Schmidt franchisees celebrate business boom as pandemic recedes

The franchisor reports that requests for quotes have gone up by 66 per cent, with two-thirds of those resulting in sales

Business is booming at kitchens, bathrooms and home interiors firm Schmidt, with orders, enquiries, order values, turnover and web traffic all up substantially. Requests for quotes are up by 66 per cent, with two-thirds of those resulting in sales, while the average order value is up a quarter.

“We’re really pleased to see the success our network is having,” says Jean-Michel Peragine, head of expansion for Schmidt UK. “All our UK showrooms were in lockdown only a year ago, so it’s reassuring that retail turnover has bounced back and is up 111 per cent, while traffic to our website is up 19 per cent. Our franchisees kept in touch with their customers throughout the lockdowns, encouraging them to stay connected with the Schmidt brand and that’s paying off now as the orders come in.”

Jean-Michel says the shift in consumer spending has paid off for the brand and its franchisees. “A lot of people found themselves with unexpected savings after the lockdowns as they couldn’t go on holiday, didn’t change their cars and saved on eating out and entertainment,” he explains. “So many of them decided to invest in a new kitchen, bathroom, bedroom or study and found our bespoke designs, custom-built solutions and new ranges were just what they were looking for.

“As the pandemic begins to recede, this is a great time to become a franchisee with this long-established interiors company.”

Schmidt has enjoyed a strong Q1, with four new showrooms open and more in the pipeline for later this year and beyond. “We’re seeing strong interest. We’ve got a great brand, more than 60 years of heritage, and products that customers love,” says Jean-Michel. “That all adds up to a very attractive proposition for entrepreneurs looking to enter a buoyant and still-growing market, as our figures show.”