SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- When Mike Sauder sold his successful travel agency business in 2000, he could have gone to his woodworking shop and happily whittled his way through retirement producing exquisite hand-made furniture for friends and loved ones. Instead, he turned the passion for his hobby into a thriving, multi-store business as a Woodcraft franchisee.
Sauder, a woodworking hobbyist and Woodcraft customer, heard about the franchise opportunity through a letter he received from the company. "I never expected I would get back in business, particularly one in which I had no prior experience," he admitted. But for Sauder, the idea of working at his hobby everyday was a dream he was compelled to pursue.
"Since my travel business did not require inventory or working with retail customers, those were the biggest challenges for me as I considered the opportunity with Woodcraft," Sauder noted. The other major consideration for him was at that time the Woodcraft offer required the franchisee to purchase all five Texas stores.
"I really chewed on that one for a good while," he said, "and did a considerable amount of due diligence by visiting each store and speaking with employees and managers."
In the end, Sauder says the quality of store employees and management, and the support and commitment by Woodcraft sealed the deal for him. The transaction was finalized in 2002.
Sauder said there are four main reasons that make the Woodcraft franchise model work: (1) excellent support from Woodcraft corporate; (2) top of the line, quality woodworking products and a very liberal return policy; (3) tremendous support through target marketing; and (4) continual customer research to determine point-of-purchase customer needs.
Sauder added, "You can't underestimate the importance of having a responsive support system in place from the franchisor. There is always someone from Woodcraft corporate available to assist me when I need advice or help. They are a very accessible organization."
As he gets ready to open his sixth store in Houston on November 30, Sauder's Woodcraft franchises have been hugely successful. But he stresses that success does not come without a good work ethic and an ability to listen to and respond to what the customer wants.
"We put a premium on customer service. Our staff is very personable, but they are also skilled woodworkers who are highly trained to help solve our customers' problems and to demonstrate the latest products," he emphasized.
Sauder also believes that owning multiple store franchises can result in economies of scale that may translate into more profits for franchisees. "With several stores, we are able to capitalize more on Woodcraft's buying power, and can often purchase products at significant savings."
Sauder concluded, "Woodcraft has a ton of resources for the franchisee whether you own one store or several. They have an excellent plan, and if you work the plan, you'll be successful."
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