Public Relations

As the UK emerges from recession some businesses – particularly franchise businesses like national plumbing and drain repair business Drain Doctor Plumbing – are well placed for growth.

The plumbing and drainage industry has proven to be virtually recession proof. Even in an economic downturn people need drains unblocked – and emergencies still happen.

And, at its present rate of trading, Dain Doctor will serve its one millionth customer at some time in the month of February.

Launched in the United Kingdom in 1993, Drain Doctor provides a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year service across the country from more than 100 individual franchise businesses. The total number of jobs completed since its launch is now very close to the magic one million mark.

Drain Doctor chairman Freddie Mitman said: “A million customers is a pretty impressive figure and underlines the fact that Drain Doctor is now the UK’s largest combined plumbing and drain repair business.

However, we have reached that position through continuing to provide dazzling levels of service from individual franchise businesses for which every customer is important.

So the millionth customer will get the same personal courtesy, care and professional attention as every other customer. As will the 1,000,001st and every customer after that.

"The franchisee who undertook the one millionth job will be asked to break the news to the lucky customer – who will win a luxury weekend in the spa town of Bath.

West Midlands-based former transport manager/director, Allan Scandrett, who has worked in the next day parcel delivery industry for over 30 years, has come out of semi-retirement to start his own plumbing business. Allan has taken on a franchise business of Drain Doctor Plumbing offering emergency plumbing and drain repairs to commercial and domestic customers throughout Wolverhampton and the surrounding towns and villages.

Allan, who has been semi-retired for the past two years, recently took the decision to start his own business because he was still very much in the habit of working. Allan said: “I am an early riser because I am used to working in the next day delivery business. There is only so much work you can do around the house and I was finding that I was getting things done early – leaving much of the day free.

With so much time on my hands I decided to return to work in my own business. I was researching franchises when my son mentioned Drain Doctor. Despite the recession I felt that the time was right to start my own business by sticking to an opportunity based on a tried and tested formula.”

Allan said he researched the Drain Doctor model over three months. He found after talking to other Drain Doctor franchisees that it has a proven system and offers plenty of support to its franchisees. He said: “It offers a recession-proof opportunity where I can be an independent operator running my own business but with all the back-up that comes with being part of a large national organisation.

"I aim to give businesses and householders in Wolverhampton and the surrounding area the same ‘dazzling’ level of service in plumbing and drainage which Drain Doctor provides across the rest of the country. Experience in the logistics industry has taught me the importance of delivering a premium service on time every time.

"Our customers get fixed-price, no obligation quotes, a complete guarantee on all our work, and a full 24 hour per day seven day per week service with no call out charges – so people pay the same price for work at any time of day or night. What’s more, we turn up at the agreed time!”

"Allan plans to begin trading with two fully equipped plumbing and drainage service vans working alongside one other technician. He then intends to expand by recruiting more technicians and adding further vans to the business, running three fully equipped vans by the end of 2010.

Looking ahead, Allan plans to expand the business still further, moving into an industrial unit and adding further vans to his fleet.

Launched in the United Kingdom in 1993, Drain Doctor Plumbing quickly grew to become the country's largest emergency plumbing and drain repair service. It now provides a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year service across the country with each franchise area such as Wolverhampton run as an independent business. Drain Doctor Plumbing - 0800 358 68 98.

Doug Murray is taking on the Edinburgh franchise of Drain Doctor Plumbing after a journey which has taken him half way around the globe. Australian by birth, but with Scottish ancestry, he used to coach at Lismore Rugby Club in the town of Lismore, Australia, before moving to the UK more than a decade ago.

Doug said: “I have moved from one side of the globe to the other – but still ended up in Lismore!” A carpenter by trade, he has run his own house building companies in both Australia and the UK. Now he has taken on the task of building up the business of Drain Doctor in Edinburgh, offering local businesses and householders ‘dazzling’ levels of service in an industry that is plagued by ‘cowboy’ operators.

Doug said: “As a house builder I had great difficulty in finding a reliable plumber. I saw that there was a great Business Opportunity in providing a plumbing service which really meets the needs of customers.

“When I looked at the market I found that Drain Doctor has just this approach. As a franchisee I will be running my own business but with the back-up of a national organisation that will help to ensure we can deliver on our promises.”

Those promises include a full 24 hour per day seven day per week service with no call out charges and fixed-price, no obligation quotes with a full guarantee on all their work.

Drain Doctor technicians are trained not just with technical skills – including the latest techniques such as closed circuit camera drain surveys and no-dig drain repairs – but in customer care that is reflected in such things as wearing overshoes while in customers’ homes and clearing up carefully after every job.

Doug will be starting his business in Edinburgh with two experienced technicians – also rugby players and fans – with whom he has worked in the past. All three are moving up from London where Doug’s house building business was based before he closed it as a result of the collapse in the housing market.

“I am looking forward to moving into a service-based industry which is relatively recession proof,” he said. “Even in a recession, people with a plumbing emergency still need to call a plumber. We aim to ensure that because of our reputation and levels of service, the plumber they call will be Drain Doctor.”

Meanwhile, the president of Woodbridge Rugby Football Club and former Yellow Pages manager Rob Simpson is taking on the Cambridge franchise of Drain Doctor Plumbing. Rob has had a long career in sales and marketing as a senior account manager with Yellow Pages and Yell.com. One of his main clients has been Drain Doctor. When he found out that the Cambridge franchise was for sale – because the existing franchisee is retiring – he jumped at the chance to run his own business.

Now he has taken on the task of building on the success of what is one of Drain Doctor’s most successful franchises and was the first business in the Drain Doctor network to reach a £1 million annual turnover.

Rob said: “Drain Doctor’s success in Cambridge has come from offering local businesses and householders ‘dazzling’ levels of service in an industry that is plagued by ‘cowboy’ operators.”

He added: “I have been looking for an opportunity that was virtually recession proof but also with the potential for growth and improvement. I knew the success of the Cambridge franchise well through my dealings with Drain Doctor and I have become very familiar with the Drain Doctor network. I think there is still great scope for further growth and development of the business in Cambridge.”

He is hoping that his experience as president of Woodbridge RUFC will aid him in building up the franchise: “Since my presidency at the club began we have achieved promotion to Eastern Counties division one, doubled the membership of the club and introduced the new Amazons ladies team. If I can replicate this success in my Drain Doctor business then happy days.

“I am looking forward to moving into a service-based industry which is relatively recession proof. Even in a recession, people with a plumbing emergency still need to call a plumber. We aim to ensure that because of our reputation and levels of service, the plumber they call will be Drain Doctor.”