Many potential franchisees and entrepreneurs are taking a fresh look at business opportunities in 2021, particularly those that were resilient through the economic fluctuations experienced in 2020, and those with a strong national brand and proven operations model. That is where Maaco has emerged as a top franchise opportunity, thanks to its portfolio of benefits and strong corporate resources through parent company Driven Brands.
Maaco, the leader in the $38 billion automotive paint and collision industry, offers a unique and rewarding opportunity for potential franchise owners. Maaco begins its 49th year with new energy and focus, built on a successful history as “America’s Body Shop.” As a member of the Driven Brands family – North America’s leading automotive aftermarket services franchisor -- Maaco has unparalleled resources in operational experience, purchasing power, real estate support and marketing.
“Our model continues to provide entrepreneurs with a recession-resistant business opportunity,” said Chris Dawson, President of Maaco. “As an essential business with a unique place in the market, we see a growing desire for car owners to keep up the operation and appearance of their vehicles as they rely on them more as a safe transportation environment versus public transportation.”
Here are five reasons to consider Maaco as your investment opportunity.
1. A proven playbook. Maaco provides the process and operational support that comes with nearly 50 years of success in the automotive service industry. Throughout its history, Maaco has turned thousands of entrepreneurs and automotive professionals into independent business owners, many with multiple franchises. The power of the Maaco model is that no automotive experience is needed to own and manage a Maaco franchise – the Maaco team provides the guidance necessary to succeed in the Maaco network.
“I had no automotive background at all.” said Shane Hollas, one of two 2020 Maaco “Rookie of the Year” award recipients. “But I always felt that you can be successful in any industry if you work hard and follow the process. I had to learn everything—the industry, the customers, the vendors, etc. But Maaco provides you with the coaching, the training, the benefit of their many years of experience, and a proven playbook to follow. It really helps accelerate your learning curve.”
2. The Maaco brand has a 94 percent brand recognition among consumers. With a North American footprint consisting of more than 400 locations, the Maaco brand has almost 50 percent market share and no national competition for its niche in the marketplace.
As a top Maaco franchisee for more than 30 years, Brian Greenley of Littleton, CO, has personally seen the growth and the benefits of the Maaco brand.
“It is great being part of such an iconic brand,” said Greenley. “Customers want to do business with brands they recognize, and it gives them confidence when they deal with a company that has been around for almost 50 years”.
3. Recession-resistant business with no direct competitors. No competitors in the automotive space match Maaco’s unique business model and national footprint. The Maaco business model has a diverse customer base bringing revenue opportunities from three key areas:
a) consumer-paid work for cosmetic painting and collision repair, b) insurance-paid collision repair, and c) revenue from national fleet contract work, provided through Maaco’s participation in the Driven Fleet program.
Helmuth Mayer, owner of five Maaco centers in the Dallas area knows the importance of the fleet opportunities to his business.
“Along with the additional revenue that the fleet business brings,” said Mayer, “it also helps with employee retention, as it keeps the shop workflow steady during times of the year when the retail or collision work may slow.”
4. Exceptional Training and Support: To accelerate the learning curve for franchise owners and their staff, Maaco offers a training and support program second to none. The online training program offers video coursework on standard repair procedures, customer service, shop operations and more. The Maaco field support staff and the Maaco vendor partners provide hands-on training and support throughout North America.
“The support that I received from the Maaco team was phenomenal,” said Farhana Naz, one of many female owners in the Maaco network. “They are with you every step of the way, with an in-depth training program, in-shop operations support, and virtual coaching- whatever you need to be successful. I call it my Maaco family support team.”
5. Purchasing Power: With a network of more than 400 shops, Maaco provides its franchisees very favorable pricing on supplies and equipment needed to deliver top quality repairs and a very competitive price. Through volume purchasing, Maaco helps franchisees keep operational costs low, along with access to the best options for paint, equipment and supplies.
“While our network of repair centers is large, there is still room for growth in many areas of the country,” said Jeff Todd, VP of Maaco Development. “We are always looking for good people who want to invest in a good opportunity and become an independent business owner with the additional support and benefit that we provide.”
Maaco was recently named one of the top franchisee opportunities for veterans by Entrepreneur Magazine. Maaco is always looking for people who want to become business owners with the benefit of almost 50 years of experience that Maaco brings. Visit www.maacofranchise.com or contact us at [email protected] to learn more about franchisee opportunities.
About Maaco
Maaco Collision Repair and Auto Painting is North America’s #1 Bodyshop. Maaco, with more than 400 independently owned and operated franchises across the United States and Canada, has been named a top automotive franchise numerous times by Entrepreneur Magazine in its Annual Franchise 500 ranking. In addition to other honors, Maaco has been included on Franchise Times’ list of Top 200 franchises. Maaco is a member of Driven Brands, the largest automotive services company in North America. For more information about Maaco, visit www.Maaco.com.
About Driven Brands
Driven Brands™, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, is the largest automotive services company in North America, providing a range of consumer and commercial automotive needs, including paint, collision, glass, vehicle repair, oil change, maintenance and car wash. Driven Brands is the parent company of some of North America’s leading automotive service businesses including Take 5 Oil Change®, Meineke Car Care Centers®, Maaco®, 1-800-Radiator & A/C®, and CARSTAR®. Driven Brands has more than 4,100 centers across 15 countries, and services over 50 million vehicles annually. Driven Brands’ network generates approximately $900 million in revenue from more than $3 billion in system-wide sales.
