Batteries Plus' Success in 2019 Paves Way for Continued Momentum in 2020

Batteries Plus was founded in 1988 with the goal of meeting a growing need for battery replacement and specialty bulbs. The concept took off in an increasingly tech-heavy world, and the brand started to franchise in 1992. Not only has Batteries Plus managed to adapt to an ever-changing technology landscape and stay afloat in the age of e-commerce, but the brand is also thriving. Today, Batteries Plus has more than 700 units across the United States and has celebrated many victories in 2019 that indicate continued momentum in 2020.

In terms of 2019 franchise growth, Batteries Plus signed on two new franchisees who will each open one store. Additionally, three existing franchisees signed to open one additional store each. Batteries Plus also opened 14 new franchise stores and four new corporate-owned stores in 2019. In particular, the brand put a great deal of planning and energy into attracting multi-unit franchisees in 2020.

“For Batteries Plus, 2019 was a big rebuilding year,” Vice President of Franchise Development Jon Sica said. “We began to focus more on recruiting multi-unit owners and larger investors who can be successful in our system. To that end, we’ve adapted a lot of our internal processes and recruiting methods to focus on those types of candidates. We’re still interested in single-unit franchisees, but in 2020 we are really focused on attracting multi-unit owners.”

Franchise growth strategy

Batteries Plus wants multi-unit franchisees to take advantage of the brand’s lucrative commercial sales opportunities. Batteries Plus developed major commercial sales programs in 2019, which is why the leadership team is so focused on attracting growth-minded multi-unit owners who will be able to handle a large amount of business.

“Our company overall is shifting its focus more to commercial sales,” Sica said. “We are seeing positive sales through the commercial programs we developed in 2019. Multi-unit franchisees and larger investors can really benefit from our different profit-enhancing programs, which is why we’re so eager to bring people into our system who share our vision for high growth and are able to execute that.”

There is plenty more to look forward to in 2020. Batteries Plus launched smart home products in stores thanks to a national partnership. The brand also partnered with group-purchasing organizations that support religious organizations, logistics services, restaurants and other entities that bring in tons of new customers and give franchise owners a license to approach those organizations at the local level and capture more business.

Future plans and recognition

Batteries Plus has already enjoyed some early recognition this year: the brand ranked No. 188 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s latest Franchise 500 list.

**The Batteries Plus leadership team estimates the brand will sign on 20 to 30 new franchisees in 2020, with three of those being multi-unit operators. In terms of 2020 openings, the Batteries Plus leadership team anticipates opening 15 to 20 stores. The brand is especially interested in signing on growth-minded franchisees in Houston, Las Vegas and San Antonio.

The timing for this kind of growth is perfect, as Batteries Plus** continues to dominate locally in an online world **thanks to its top-notch customer service. For instance, the brand provides extensive device repair training opportunities for store employees, who can then offer customers a high level of personalized service that simply cannot be found online.

“Whether it’s an in-store customer or a commercial sales partner, everyone ends up being very impressed with the professionalism and depth of expertise they receive at Batteries Plus,” Sica said. “We’re far ahead of the competition in that sense, and we feel like this sustainable competitive advantage is one of the things that protects us from the online competition.”

With a major focus on profitable growth, brand-name recognition, hot available markets and a solid local presence in an industry dominated by e-commerce, Batteries Plus is clearly a brand to watch in 2020.