#SAFranchiseFriday featuring Sparkling Auto Care Centres

BACKGROUND
The Sparkling Auto concept was initially founded as a car wash and auto detailing services business. Founder Corné Gustafson and his team managed five high-volume company-owned outlets and identified service and speed as the key success factors of their business model.

In an era where most people are ‘time poor’, convenience is becoming increasingly important — even in the automotive appearance industry. After securing the license from the Ding King Institute in the USA, Corné created the Sparkling Auto Care Centres concept; a unique one-stop service centre offering full auto body repair, car wash, auto detailing, and minor interior repair at the same time — convenient, fast and economical.

THE CONCEPT
Sparkling Auto Care Centres is a unique and convenient ‘all-under-one-roof’ business opportunity that provides vehicle owners with the best professional car wash and auto body repair solutions in the market. Franchisees have a choice of two business models — a Sparkling Auto Care Centre offering auto body repair, car wash and auto detailing services, or a Sparkling Auto Express Centre offering only car wash and auto detailing services. Franchisees can extended their business with the addition of a mobile unit offering auto body repair services.

Sparkling Auto Care Centres’ superior technology enables them to offer customers a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee, something previously unheard of in this industry. Their non-traditional panel beating technology enables them to ‘renew’ a vehicle bumper to bumper in only a few hours or less. Their extensive list of services includes paintless dent repair, minor interior repair, windshield repair, odour removal, paint polishing, window tinting, smash and grab film installation, paint and paint chip repair, alloy wheel repair, and headlight renewal.

For fixed units, a site analysis will be conducted that assesses the location’s visibility, accessibility and line-up space as well as the type of traffic and traffic count, average speed, average fuel sales in the area and the percentage of customers requesting a full tank fuel fill.

FRANCHISOR SUPPORT
The franchisor is responsible for the complete set-up of the turnkey operation and provides continued assistance with marketing and advertising, equipment and consumables purchases, accounting packages, and much more. Operational support includes an ongoing analysis of the business in order to identify and address potential problems as they arise.

Franchisees and their staff receive introductory training and refresher courses are available on an ongoing basis.

FRANCHISEE PROFILE
Business management experience will be advantageous and experience in the automotive industry is preferred.

SNAPSHOT
History
Founder: Corné Gustafson
Year founded: 1992
Area of origin: Potchefstroom, North West
CEO: Corné Gustafson

Network
1st SA franchise opened: 2007
Number of SA outletS: 12

Financials
* Amounts quoted are VAT exclusive
Average set-up cost: R3,45 million
Initial joining fee: 10% pre-franchise fee
Average monthly turnover: R500 000
Achievable gross margins: 85% to 90%

Franchise Agreement
Management fee: 5% of monthly sales
Marketing fee: 2% of monthly sales
Agreement term: 10 Years
Renewal term: 10 Years

WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Contact Marissa Esterhuizen  on +27 18 293 3970 or marissa-anne@sparklingauto.co.za
www.sparklingauto.co.za