Franchisee Success Story – Raleigh

Jay Preble – Metal Supermarkets Raleigh

Metal Supermarkets Raleigh opened on January 25, 2016 and has seen continuous sales growth, making it one of the best performing new stores in the past few years.

For owner Jay Preble and his team, customer service has been critical for success. “We try to respond to quotes quickly; I think that’s very key,” explained Jay. “We know that is an absolute must to win business.” This focus on customer experience has built a good reputation among their customer base, which has led to plenty of referrals through word of mouth.

In an effort to boost referrals further, Jay also focused on establishing good relationships with complementary businesses. He has provided marketing materials to various local businesses who distribute them when customers are looking for small quantities of metal. “A welding company nearby has been tremendously helpful referring people to us, as well as a steel company in a nearby town.” Jay worked on developing these relationships during their first full month of operation, and one month later saw a 189% increase in sales.

“We’ve done very well with word of mouth referrals, and I think that’s due to how we treat the customers.” – Jay Preble

One recommendation Jay has for new franchisees is to take advantage of the digital marketing programs available. Currently, Raleigh participates in all available programs managed by Head Office, and the Raleigh team frequently hears from customers whose first point of contact is online. Jay also understands the importance of sales calls, relying on his wife to visit prospects, developing relationships that have turned into repeat customers.

Jay’s biggest piece of advice for new franchisees; simply follow the Metal Supermarkets business system. “I think following the system is important.” Jay puts a lot of stock in the recommendations from his Business Consultant and the Operations team, and believes it has helped him build a growing business.