Mobile Businesses on the Rise in Service-Based Industries

Ten years ago, a trip to the movie store was a Friday night ritual. To get a copy of the latest video game or CD, you had to wait in line (overnight!) at big box stores. There was no such thing as Netflix or Amazon; you had to go to a bricks and mortar store for pretty much everything. But with the rise of digital came a new style of business — one that only existed online.

From a business standpoint, having an online-only business is a good strategy: you cut down on expenses like rent, you’re not limited by geography, and it’s more convenient for your customers. In retail alone, e-commerce has more than doubled in the last ten years. And it’s not slowing down: it’s been predicted that e-commerce businesses will account for 17% of all retail in the U.S. in the next four years.

This trend makes sense. As technology developed and the internet opened up unforeseen possibilities, customer needs shifted; they wanted convenience and instant gratification. Established and new businesses alike flocked to the digisphere to respond to these changes. The drive to innovate began to outweigh the importance of a personal experience to both the business and the customer.

The need to be faster and more agile is only getting more important. As the gig economy grows, more and more people are moving away from bricks-and-mortar jobs. Companies like Lyft and DoorDash have already capitalized on the mobile movement: their drivers and dashers can run their businesses from a car or bicycle. But that doesn’t mean businesses can skimp on the quality of their service. Customers still want everything available at their fingertips but they also crave a human-to-human experience.

How does this apply to home service industries like ours? Our customers have the same desire for on-demand service and an exceptional customer experience — but, like ridesharing, the services we provide don’t necessarily require a physical location. All you need to run a successful home service franchise is business savvy and a fully loaded truck.

All of our services can be run directly from a vehicle without the need for a physical shop. But our latest brand, Shack Shine, is most in line with the anti-bricks and mortar trend. To power wash or clean gutters, all you need is the right equipment — and it all fits conveniently in the back of a Sprinter. Our vans are a one-stop, ready-to-go shop from day one.

This means new franchise partners joining our system hit the ground running. They don’t have to waste time (or money) finding an office or warehouse to store supplies; when they’re awarded a franchise, they can literally be out serving customers tomorrow. It’s the fastest ramp-up time to productive contribution than any other brand we’ve seen.

Mobile businesses have come a long way from your neighbourhood ice cream truck. Nowadays, people are building successful road-bound businesses in industries spanning from housekeeping to meditation. Putting your business on wheels is an innovative way to reduce the barrier to business ownership. It’s how we plan to create a new generation of entrepreneurs.