Creating a dream kitchen for a client is a rewarding experience as any Dream Doors Kitchens franchisee will attest. And highly achievable thanks to the robust onboarding, training and support the franchisor provides to ensure franchisees can not just sell the dream, but deliver it.

Dream Doors is an ideal business for a trades-based entrepreneur ambitious to scale their business or a project manager wanting independence. 

Bringing their own set of skills to the business, these go-getters nonetheless benefit from the franchisor’s in-depth training, processes and products and ongoing business development guidance.

The initial weeks of onboarding start with a comprehensive five-to-seven day head office visit. This is the time for the new franchisee to meet the team behind the brand, and to get hands-on with programs and processes.

In dedicated one-on-one sessions a new business owner will gain an understanding of the systems and products at the heart of this brand, and learn about vital sales techniques and marketing tools that will drive their business. 

Rigorous sales training is crucial

Sales underpins this kitchen renovations business so robust sales training is fundamental.

“Our business is to sell kitchens, then project manage the renovation,” Adin Elton, national business development manager, explains. “Franchisees use the sales operations manual, and we role play how it works and how to manage different scenarios so they have the confidence to do this on their own.”

Adin says training covers all aspects of the business processes – from the customer relationship management (CRM) system through to on-site quoting processes, and marketing.

“We apportion a specific topic to each day and with the general manager and head of IT we walk through these processes together with the franchisee,” he explains.

For instance, franchisees gain valuable insights into the principles and practicalities of marketing to generate business.

“A lot of people don’t have experience in marketing and we have a marketing agency that works with us at head office we recommend for franchisees.

“We look at Google pages, Meta pages, explain how ads will work, define guidelines so they know how much autonomy they have, and what needs governance and approval.

“Dream Doors encourages franchisees to use local area marketing to show off their completed kitchens. Our role is to ensure there is brand equity and the right keywords appear to gain traction,” Adin says.

The initial week of training shows the franchisee how they can achieve their goals. 

“We create the big picture across the business then drill down to details, setting up some primary budgets,” he says.

Practical on the job training builds confidence

Part two of the extensive onboarding is on the job. 

“We leave them for a couple of weeks to set up the business basics  – ABN, insurances – and then we double-down in our support,“ Adin explains.

“I spend a week with the franchisee, we go out and do sales, quoting, and project management together. This gives them encouragement and confidence and we often sell a couple of kitchens which is a real confidence boost.”

As the franchisee gets entrenched in their business, Adin does monthly check-ins for the first six months. Dream Doors’ support ensures the franchisees will get feedback and guidance on their first quarter, six months, and at the first and second year milestones  in business.

“Our business is nuanced. There is a lot to know and understand; how to push and pull the business levers. We make a point of setting up monthly Google meets and go through some check points,” Adin says.

This includes accounting, P&L and balance sheets, revisiting the marketing set up, checking if the franchisee has engaged with the agency, reviewing how leads are coming through and being tracked. 

“The general manager gets involved at the six month milestone,” Adin says. “And at each check-in we’re digging deeper into their business and encouraging them to explore all the resources on hand to boost their business development.”

Strategic support from Dream Doors

At the end of 12 months the franchisor will look at the targets established at the start and see how the franchisee is tracking. Then together they will set targets for the year ahead, and longer term goals.

“Even if a franchisee has a long tenure, say 10 years, I’m in their office every quarter running through their business to check they are hitting their targets.”

The business model is lean – there is no factory or machinery to invest in – so franchisees can start adding team members as they grow.

“This is a cash-flow positive model because each kitchen deposit pays for the next step. Franchisees shouldn’t be out of pocket, but we ensure upfront they have working capital to get started,” Adin says.

“We have a work for yourself, but not by yourself approach. Franchisees have exclusive territories so they are not competitors. They are happy to share their successes and misses and learn from them; we share the knowledge.”

From onboarding and training to ongoing business development, Dream Doors Kitchens provides strategic, planned and formulated support for its franchisees.

“We really do want them to succeed. We know it’s a good business, that is fun, and can make a really good life,” Adin says.