FAQ's.

Looking to start a new business of any sort and in any structure is a life-altering and large decision. It will take financial and time commitment and you need to be sure you are giving yourself as much information as possible.

Doing so can ensure your best chance of success. Here we have compiled our list of ‘things to ask a business owner’. This will help you decide whether a Just Shutters Business is right for you.

FAQs - person typing on laptop

Frequently Asked Questions

We started the business back in 2008! Therefore, you can rest assured that our business model has stood the test of time.

We are happy for prospective business owners to talk to existing business owners. We are very open within our network and encourage communication with our people. This includes business support staff and as we say, with existing business owners.

A business owner’s main point of contact at Business Support is our Sales Manager Sarah Clifford. Furthermore, our Founder, Chris Rocker is on hand to answer any of your questions. Additionally, businesses have access to a Marketing Manager, Sales Designers, Appointment Makers, Marcin our expert Installations Manager and our Digital Marketing Partner. These experts are on hand for help with fitting, measuring and shutter related questions. We are all here to play our part in helping you start and run your own successful Just Shutters business.

We are very happy to provide you with references. We would be delighted to point you towards people from any part of the business; our customers, our financial contacts, businesses, staff… Just ask.

When it comes to selecting businesses we have a process we usually follow; we will have a telephone conversation and if we feel we would be a right mix for each other, you will be invited to meet us face-to -face. At a meeting we discuss expectations of one another as well as facts and figures. If we feel a mutual affinity at this meeting we are happy to proceed to a more formal look over of contacts and potentially make you an offer of becoming a business owner.

It is hard to say what percentage of initial enquirers make it through to becoming a business owner as both party’s have to ensure we are right for one-another. However over the past year over 50% of those who have met us face-to-face have gone on to become business owners. Please note we are usually quite selective and in-depth on initial phone conversation so as not to waste each other’s time.

Our business territories start at £15,550 + VAT and reach £33,950+ VAT, depending on the business model and area taken for the new business. Resales are of course different – please contact us for more details.

This varies depending on the business model that you take and ranges from £6,000 to £18,000.

The shutter business is not seasonal and is very buoyant throughout the year. However there are busier times; our January sale, Winter sale and October ‘fitted for Christmas’ rush. While the end of November through until Christmas is slightly slower.

We have a top graphic designer who makes all our advertising material and literature. Furthermore we have an in house Marketing Manager and a Google partner Pay-Per-Click, SEO agency. Our businesses benefit from these great people and us absorbing a large part of their costs. They benefit from the local as well as national advertising we do and find our ‘clout’ and negotiating power saves them a fortune as well as shared artwork discounts.
 
Part of your business fee covers an extensive marketing launch (depending on business model taken and other recommendations) as well as some on-going marketing support. On top of this you will be given your own bespoke area of our website. This will have your own telephone number and be promoted as your own.
 
You will receive beautiful brochures and literature. Artwork and templates of your own as part of initial marketing launch.

Our business owners all benefit from our national advertising; print advertising, digital advertising, video marketing and more.

We offer full training and support. Even if you are a novice in shutters (as many of our business owners are) you will be trained in all aspects of their measure, design and fitting. We also provide excellent sales help and guidance. Our support and experts in house are also here to help you if you have a more operational training need.
You will have key contacts for different enquiries but the Sales Manager Sarah Clifford is your key contact within Business Support. If you need a marketing question answered Livia Gusman is your contact.
You are most welcome to meet our staff. If after an initial telephone conversation we feel mutually happy to meet, you will be invited to the Business Support flagship showroom in Dorset where you will see our operations, our products and meet our Business support staff.
Operating hours can be discussed. We offer you the opportunity to set your own hours to a certain extent as it is your own business, however we suggest usual operating hours of 9:00 – 5:00 Monday – Friday with some flexibility for evening and weekend appointments. This is because a percentage of our customers prefer an evening or weekend appointment.
In your own exclusive territory. You will be home-based although you will spend a lot of your working week attending appointments at peoples homes or business premises.
Our business owners all have access to one another through phone or email. Furthermore, we have a great WhatsApp group for all business owners. We also hold social and training get-togethers to ensure our business owners have the benefit of the support network and shared experience.
You will have an exclusive Just Shutters territory. So, we will not sell our Just Shutters products or another Just Shutters business in your designated and agreed area.
We are a provisional member of the BFA.