At Spettro, we have collated some industry facts and figures to demonstrate how the franchise business is supported by the insurance sector.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders publish figures annually stating the total amount of mortgages in the UK including Northern Ireland. For 2007 70% of the population are recorded to have mortgages relating to home or business properties. The British population is approximately 60 million, which represents about 42 million homes or business properties with mortgages assigned to them. Anyone with a mortgage is obliged to have Buildings Insurance Cover in force on their properties by the mortgage provider to protect their financial interests. This mandatory requirement clearly creates a vast non-discretionary market and this, in turn, provides business for our Spettro franchisees as insurance claims are recorded.

The Association of British Insurers publish figures annually stating the total amount paid out by their members on buildings insurance claims nationally (published in October for the previous year). In 2006/07 these figures state that £18.3 million per day was paid out on both private and commercial properties. In 2005/6, insurers paid out £14.8 million per day, showing an increase over the last 2-year period of 23.60%!! This increased figure is primarily attributable to the devastating floods that occurred in Summer 2007 in Doncaster, Hull in the East, Oxfordshire in the West and the surrounding areas. In excess of 68,000 additional claims were registered last year pertaining to the flooding, resulting in an additional £2.7 billion being paid out on repairing insured properties in those flooded areas.

Spettro’s business and franchise network continues to grow despite fears of recession with 23 territories across the UK plus the central office running 2 additional territories. Spettro helps home and business owners deal with property insurance claims and the repairs associated with flood, fire, storm, impact damage and burglaries. The business is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) which allows them to mediate with all the major insurance companies.

This information will assist in making an informed decision regarding the great business opportunity that avails itself in purchasing a Spettro Franchise area. If there is any further information that you may require, please do not hesitate to contact the Directors of Spettro for further clarification, where we will only be too happy to assist you with your questions. Call 0800 389 2251 or email lynn@spettro.net

Richard and Ashley Manning have just completed their first week’s training at the Spettro head office and are now looking forward to launching their new business covering the Derby area at the beginning of October.

Prior to becoming involved with Spettro, Richard was working as a Recruitment Consultant and he and Ashley felt that they needed a more certain source of income whilst maintaining their work/life balance.

Richard explains how they decided on a Spettro franchise, “We went along to the British Franchise Exhibition at the Birmingham NEC last October looking for an alternative business activity that offered variety and regular revenue to become involved in. Following our visit to the show we started to receive a franchise magazine called ‘Making Money” and in one issue we saw an advertisement for Spettro. We have always had an interest in property, DIY and architecture and realised that working with Spettro would make use of my project management skills and provide experience of construction and property maintenance which would eventually lead to a move into property restoration and development.”

“Another key factor that we considered was that Spettro’s business activity is as recession proof as anything can be and it therefore looked to be a good proposition. Having investigated and visited the competition in the mean time, we met with the Directors, Tony Smith and Kevin England, at the beginning of June and by the end of the month, we’d signed up for the Derby area.”

For Ashley, the final thing that confirmed their decision was during their meeting with the Spettro team, “We were impressed by the openness, passion, care and involvement shown by the Directors, as well as their previous backgrounds, and felt that the level of support on offer was superb.”

Spettro deals with claims for flood, fire, storm, impact damage and burglaries. They also are involved in property rental refurbishments and detecting the origin of water leaks. Spettro Limited is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) which allows them to loss assess and mediate with all the major insurance companies, a service which is free of charge to the insured.

Spettro’s pilot franchise turned over £240,000 in its first year, with a 65% operating profit and with 24 yellow page territories launched or soon to launch, why not request a prospectus: contact Spettro on 01883 621047

Phillipa Collins and Sue McGinley have just completed their first week’s training at the Spettro head office and are now looking forward to launching their new business in Nottingham at the beginning of October.

Phillipa spent 2 years as a police officer before opening a chain of hairdressing salons and, most recently, an Assistant Apartment Manager for a company of serviced apartments whilst Sue worked in a finance team in local government.

Phillipa explains the journey to becoming a Spettro franchisee, “Over the years I have renovated, converted and extended properties which was a passionate hobby of mine. When the opportunity arose for a career change I knew this time I would turn some part of my hobby into my job. I trained to become a Home Inspector but due to the decline in the housing market decided to look at other opportunities. I began looking at franchises and Spettro appeared to be ideal.  After many months researching and meeting with their competitors, I met with the directors of Spettro. There and then the decision was made to become the forefront of Spettro Nottingham.”

Spettro deals with claims for flood, fire, storm, impact damage and burglaries. They also are involved in property rental refurbishments and detecting the origin of water leaks. Spettro Limited is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) which allows them to loss assess and mediate with all the major insurance companies, a service which is free of charge to the insured.

Spettro’s pilot franchise turned over £240,000 in its first year, with a 65% operating profit and with 24 yellow page territories launched or soon to launch, why not request a prospectus: contact Spettro on 01883 621047

What Does Spettro Do?
Spettro helps home and business owners deal with building insurance claims for flood, fire, storm, impact damage and burglaries. They also are involved in property rental refurbishments and detecting the origin of water leaks. The business is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) which allows them to loss assess and mediate with all the major insurance companies, a service which is free of charge to the insured.


The Latest Recruits
Mark Carey (Tunbridge Wells) and Munawar Mohamed (Aberdeen and Highlands & Islands) launched their franchises in June and May respectively.

Mark Carey – Tunbridge Wells:
Mark, whose previous jobs have included project management and IT, launched his franchise this June and explains why he decided Spettro was the franchise for him, “I’d been looking to buy a business for a while and had done a lot of research, particularly on franchises. I first heard about Spettro via an email from www.the-franchise-shop.com which presented a brief outline of the Spettro proposition.

“I chose Spettro for several reasons, principal amongst which is that buildings insurance is a non discretionary expense (if you have a mortgage) and therefore would not be directly affected by general economic conditions, the territory assigned is large enough to be viable, and Kevin and Tony’s approach to selling was not high pressure.”

Kevin England, one of the Directors at Spettro, thinks that Mark is a great addition to the team, “Mark obviously brought extremely good skills from his previous jobs. He has a lovely calm manner which I think will instil confidence in his clients.”

Munawar Mohamed - Aberdeen and Highlands & Islands:
Munawar is really excited about his new business. The two territories cover a huge area across the north of the UK but Munawar is looking forward to a new challenge!

Munawar has recently completed a week’s training with the Spettro directors. “I didn’t realise that there was so much to learn and it came as a big shock when Tony and Kevin started talking on the first day of training!” explains Munawar.

Kevin tells us what the man who is tackling the largest franchise territory is like, “Munawar is a most pleasant, enthusiastic, ambitious young man - he already successfully manages a portfolio of properties in Scotland. We were delighted that he showed such an eager thirst for knowledge of our industry during the training week.”


One Year On for 3 Spettro Franchises
Kevin Edwards (Manchester Central), Raza and Iftkhar Ahmed (Bradford) and Graham Calladine (Chesterfield & Mansfield) launched their Spettro franchises at the height of last summer’s floods and have continued to bring in business ever since.

Kevin Edwards – Manchester Central:
Former RAF Squadron Leader, Kevin Edwards is now running his own successful business in Manchester, “I never really intended to be my own boss but I spent a day looking into starting a business through franchising after receiving some free tickets to a local franchise exhibition. I realised as I was browsing the stands that, with all the skills I had gained through my time in the RAF, I could probably manage any of the franchise opportunities available at the exhibition.

“Spettro was one franchise that I really liked and decided to do some research over the following month to see how beneficial it would be to invest in a business rather than just work for someone else. I wanted to see what demand there was for a buildings insurance claims management company and what competition there was in Manchester.”

Kevin completed Spettro’s full training schedule and in August 2007 launched the franchise. “The business is now fully operational and I am happy to say that I still feel motivated by the support offered by the Spettro team.

Tony Smith, one of the Directors at Spettro explains, “We were delighted to sign up Kevin for the Manchester Central Spettro franchise. He has excellent project management experience and is just the sort of dedicated person who makes a business successful.”

Raza and Iftkhar Ahmed – Bradford:
Before starting the Spettro franchise in Bradford, Raza originally studied computing and then became a Corgi qualified plumber whilst his brother Iftkhar was employed at an insurance company. Raza is also enjoying the rewards of running his own business, “I am more than happy with the performance of my franchise. The success and financial rewards are more than what I hoped for and with excellent help from all the team at head office the franchise has really proved itself.”

Tony, explains why they were happy to approve Raza and Iftkhar as their Bradford franchisees, “They obviously had all of the qualities that we were looking for in franchisees and they are both intelligent, keen and proactive and were quick to grasp the business aspect. Just the sort of reliable and likeable people we love to work with.”

Graham Calladine – Chesterfield & Mansfield
Graham was the third person to sign up for a Spettro franchise but became operational a little quicker than he expected to help families around the area when their homes were affected by the severe flooding. Graham was surprised with his initial success, “I couldn’t believe that I managed to earn back over half the cost of my franchise in just one week of trading!”

Tony says, “He has good people skills, a warm personality, a great sense of humour and is a good salesman. Once again, a very reliable and likeable person and someone who has the qualities we are looking for in a franchisee.”


The Job of a Franchisee
The insured, after sustaining damage to their property from an insurable incident (flooding/burst pipes etc) will contact the Spettro central call centre via an 0800 number that will be advertised in the local Yellow Pages directory. The call centre alerts the local franchisee and the franchisee contacts the customer to arrange a convenient time to call and assess the damage. The franchisee will take instructions from the insurance company via the client and will then project manage all the required work.

Spettro has an extremely comprehensive training programme and ongoing support which gives new franchisees the skills they need to manage their business with confidence. Kevin England explains, “Spettro franchisees should have an affinity towards assisting people to overcome their immediate difficulties and should enjoy project management.”

A Spettro franchise territory is based on a Yellow Pages region and if you purchase a franchise you receive the sole rights to operate for Spettro in that whole region. Spettro now have 20 territories launched or soon to launch across the UK and those still available include East London, Glasgow North and Birmingham Central.

Spettro’s pilot franchise turned over £240,000 in its first year, with a 65% operating profit and with the franchise costing just £28,000+VAT, Spettro are expecting continued interest. Kevin adds, “We now have provisional status with the British Franchise Association and are bank approved making it even easier to start your own Spettro franchise.”

With Channel 4’s Dispatches naming 20 places most likely to be at risk of flooding in the UK earlier this year, Spettro are preparing for future demand for their services.

Last summer’s floods reportedly cost UK insurers around £3 billion, and with hundreds of homes affected across the UK by the latest earthquake, totalling around £30million of damage, it was no surprise that Spettro was called in to assist families that needed help to get their lives and homes back to normal.

Top 20 places listed in Channel 4’s Dispatches include:
1.    Boston, Lincolnshire 15,906 homes at risk
2.    Windsor & Maidenhead 11,673
3.    Enfield, London 9,656
4.    King’s Lynn & W Norfolk 8,387
5.    Spelthorne, surrey 8,131
6.    Runneymede, Surrey 8,106
7.    Warrington, Cheshire 7,832
8.    Newport, South Wales 7,762
9.    E Linsey, Lincolnshire 7,484
10.    Leicester 7,369
11.    Shepway, Kent 7,328
12.    Birmingham 6,497
13.    Reading 6, 095
14.    Elmbridge, Surrey 5,614
15.    Merton, London 5,467
16.    Siry Flint, N Wales 5,294
17.    Kirlees, W York 5,230
18.    Gwynedd, NW Wales 4,439
19.    Calderdale, W Yorks 4,424
20.    E Riding, Yorkshire, 4,361

Territories still available covering these areas include:
Enfield & Barnett
Cambridge
Richmond & Twickenham
Warrington
Newport & East Valleys
Lincoln
Leicester
Birmingham Central
Reading & Newbury
York, Harrogate & Scarborough

Graham Calladine took the opportunity last summer to begin the process of launching his Spettro franchise in Chesterfield and Mansfield. After the summer rains came, Graham’s business became operational a little quicker than he expected to help families around the area when their homes were affected by the severe flooding. Graham earned back over half the cost of his franchise in just one week of trading before he was even meant to start!

The business is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) which allows the business to loss assess and mediate with all the major insurance companies, a service which is free of charge to the insured.

Spettro franchisees should have an affinity towards assisting people to overcome their immediate difficulties and should enjoy project management. Their comprehensive training programme and ongoing support gives new franchisees the skills they need to manage their business with confidence.

Spettro’s pilot franchise turned over £240,000 in its first year, with a 65% operating profit so Spettro are hopeful of a positive take-up for the franchise. To request a prospectus contact Spettro on 01883 621047.

Former RAF Squadron Leader, Kevin Edwards is now running his own successful business in Manchester and can offer advice for those looking to do something similar.

“Settling back into civilian life is so much easier when you have a job to concentrate on and work colleagues to socialise with. Since 1999, when I retired from the RAF, I have always been lucky enough to be happy in my employment but starting my own business has really taken that to a new level.

“I never really intended to be my own boss but I spent a day looking into starting a business through franchising after receiving some free tickets to a local franchise exhibition.  I realised as I was browsing the stands that, with all the skills I had gained through my time in the RAF, I could probably manage any of the franchise opportunities available at the exhibition.”

Do your research
“Spettro was one franchise that I really liked and decided to do some research over the following month to see how beneficial it would be to invest in a business rather than just work for someone else. I wanted to see what demand there was for a buildings insurance claims management company and what competition there was in Manchester.”

Kevin completed Spettro’s full training schedule and in August 2007 launched the franchise. “The business is now fully operational and I am happy to say that I still feel motivated by the support offered by the Spettro team.

Tony Smith, one of the Directors at Spettro explains, “We were delighted to sign up Kevin for the Manchester Central Spettro franchise. He has excellent project management experience and is just the sort of dedicated person who makes a business successful.”

Spettro deals with claims for flood, fire, storm, impact damage and burglaries. They also are involved in property rental refurbishments. The business is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) which allows them to loss assess and mediate with all the major insurance companies, a service which is free of charge to the insured.

Spettro’s pilot franchise turned over £240,000 in its first year, with a 65% operating profit and, with 19 Yellow Pages territories now taken, Spettro are not expecting demand for their franchise opportunity to lessen. To request a prospectus contact Spettro on 01883 621 047.

Spettro Ltd evolved after it was decided to expand the original building company (which was established in 1971 by Tony & Jenny Smith, two of Spettro’s Directors) through the franchise route, the original company having specialised in buildings insurance claims repairs as well as contractors to numerous Banks in the City.
 
 A Buildings Insurance Claims Management company may not be something you’ve heard of before but when disaster strikes in your home or workplace then Spettro are the team to work with you and your insurers in order to get the job done. The experience gained over nearly forty years has been instrumental in the success of Spettro, the coordination of its services and its proliferation through its franchises across the UK.
 
Kevin England and his wife Sandra are the other two Directors.  Kevin has been actively involved in the operational development of the company and Sandra is soon to come on board bringing her vast knowledge of the financial services sector with her.
 
For those of you getting in contact with Spettro then the person you are most likely to speak to first is Shirley Shine, Spettro’s Office Manager. Shirley and her team will make sure that the right person comes to your aid.

In 2005 Surrey recorded 2,216 fires with 678 starting in dwellings and 99 starting in private garages and sheds*.  Mr Salter in Croydon knows only too well the danger of fires started in garden sheds after an enjoyable BBQ turned into a house-warming!

Mr Salter had a family BBQ last summer, when he finished for the evening he placed the used charcoal in his garden shed. Several hours later the shed was alight and as the flames grew higher they set fire to a nearby tree which, in turn, set fire to the fascia board on the end elevation of the house. Mr Salter explains, “The fire was fanned by the night breeze and spread quickly across the roof before we noticed what was happening.”

The fire was eventually put out by attending fire fighters who used several thousand gallons of water which then caused substantial damage to the rest of the house. Local company Spettro were called in the next morning to assess the damage and spent 3 months returning the property to its original state. “After such a shock, we were so pleased to have someone sort out the insurance claims paperwork and get on with fixing the house straight away!”

Kevin England, one of the Spettro directors, offers a few tips on BBQ safety:

1)    Avoid setting up the BBQ in draughty locations and keep away from flammable materials such as wooden fences and gazebos;
2)    Keep children, pets and guests away from the BBQ – even once the BBQ is over it stays hot for a long time;
3)    Be prepared - have a fire blanket and water close to hand;
4)    Don’t mix raw meats and make sure everything is completely cooked through to avoid food poisoning – fire isn’t the only danger at a BBQ.
5)    Don’t be caught drunk in charge of a BBQ - save your tipple until after the feast!
6)    Don’t put your BBQ away until it is completely cold – dampen embers with water.

Additional Info
In the UK in 2005 there were 35,300 fires recorded in buildings other than dwellings, of which 21,200 were accidentally started, and out of 7,000 which started in private garages and sheds 1,700 were started due to the careless handling of fire and hot substances *.

* Fire Statistics, United Kingdom 2005 – Published 26th March 2007 by the Department for Communities and Local Government, London

Spettro have been happy to sign up a number of new franchisees recently. The number of territories now taken totals 14 plus their pilot franchise.

Spettro territories are assigned using Yellow Pages areas and franchises have launched or are soon to launch in the following areas:

Aberdeen
Basingstoke & Fleet
Bradford, Halifax & Skipton
Brighton
Chesterfield & Mansfield
Guildford
Highlands & Islands
London South East
Manchester Central
Mersey
Nottingham
Peterborough
Slough inc. Bracknell, Maidenhead & Windsor
Tunbridge Wells

Unlike any similar franchise opportunities, Spettro do not section up Yellow Page areas – franchisees have sole rights to operate the business within their whole area.

Spettro has signed up its first two female franchisees who will be launching the Nottingham franchise later this year. Both Phillipa and Sue enjoy property developing alongside their full-time jobs and decided that they wanted a career change.

Spettro’s latest franchisees have worked for local government, in the police force and have managed a hairdressing business. Phillipa is a qualified HIPS inspector which will be extremely useful in her new business.

Spettro franchisees should have an affinity towards assisting people to overcome their immediate difficulties and should enjoy project management. Spettro has an extremely comprehensive training programme and ongoing support which gives new franchisees the skills they need to manage their business with confidence.

Spettro deals with claims for flood, fire storm, impact damage and burglaries and are also involved in property refurbishment. The business is regulated by the Financial Services Authority which allows them to loss assess and mediate with all the major insurance companies, a service which is free of charge to the insurance.