A Damn Good Earner

Barrie Pengelly

Touch Up Guys franchisee has no regrets

Barrie Pengelly sums up his business in two brief sentences. ‘I’ve had it 28 years and it’s been a damn good earner all the way through. I’ve had a new car every couple of years, and would have had more than one overseas holiday each year if I hadn’t been so busy.’

Barrie has owned his Touch Up Guys franchise in South Auckland from the company’s first days here. From his mobile workshop he visits car yards and private customers, repairing bumper scuffs, stone chips, scratches and other damage to all sorts of vehicles. ‘But I’m retirement age now, and photography, my motorbike collection and some of those holidays I’ve been promising myself are becoming a priority,’ he smiles. ‘So it’s time to sell up and let someone else take over.’

In fact, he had planned to retire already but says Covid-19 made potential buyers nervous. ‘That’s understandable, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that there’s constant demand for Touch Up Guys.

‘A few years after I started the business, I had so much demand that I split my territory in two and sold half to a new franchisee. That gave me a nice capital gain, and it’s something a new owner could probably do again as I’m not covering all the potential work now by any means. I’ve been concentrating on some of the car yards, but it means the others – and so many private clients – are not getting their scrapes and bumps attended to.

‘You only need three things to be successful in this business,’ Barrie suggests. ‘People skills, an eye for detail and a good work ethic. If you can bring all those three to the party, you will earn top dollar from day one – and if you want a well-established business in South Auckland, I will gratefully retire!’

Permanent demand

Martin Smith, New Zealand franchisor for Touch Up Guys, says that there is permanent demand for the service not just in Auckland but in many other parts of the country. ‘Most current franchisees could work 12 hours, 7 days a week if they chose, but they usually prefer to balance a healthy income with a great lifestyle.

‘A complete Touch Up Guys package for a new franchisee costs between $88,000 and $120,000 +gst, depending on whether the mobile workshop is leased or bought outright,’ Martin explains. ‘This includes an exclusive territory, all the equipment you need, and a three-week training course followed by on-site support for at least a month. You don’t need experience – we use highlyadvanced specialist equipment which makes colour matching a straightforward process.

‘So if you are looking to buy a highly successful franchise in a thriving industry, give me a call – today!’

Advertiser Info

Touch Up Guys

www.touchupguysfranchise.co.nz

Contact Martin Smith

P 0800 286 824

M 021 721 430

martin.smith@touchupguys.co.nz