Written by: Find My Leak
Article source: JOY! Magazine

There is nothing as upsetting as receiving an astronomical water bill due to a hidden leak. Karel Vermeulen not only offers a solution with Find My Leak, but also a Kingdom-focused franchise for investors.

Entrepreneur
Karel is a natural entrepreneur and though his childhood was difficult, he attributes his success to that: “I did not have the ideal childhood. Poverty was part of our ‘normal’ and I had to stand on my own two feet very quickly after school,” he says. His father passed away when he was in matric. “I asked the Lord to take over the role of my earthly father and the Lord filled that role – and more!”

The birth of the franchise
The Lord gave Karel a vision of seven businesses within seven years, based on Ecclesiastes 11:1-3. Karel used the profit of a project and ploughed it into Find My Leak. He has been successfully running the business for four years. “I learnt a good lesson from a friend’s father who said to me: ‘Karel, never work for money – that will never be enough. Do what you enjoy and the money will always be enough.’ This is a principle that I have incorporated into business. It is fun to solve the riddle of a leak, no two leaks are the same. The reward of customer satisfaction and customer service is first prize! The last four years of market research and intimate involvement have led to the birth of Find My Leak’s franchise model.”

Service delivery
Karel started Find My Leak with “business in the community, for the community” in mind. He is now ready to join hands with other entrepreneurs with integrity. The business model is that an investor/franchisee (with their own plumber or team of plumbers) buys in. Find My Leak provides the tools to the franchisee and ensures that their bakkie is equipped with the right equipment. Specialised training is given for detecting leaks (the plumber must have a minimum of three years plumbing experience and will be taught additional skills). The franchisee gets full technical assistance for his plumber.

Franchisees are supported with marketing and lead generation
A call-centre handles all calls and sends bakkies from point A to B. The generation of leads is a partnership between the franchisor and the franchisee, with Find My Leak already an established leader in its field. Any clients that the investor brings in are directed to their own teams. “If one of your customers calls, your bakkie(s) gets priority for the service delivery.” The day to day operations of the business are run by Find My Leak and the call-centre. So, the model is ideal for investors with a little extra time, who want an extra income, and who want a greater return on investment.

What makes Find My Leak unique?
• We find leaks and fix them.
• No matter how small or large the leak, we are there for you.
• No call-out fee (within 50km radius). We drive to you for free, because we are convinced we will be able to help you.
• If we can’t detect the leak, you don’t pay. We have so much confidence in our knowledge, product, and service delivery that if we fail, you do not have to pay.
• We match any other written quotes.

Aftercare
Find My Leak strives to solve the problem with integrity, loyalty, friendliness, and consideration. The call-centre follows up with the customer afterwards to rate the service.

Involved in the community
True to his original vision, Karel encourages prospective franchisees to get involved in the community with sponsorships. “Sponsor a netball, cricket, or soccer team. The principle is to always be involved in your local market. We are in the community, for the community. Schools are where our children are, which is where our heartbeat is, which is where our money must be. The heartbeat of Find My Leak is to always plough some of the profits back into the community. Our harvest is determined by the amount of seed we are willing to sow.”

What is the process if a franchisee is interested?
The investor sends an email to info@findmyleak.co.za. “We will contact them, set up a meeting, and investigate the area and location. Feel free to join our franchise to make a difference in and for your community!”

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Date published: 26/08/2022

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