The rapid pace of change in the property market is delivering big rewards for Countrywide Signs franchisees, as the company’s strong relationships with online estate agencies contributed to a 30% rise in national account work last year – with similar growth predicted for 2017.

The business is the exclusive preferred board supplier to Purple Bricks, the UK’s largest online agency, whose customers are informed that their board will be installed by Countrywide Signs. The rate of expansion by the online agency is one of the drivers behind the growth in national accounts work being passed to franchisees.

In October Purple Bricks reported that its instructions were up 108% over the previous six months and that it had completed sales worth £2.6bn, almost as much as the whole of the previous financial year.

Rightmove data last autumn showed that overall, online agencies had doubled their share of the UK market in the previous two years.

Countrywide Signs directors saw the change in the market early and moved to develop strong and sustainable working relationships with online providers, as they always have with traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ agencies.

The combination is reaping huge benefits for franchisees across the UK.

The franchise offers a genuinely nationwide board erection and maintenance service, with head office maintaining relationships with clients and distributing work to each local franchisee in their area. It’s all managed by cutting-edge technology and a national accounts team.

The result is a seamless service for the agencies and a consistent flow of work being passed to franchisees at no cost to them – business which is out of reach of their competitors.

Director Martin Attwood QFP said: “We quickly understood how important the online market was becoming and the positive impact we could have for our network by capitalising on the strength of our national accounts and our agility in local markets.

“We’re passing more work than ever to our franchisees and forecast this to rise by up to one-third again this year. For new starters, that means a customer base and income streams from day one as they take over work that we’re currently outsourcing in their territory. And for those taking on a resale franchise, the growth of national accounts means ambitious expansion plans are possible.

“We’ve evolved our business in line with the market and will continue to do so. It all adds up to a Countrywide Signs franchise representing a great investment for a secure future.”

Countrywide Signs offers franchisees a flexible investment level, with options from a single van owner-operator set-up to multi-vehicle operations. The network’s leading franchisee is set to break £1m turnover within the next two years.