Velofix: 100+ Mobile Bike Shops Using Vonigo’s Franchise Management Software
- January 30, 2018
- By: Vonigo
Velofix, the mobile bike shop franchise, is poised to become the biggest group of bike shops on the planet. Read below to learn about their meteoric rise in just five years, and about their use of franchise management software.
119 Franchises in 5 Years
According to Entrepreneur Magazine, Velofix is currently the second fastest growing mobile service franchise in North America, with over 100 (119 and counting) North American franchises.
Not bad for a business that was started in October of 2012 and launched its first mobile bike shop in January of 2013.
It was their cross-Canada expansion early on that told Co-founder and CEO Chris Guillemet that they were poised for big things. “Launching a Mobile Shop in Victoria, BC and then Toronto proved that the model worked in other very different markets and could be managed from a head office,” says Guillemet. They recently expanded into territories near Atlanta and in Indiana, to push over the 100 franchise mark.
A Unique Bike Store, When and Where You Need It
Velofix is more than just a bike shop on wheels. “We offer a premium, convenient personalized service where and when our customers want it, says Guillemet. “Our business is all based on efficiency and convenience. When we have an appointment booked at 2pm on a Thursday, our local Mobile Shop must be there on time and ready to service our customers.”
Their newest Owner and Operator, Brian Williams in Atlanta, saw the opportunity that this unique business model presented.“When I originally started thinking about the business, I saw the opportunity, because I, myself, am the perfect customer. Both my wife and I work demanding jobs and we have two active kids. Therefore, time is very limited. I needed a fast and convenient way to get my bike fixed and I knew others in the Atlanta market were likely feeling the same way,” says Williams.
Mobile Bike Service, Powered by Franchise Management Software
Being mobile and not tied to a physical location is a big part of their unique selling proposition. It’s all made possible by field service software provided by Vonigo, and ties the entire Velofix network together. “We now have over 100 franchise partners in North America using our back end system,” says Guillemet.
Velofix franchisees accept appointment bookings online, manage their schedule in the app, generate invoices and accept payments, all without any paper. Meanwhile, HQ has access to detailed reports on the performance of each territory.
A 90% Savings on Job Booking Costs
“We estimate that Vonigo’s online booking engine (OBE) has saved us nearly 90% of job booking costs, versus if we had to handle those same job bookings via our Customer Care team,” says Velofix Co-Founder Boris Martin.
In Boris’ Own Words
The Benefits of Vonigo’s Franchise Management Software: “Vonigo is able to centralize parameters around how our organization runs, looks and feels. Then it also allows us to customize and create unique instances at a store/franchise level, which is incredibly unique and powerful. This allows us to customize operational features like zones, services offered, time allocations etc to maximize efficiency and profits for each franchise.”
Powerful Route Optimization Functionality: “Allows us to dramatically minimize drive time(s), allowing our franchise to focus on what drives profits: Spending their time servicing people and their bikes. Also, it has allowed us to move away from offering “promise times” and offering firm start times, which has huge value for our busy, time-sensitive clientele.”
Taxation: “We’re unique as a mobile franchise. We have to collect tax based on where the customer we serve is located, NOT where the franchisee is headquartered. The ability to collect varying taxes based on WHAT we sold (i.e good vs. service) and WHERE we sold it is critical.”
Consistent Consumer Experience: “Vonigo has allowed us to activate multiple locations easily while maintaining the same look and feel on the front end. A customer booking online in LA gets the same experience as someone booking in NY.”
Consistent Franchise Partner Experience: “Each of our franchisees gets access to the same UI, same great features and allows them to hit the ground running with their new franchise. Also, the Vonigo system supports them well as they grow their regional businesses too.”
Try Velofix for Yourself
Need a bike repair, or want to inquire about purchasing a Velofix territory? Visit Velofix.com.
Want to learn how Vonigo’s franchise management software can help your franchise grow? Book a free, private demo of Vonigo, and we will show you.
