Case Studies
Issue No. 48 - August/September 2009
Strong partners clean up
There are more that 360 carpet and upholstery cleaners businesses listed in the SA Yellow Pages.
Prospect-based carpet and upholstery cleaners, Atlas Chem-Dry, owned by husband and wife team, Paul Addison and Karen Raymond, are determined to be the best of the lot.
Paul was employed at Atlas Chem-Dry when the couple bought the business in June 2000. He is a trade qualified carpenter and Karen has a background in marketing and business administration, with strong administrative capability.
“We originally bought the business as a way of securing Paul’s job and he enjoyed the work there,” says Karen.
“For the first year Paul worked completely on his own, with me doing his tax paperwork each quarter. In 2001 I left my job to work with Paul to grow the business. I went to work making business and marketing plans, establishing and implementing administrative and marketing systems and employing staff.”
Karen and Paul’s proactive approach bore fruit when Atlas Chem-Dry was named 2001-02 National Chem- Dry Business Development Franchise of the Year.
In 2005 they bought another Chem-Dry franchise to extend their coverage to southern SA. By 2008 they could no longer work from home and moved into premises at 297 Churchill Road, Prospect. At the same time they bought A1 Chem-Dry, another franchise, which brought a significant increase in workload and a need to increase capacity.
“In 2009 we have eight vans and 15 staff on the payroll,” says Karen. “There is a lot of diversity in the team and we are fortunate everyone understands what Atlas Chem-Dry is about, injecting their own unique flavour to the mix. Our focus is on service and giving our customers the best clean we possibly can. Our high percentage of repeat business tells us we have got it right.”
The Chem-Dry cleaning system originated in the US.
Chem-Dry Australia, the parent company in Sydney, supplies all 16 Adelaide franchises with chemicals ...
