Granite & TREND Transformations stays in the green during COVID-19 crisis

When it comes to new franchisees or new business, the market is booming for Granite & TREND Transformations

On the face of it, the end of yet another lockdown with an uncertain winter ahead may not seem like the best time to start a business. However, for Granite & TREND Transformations, things have never looked more promising.

Back when the first lockdown started, everyone was uncertain about what would happen and a lot of businesses had to re-evaluate how they worked. No one knew how this was going to affect business.

Granite & TREND Transformations worked with its franchise partners and used the time to launch a number of new initiatives, but most of that first part of lockdown was used to batten down the hatches and prepare for the long haul.

For the second lockdown, things were different. The first big difference was that most of its showrooms remained open. As more than half of its showrooms were strategically located in garden centres, they were able to remain open under the guidelines. While many kitchen and bathroom showrooms were required to close, this choice of location allowed Granite & TREND Transformations showrooms to keep trading and this looks to remain the case for the next few months.

Perhaps even more importantly, the British Institute of KBB Installation (BiKBBI) also confirmed that installers could still continue to operate in customers’ homes as long as social distancing rules were adhered to.

Since lockdown 2.0 began, the brand has seen a big surge in customers flocking to its showrooms while high street outlets have remained closed. Although many shops will now be opening in December, the retail landscape has changed forever and Granite & TREND Transformations franchisees have been quick to take advantage of new customer trends.

Tony Rivenell, TREND Transformations in Milton Keynes, said: “Since the second lockdown, we have continued to go from strength to strength. We are in the process of opening our Milton Keynes showroom and even prior to our grand opening, we were generating continuous and consistent leads via social media. A robust online strategy has been a big part of this but really it has all been about offering customers something they can’t find elsewhere. The combination of lockdown, a desire from consumers wanting to carry out home improvement projects and having more time to research those projects online, has helped us immeasurably.”

This is a story that is being repeated right across the brand’s franchise network. While many sectors have suffered this year, the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom sector is booming. After the first lockdown, franchise partners experienced a huge increase of more than 100 per cent in lead generation with people spending more time at home and realising the importance of creating their perfect spaces. In combination with new marketing strategies and product offerings, the same has continued in lockdown 2.0.

With the surge in home improvements, there is no surprise that the brand is also seeing a big increase in the number of new recruits. By offering a tried and tested business model that can thrive even during a recession, Granite & TREND Transformations has seen a big increase in enquiries and the number of new franchisees signing up.

“We’ve found that the pandemic is causing people to re-evaluate what is really important to them,” explains COO Danny Hanlon. “A lot of our new recruits have traded in their corporate lives, doing so with a craving to learn something new, to work close to home, to create financial independence and to build a business for themselves and their families. We are very fortunate to have a business model and a product that is highly desirable right now, which is clearly shown in the consistently high sales revenue being reported by our franchise partners”.