A quick search of the internet for business opportunities within the transport sector turns up a unique and unusual opportunity to get into the limousine hire business, but not as an independent, as part of the largest franchise in the UK. Anyone that loves there cars, can't fail to be impressed by the American stretched limousines that line our town centres on a Friday or Saturday night, but a quick look at their limousine franchise website soon highlights the fact that it can be a daunting task to do it on your own.

The Limousine Franchise is owned and operated by Cars for Stars Limited, an award winning company based in the UK offering franchises for limousine hire and chauffeur driven cars. Without doubt, one of the major benefits of the franchise route, has to be the fact that the Cars for Stars name is so well know, it is almost synonymous with the UK limousine hire industry. They know that of course, and have taken the opportunity to register the name 'Cars for Stars' in 25 European countries, which must provide potential franchisees with some comfort.

Unlike setting up your own business, where you have to think carefully about coming up with a decent business identity, that is not used elsewhere, (which of course is quite difficult with 6000 limo companies out there) with Cars for Stars you have a name with real brand value from day one. They also provide fully optimised, local websites, so there is no need to worry about getting ripped off for a website design and that cash pit, search engine optimisation. Cars for Stars also have special commercial rates with a number of specialised limousine hire directories, chauffeur cars directories and general directories, providing ever more internet penetration. This probably explains why they receive in excess of 6000 webform enquiries every single month.

Even if you are not going to receive 6000 enquiries a month for your area, there is going to be a considerable number of enquiries to be processed, and as Cars for Stars make clear, unless these are handled quickly, the customer will just place their business elsewhere. Therefore they have developed a bespoke software package that semi-automates the process of responding to webform enquiries, allowing the franchisee to select from a series of templates, dependant on the type of vehicle being proposed and the event. Simple, but very effective. They have also expanded this software dubbed CHET, to allow for the quick retrieval of all enquiries, in order that any customer quoting their reference number can book their chosen vehicle and receive a PDF version of their booking for within less than 2 minutes.

With the introduction of tighter regulations for licensed operator of chauffeur cars, the CHET system also provides a full record of the service and repair history of each vehicle as well as issuing reminders and screen prompts for licence renewals, vehicle excise duty and insurance renewals. Enhancements on the system also allow franchisees to provide chauffeurs will a detailed itinerary as well as providing them with a summary screen and search facility for hires. The CHET system is not a financial or accounts package, but it has been designed to aid the franchisees in the 'back office' management of their businesses, allowing them more time to spend with the customers.

For those new to the limousine business, the advice and support provided by the franchisor in the early days has to be worth its weight in gold. Particularly in relation to providing advice on the type of limousines to purchase, what to look for and avoid, as well as knowing what the 'local' customers want from their limousine company. Another aspect of the limousine industry is the recent change in the rules, regarding limousine companies to licence their business, vehicles and chauffeurs, this is a potential minefield for new operators and the assistance provided by the franchisee during the process can save hundreds of hours of time and potentially thousands of pounds.

Once the business is off the ground, the internet enquiries and coming through and the phones ringing, a franchise truly comes in to its own as the franchisor and franchisees work together to build the business, assisting one another through the peaks and troughs, as well as supporting each other during unexpected mishaps such as vehicle breakdowns. Looking at the relative complexity of setting up a new limousine business, not forgetting the investment required in terms of limousines, it is difficult to see how anyone can fail to see the relative benefits of being part of a much larger network. With the many attendant benefits, including discounts from major suppliers, discounts and advice on the purchase of limousines, a tried and tested bespoke software package, a massive internet marketing programme together with local website and lead generation and above all a team all around you with similar interests and a substantial brand.

Leaving the best till last, because Cars for Stars are very careful about their selection process and the fact that they are driven by sustainable success in terms of service and standing, rather than rapid expansion of the network, there are still some very key areas up for grabs. Some of the larger cities, will of course, require more capital (for limousines) to take account of the potential, but for anyone with the funds to invest, these could represent a very lucrative business opportunity.