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Cars for Stars is a well established, award winning company offering a wide range of chauffeur driven cars anywhere within the UK.
Operating through an extensive, franchised branch network, Cars for Stars is able to offer a genuine national service with branches within reach of many large tows and cities.
CARS FOR STARS LIMITED
Business Opportunity in Somerset
Becoming a Cars for Stars Licensee in the Somerset area has many benefits, this section aims to outline some
of the more tangible aspects of a limousine hire or chauffeur cars franchise
The opportunity of running you own business is undeniable, as of course, are the increased risks associated with following any new business venture. Cars for Stars is an established company business operating within the burgeoning limousine hire and chauffeur cars market. Our business model includes licensing entrepreneurs to operate locally (in Somerset) under the Cars for Stars name. Of course it is not just about utilising our name, but also the other attendant benefits of being part of a large network.
Although our local areas are determined by postcode rather than county, we currently have an opening for the Cars for Stars area that covers Somerset. Therefore, if you are looking for new business opportunities in Somerset, you may well find it worthwhile reading what we have to say about ourselves below.
Apart from the undeniable benefits of becoming an integral part of a well respected and established limousine operator, there are other tangible benefits which will aid a busy limousine operator working under the Cars for Stars banner in Somerset. These range from the fact that new operators can hit the ground running with real enquiries from day one, through to that fact that there is no need to try and establish a new identity without treading on the toes of similarly named businesses or risk infringing trademarks. Not to be underestimated is the value of having an established, fully optimised website, that is managed centrally and included in the price of the licence fees. The cost of building a new website and optimising it can cost £2000 or more and even then, it could take up to 6 months before any real benefit is demonstrable within the search engine results. The websites will then have to be hosted and email services provided, these aspect are all dealt with by Cars for Stars as part of the annual licence fee.
Another potential minefield is the purchase of a limousine and local authority licensing. Yes, it can all be done with some research and perseverance, but mistakes can be costly or add to delays in getting the business off the ground. Therefore, the benefit of having someone onside that shares your interests is incalculable, with no hidden agenda, our aim would be to help you buy the right limousine and advise you on the necessary steps to get licensed. We don't do it for you, but we can point you in the right direction and assist you with our knowledge of the shortcuts that can only come with experience and having been there, seen that etc.
Of course local authority licensing is only part of the process, the licensed operator is then expected to keep records of hires, vehicle maintenance and so on, this important aspect can prove time consuming to the inexperienced.
Other considerations are the time it takes to process internet enquiries, how to create and use booking forms, drivers itineraries etc., all things that are essential to a new limousine operator and often overlooked in the planning process. Some operators overlook the fact that they need a set of terms and conditions, to have these drafted can cost over £1000, of course you can always 'borrow' the terms from someone else, but that would be a copyright infringement and actionable, we for example initiated proceedings against 5 operators last year for copying our terms and conditions.
Below we have provided a summary of the
benefits of being part of the Cars for Stars network, some
tangible, some not. This list should help you to determine
whether or not these benefits are sufficient to encourage you to
apply for a Cars for Stars Licence Agreement for the
Somerset area.
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Established High Value Brand |
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Cars for Stars is a highly respected company, with a well established brand with significant recognition and presence. Licensees benefit from the use of the registered trademark and logo. |
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Fixed fees |
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Licence fees, paid annually in advance, are low enough not to cause any particular concern to a new business, yet the benefits are significant and all inclusive. To put the licence fees into perspective, they are likely to be less than a decent Yellow Pages advertisement, not much more than using an online 'pay per click' campaign and probably not much more than using a company providing 'lead generation'. |
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Exclusive areas |
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Cars for Stars licensed areas are determined by postcode and population. All relevant enquiries received for the area are passed exclusively to the appropriate Licensee. Licensees have an exclusive territory to operate within and this is protected under the terms of our Licence Agreement from infringements by neighbouring Cars for Stars Licensees. Each area typically has a population in excess of 350,000 people. |
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Internet presence |
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Cars for Stars has well established local, regional and national websites. The cost of renewing the domains, designing and optimising the websites, maintenance and hosting is all borne by Cars for Stars Limited for the benefit of the network. Each Licensee has their own website which will be customised with their trading information, address and vehicles, whilst maintaining the generic designs for which Cars for Stars is well known. |
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Bespoke software |
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We have developed our own bespoke software which is designed specifically with a limousine operation in mind. Fuller details and screenshots are available by following this link: CHET. In summary, it semi-automates the quotation process, produces booking forms, takes care of driver and vehicle allocations and drivers itineraries. Offers an 'at a glance' listing of deposits made, balances due and provides system reminders for overdue payments. Provides an area where vehicle maintenance, insurance, licence and vehicle excise can be logged and reviewed with overdue prompt reminders and a print facility for local authority audits. |
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Work place templates |
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We provide commonly required workplace templates and contracts or forms, all available for download from our support website. These includes, but is not limited to, letterhead templates, personalised terms and conditions of hire, employment contracts, 'best practice' driver agreements designed to minimise the risk of income tax liabilities and so the list goes on. |
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Point of sale |
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These are chargeable at cost, but include Cars for Stars branded marketing tools and point of sale such as, rear bumper stickers, quality fleeces, branded napkins, golfing umbrellas etc. |
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Unique non-geographical '0845' number |
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We provide, free of charge, a non-geographical number which can be advertised anywhere within the territory without having to use a STD identifier which can discourage some people from calling. |
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Discounted rates |
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Our Licensees can benefit from our buying power for essentials such as private hire insurance. |
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Welcome pack |
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Included in the cost of the initial fee is a full 'starter pack' of stationery which includes letterheads, with compliment slips, business cards, rear bumper sticker and a small quantity of branded napkins. |
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Advice, support and training |
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We provide the initial and critical advice and support related to issues as diverse as, what type of limousine to borrow, how to obtain a private hire licence through to how to avoid tax demands as a result of using casual, self-employed drivers. We also provide initial training on the use of our bespoke software, common systems and procedures. |
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Network support |
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Working with neighbouring areas, Licensees are able to quote for larger jobs, or perhaps respond positively to people looking for a specific model or colour that is owned by another Cars for Stars area. |
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Emergency cover |
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Licensees can have their calls answered during short periods of sickness or whilst on holiday. There is a charge for this service. |
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Internet directory advertising |
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All Licensees benefit from local, regional and national advertising in niche and specialist directories. Many of these directories drive internet and call traffic direct to the local websites of Licensees. Centrally, in excess of £8000 per annum is spent supporting, sponsoring or entering niche, specialist and national directories. |
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Local Authority audits |
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Licensees that are subject to a regular audit from their local private hire authority can retrieve and print virtually everything the inspector will require direct from our own bespoke software. |
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Access to online support centres |
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Cars for Stars provide an online support centre, where Licensees can access support materials, forms, contracts, logo's, vehicle images, manuals and so on 24/7. In addition, using a Cars for Stars online database, Licensees can access and search for any chauffeurs in their area who have indicated an interest in working as a chauffeur. |
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Business can be sold |
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Licensees are free to sell their business as a going concern to third parties as they would with any other business venture. However, we must approve the prospective purchaser before any sale can be completed and it would be subject to the issue a new Licence with all the usual conditions attached. |
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Images
