Lift Off: ProLift Garage Doors Looks to Grow With Franchise Owners Throughout Chicago

ProLift Garage Doors, a brand under the umbrella of multi-brand franchisor Premium Service Brands (PSB), has made a name for themselves in the repairs, replacements, installations and servicing of overhead garage doors over the past five years. Since being acquired by PSB in 2015, the brand has taken off; providing premium customer service to homeowners in regions across the country. Now, as the brand sets its sights on expansion, the ProLift Garage Doors corporate team is targeting the greater Chicago market for growth.

In the past year, ProLift Garage Doors has had a successful run in markets throughout the Midwest. According to vice president of operations David Raymond, the midwestern locations reported back-to-back best months in Q2 as well as in July. With Chicago’s large population and a large amount of single family homes, the brand’s leadership sees a great deal of opportunity in the city and its sprawling suburban communities.

“Our target demographic is strongly represented with over 3.29 million single-family homes and a Median Household Income of $63,300,” said Raymond. “The region offers the opportunity for us to expand our reach; it’s really exciting to think about that kind of growth potential.”

Market and economy

In spite of a tough economy, ProLift Garage Doors has proven to be a resilient business. The brand offers a critical service for an appliance in the home that is used nearly every day. With so many families across the country abiding by the CDC’s stay-at-home recommendations, homeowners are realizing their need for garage door services.

Regardless of the economy, however, the year-round business model allows franchisees to take advantage of the high demand and at a low cost buy-in. Professional garage door technicians are sought after by homeowners and business owners alike, and the brand has seen revenue and franchise growth across the board throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are seeing several locations posting their best monthly revenue numbers ever in the last three months,” Raymond told 1851. “System-wide sales are up 12% YOY. With families spending more time at home, we are seeing more garage door failures that are in dire need of repair.”

Franchise owner recruitment

As the brand makes its move to the Windy City, Raymond says they are looking for franchise owners who have the entrepreneurial spirit to take the helm. Raymond said that in the past, successful franchise owners with the brand have had a background in sales as well as the ability to recruit and lead a capable team is a recipe for success with ProLift.

“Historically, we target strong leaders, recruiters and data-focused individuals who are looking to scale the business,” said Raymond. “We want franchisees who know how to attract, inspire and manage top talent. If the staff believes in the owner’s mission, they will want to follow their lead. We want franchise owners and team members who believe in our brand’s vision.”

Franchisee Kevin DeWald located in Grand Rapids, Michigan opened his ProLift location nearly two years ago and has seen great success with his business in the market. Since this time last year, sales have been up roughly 50%, demonstrating a need and demand for high quality garage services in the greater Midwest.

“I was initially looking for an opportunity in which I would be able to provide for my family and control my own destiny and where I would go financially and personally,” said DeWald. “We are in a very fortunate position and have seen no impact from the pandemic — only growth. We love serving this community and pride ourselves on providing the best experience possible for our customers and in a cost effective way, which keeps them coming back.”

For Raymond and the rest of the leadership team, Chicagoland is untapped territory that is sure to bring opportunity to the brand. As ProLift continues to grow their reach, their commitment to customer service remains at the forefront of their mission.

"ProLift Garage Doors is still growing, but our end goal is to be the number-one choice for customers when they need a garage door solution,” said Raymond. “ProLift Garage Doors exists in a highly fragmented industry dominated by small mom-and-pop operations; the consistency of our brand can help customers to feel confident in our services, and it will make the difference as we continue to expand.”