Ansar Iqbal became the owner of Autosmart Blackpool in August 2007 and joined the franchise network for Autosmart – the UK and Ireland’s largest manufacturer and distributor of professional vehicle and food processing cleaning products for trade customers.

Since 2007, Ansar has continued to grow the Blackpool franchise and understands the challenges faced by his customers. Here, Ansar tells us how he has adapted during the pandemic and why the business is stronger than ever.

“The start of the pandemic was the most challenging, due to the uncertainty of what was happening however, I worked closely with my customers, my neighbouring franchisees and my Regional Business Manager to ensure the business provided extra safety measures in order to deliver products safely.

“With many businesses closing their doors and lots of my regular customers, such as coach, bus and automotive forced to close, it was time to think outside the box. I discovered that some cleaning suppliers to the food and haulage sectors were not trading and I seized the opportunity to introduce my mobile-showroom to these sectors. The great thing about Autosmart is that we have a wide range of cleaning products. I was able to supply these essential food and haulage businesses with their gloves, hand wash, surface cleaner, disinfectant and anti-bacterial products. At the height of the pandemic 60-70% of my business was supplying these products, mainly to the food industry.

“As the country returned to normal and businesses reopened, I kept most of my pre-pandemic customers and gained new ones as a result of being a reliable supplier to them during this challenging time.

Ansar concludes, “After 14 years as a franchisee, I’m still looking for new ways to grow the business. I currently have one showroom and would like to expand in the future, so I work very closely with my Regional Business Manager, Bob, to develop future plans including targeting new sectors.

“I speak regularly with franchise owners in different sectors and Autosmart stands out as offering one of the best franchise opportunities. With Autosmart, you are your own boss and if you work hard, the rewards are great. The support is fantastic and it’s an award-winning business.”

If you would like to start your journey as a business owner with Autosmart, please get in touch below: