely happy - experiences in the property sector convinced us that estate agency was an area where we could really make an impact.
 
Having finally plumped for the property sector, we then spent another 2 years systematically researching every aspect of the industry, and developing our own clear vision of the type of operation we wanted to build. We analysed how other agents worked, we tracked the market itself, and we looked in detail at the various franchise options available. As newcomers to the industry, there was never any doubt in our minds that we would go down the franchise route, but the choice of franchisor was obviously going to be crucial to our future success. We needed to be 100% confident that we were investing in the right direction. We looked at branding, management calibre and drive, and the quality of marketing and support available. The degree of flexibility was also key. Obviously, we didn't want to simply be sold a package and then left to sink or swim entirely on our own. Yet at the same time, we didn't want rigid external control over every aspect of our business right down to the choice of office furniture and stationery supplies. We were determined to put our own individual stamp on things. Even when we had narrowed down the field, we went to the trouble of asking existing franchisees to fill in a special questionnaire about the firm - confidentially, of course! In the end, it was their genuine enthusiasm that swayed us.

Our choice of franchisor effectively helped dictate our choice of location. Country Properties have a particularly strong presence further up the A1 corridor in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, and Hatfield dovetailed very neatly into the existing network.

Having decided on a location, we then set about finding a suitable agency to purchase. Right from the outset, we knew we would be looking to buy an existing operation, rather than attempting to set one up from scratch, and importantly, we also wanted one with an established lettings business as well as sales. In this, I suppose we benefited from coming at estate agency with a fresh eye. We weren't seduced by the boom in sales at that time - we always took the view that lettings would provide the regular, bread and butter business. We also knew the kind of agency we were looking for: a genuine family firm that was well-established, with a real long-standing commitment to old-fashioned notions of personal service. Our aim was to build on that commitment still further, and complement it by the introduction of the latest technologies in those areas where they could be most useful. Eventually, with the help and guidance of Country Properties, we found the perfect opportunity - a very traditional family agency that had been established for over 30 years, with an existing lettings portfolio on which we could build, and an excellent reputation for customer service.

We bought the firm in early December 2006 - so we have just celebrated our second anniversary. The previous owner stayed with us for 2 months to help with the handover, while at the same time we underwent intensive training at Country Properties' head office in Baldock.  With their guidance, we invested heavily in new systems (up until then, the previous owner had operated entirely on a pen and paper basis!), including the multi-listing software that gives buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants access to the entire network from just one office. We also refurbished the premises in the Country Properties style, while taking care to preserve their traditional ambience.

In everything we did, we were careful to stress the sense of continuity, and to reassure clients that this was not an abrupt change of direction, but rather - as we said in the slogan we adopted for our official launch in January 2007 - a change of name, and a change of pace.

Two years down the line, all the research and the preparation has paid off. Our final choice of franchisor has certainly been fully vindicated. Particularly in today's market, the stream of new marketing initiatives emanating from Country Properties' head office in Baldock on a regular basis, and the sheer unflagging energy and enthusiasm of the senior management, are a real plus - as is the sense of team spirit that exists amongst the franchisees. Everyone is always ready to help with advice and support.

We recruited our first new member of staff within a couple of months of opening, and we now have a complement of 4, plus Linda and me.  Despite the slump in the property market generally, we are definitely holding our own in sales, while in lettings we have more than doubled the number of properties under management.

All in all, I believe we have really benefited from experiencing just about every kind of market in such a short time. Yes, things are tough at the moment, but with the help of our franchisor, we're confident that we can deal with anything the market throws at us.

Do either of us have any regrets? Not at all. For both of us, it has been a complete change of lifestyle - but a change altogether for the better. As for the future, we've already got our eyes on St Albans .....