Is a van franchise a profitable business?

Millions of people earn a living from a van based business in the UK. And there are many attractive features of a van franchise. It offers much flexibility (no more 9 to 5 work) as you set your own hours, you get to help people move their precious belongings to their new homes (which can be a scary and stressful experience) and there are huge opportunities for growth. So, what are some of the advantages of running a van based franchise? Let’s take a closer look.

Advantages of running a van-based franchise

There’s already been a lot said about running a franchise based business, but what about a man and van business that helps people relocate seamlessly? If you’re considering van based franchise opportunities, here are some of the perks that you can take advantage of. 

• High demand: people relocate almost every single day across the UK, whether in and within London and the greater M25 area or other cities in the country. Moving can be a stressful experience and it is often a time-intensive task as there’s very little time to move out of one place and settle in the next. The high demand for man and van services is evident, and you’re likely to see a consistency in this regard in the years to come as people continue to move and require expert help to do so. 

• Flexibility: it goes without saying that running your own man and van business offers you a lot of flexibility too. Flexibility can involve both the work hours that you work (no longer being tied to a 9 to 5 job) and rather making yourself available when your customers need you, as well as the locations that you serve and the profits you can earn as well. Essentially, what you put into it is what you’ll get out. 

• No specialist knowledge required: unlike many other franchise options available, a man and van franchise business does not require specialist knowledge, apart from the fact that you’ll need a driver’s licence to drive the van from location to location. 

• Marketing is taken care of: the franchisor which you choose to go with can and is most likely to take care of your marketing activities. This means focusing on the job at hand and not worrying about how you’ll build a name for your business or even how you’ll find new clients. The franchisor should already have a customer relationship management system in place to help you reach more clients and therefore earn more.

• Low start up costs and better profits: a man and van business literally only requires a van. Sure, you can hire someone to help you out and that will mean spending a portion of your earnings on labour, but it also means that you do not have to rent out an office space to run your business from, as you’ll be on the road most of the time. 

• Low ongoing costs: apart from insurance and maintenance costs for your vehicle (and salary costs if you choose to hire others to work for you), your ongoing costs will be extremely low, which makes a man and van business for sale highly profitable.

• Growth opportunities: the industry is growing and there’s huge potential for individuals who are keen to get out of the office and onto the road, while helping people relocate. You’ll be a part of their journey and you can help them have a great experience all while you enjoy the rewards that come with every job performed. 

Is a van franchise profitable?

It may come as a surprise that around 11% of the total UK GDP is made up of van related businesses, translating into vans generating £56 billion for the UK economy. What’s more is that there are over 3.4 million workers in the UK who use a van in the normal part of performing their jobs, equating to around one in 10 employees. Out of this category, around half a million people are believed to drive a van as their main responsibility. Now that we’ve covered a brief industry overview, it’s time to look at whether a van franchise is profitable. And the answer is a resounding “yes”. Why? Because of the low start up costs, the high demand for the service and the opportunities for growth and moving into new and unexplored territories. 

Starting your own van franchise

If you’re looking for franchise opportunities in the UK, a man and van business could be just what you need. Helping people relocate and being responsible with their belongings is an important responsibility, yet it also means that the high market demand for your services mean that you can certainly earn a tidy sum each month while enjoying the flexibility that your own business will offer you, all while minimising other costs that are typically associated with other franchise businesses or even start ups.

For those who are ready to find out more and figure out what the next step is to getting started, we urge you to get in touch with us at Fantastic Franchises to see how we can help you take your business on the road and start earning quickly, while enjoying the flexibility of the job and ensuring you never work a 9 to 5 again. 

• Last update: March 30, 2022

Posted in Advice Hub