Dream Doors Oxford franchisees, Mike and Elaine Hurley, sold ￡214,000 of kitchens and kitchen makeovers in June. The couple, who opened their Abingdon-based showroom four years ago, set the previous monthly record of ￡187,000 back in September 2011. Since then a handful of franchisees have topped ￡100,000 – although, in May, four Dream Doors branches hit six-figures for the first time in the brand’s 15-year history – but nobody else has got close to breaking through ￡200,000 in a single month.
The Hurleys, though, have become accustomed to breaking records; that ￡187,000 month in 2011 also delivered ￡69,000 in a single day – daily takings that have yet to be beaten – and, last year, they became the first Dream Doors franchisees to record more than a million pounds in annual sales. To give some context to those numbers, the average showroom’s monthly turnover is ￡40,000 and anything above ￡60,000 is considered a decent return. June’s ￡214,000 takes Dream Doors Oxford to almost three-quarters-of-a-million pounds sold in just over six months and, says owner Mike, there’s plenty more yet to come in.
“I actually quoted for a quarter-of-a-million pounds in June, of which we signed £95,000, with the rest coming from appointments made in previous months,” he says. “We’ve got more than £150,000 of quotes still out there and, with such a good proposition, incredible products and a quality service, I know a large proportion of those will turn into sales.
“Consumer confidence is definitely returning,” he adds. “People are willing to invest in their property, they’re not worried about redundancy any more and I really do believe we’re clear of the recession now.”
June’s record breaking sales means Dream Doors Oxford has taken more in a single month than some other showrooms have so far this year. Franchise Support Manager, Bryn Jones, who helped train the Hurleys almost five years ago, explains why.
“Lots of people ask me why Dream Doors Oxford is so successful,” he says. “And, ultimately, it’s down to Mike and Elaine themselves. They really put in the hours and deserve all the success they’ve achieved. Since joining us they’ve committed to £3,500 of advertising every month, and they monitor every enquiry and sale to ensure their advertising spend isn’t wasted.
“Dream Doors has 55 franchisees around the country, so clearly the model works,” Bryn adds. “But what separates some franchisees, like Mike and Elaine, from others is their application and efforts. It’s nothing complicated, though. It’s just passion, drive and enthusiasm. And a lot of hard work!”
Dream Doors specialises in time and money-saving kitchen makeovers. Franchisees don’t need any kitchen industry or sales experience; sub-contracted teams or employed fitters handle the installations. Opportunities for new franchises are available nationwide, and there are existing and profitable resales available in Essex and East Sussex.
