Since being founded in 1982, Tint World® has become America’s leader in automotive accessories and window tinting. Over the past years, the company has been expanding its residential and commercial window tinting offerings, to include residences and commercial properties as well as marine applications. These services would previously be funneled through franchise locations. By Kelsi Trinidad
The Future of Residential Tinting Services
Since being founded in 1982, Tint World® has become America’s leader in automotive accessories and window tinting. Over the past years, the company has been expanding its residential and commercial window tinting offerings, to include residences and commercial properties as well as marine applications. These services would previously be funneled through franchise locations. This year, Tint World is making an investment into a separate Mobile Services™ that will be offered to all franchises that want to grow this on-the-ground division with expanded territories.
“Over the last five years, the home services business has evolved exponentially, and we want to meet the consumer’s expectation in the area of the industry that we serve,” explained Tint World Founder and CEO Charles Bonfiglio.
Separating the residential and marine services from the automotive services and accessories gives customers a fluid avenue for accessing these services. It also gives franchisees another stream of revenue, with the potential to double profits made off automotive services. This new mode of operation includes a dedicated call center and mobile unit with a sales associate that travels to the chosen location for a consultation. Also, customers will be able to see samples of the films in the place that they’ll be applied.
“We always did residential and commercial services, but it was more of a secondary service,” said Bonfiglio. “Now, that we’re growing more residential and commercial window film and coatings, we want to be a full-services consultant for home services, beginning with window films, decorative films, security films, in addition to ceramic coatings for floor, glass and windows.”
Alongside this expanded range of tinting services, Tint World has an expanded marketing plan to match. According to Bonfiglio, the company plans to expand its presence in home shows and create connections with designers, builders and schools that have a demand for privacy tinting. Tint World is currently rolling out these residential and marine services to existing franchises and is aiming to have them available in the 45 franchises that have opted in by the end of the first quarter.
Tint World is invested in its franchisees’ abilities to launch the additional services and has added a perk for doing so. Every franchisee that opts into adding the home and marine services division to their business also will receive an expanded territory.
“Once they join in, and they launch, they can literally do just as much [sales] in the van as they do in the store,” said Bonfiglio.
Currently, Tint World has over 140 locations across the U.S. and over 160 locations sold, with a growing number of multi-store owners. The company also is launching a new national accounts program that will expand the brand’s reach.
“There’s really no other national player like us, and we’re big enough now to be able to accommodate national account companies, fleet account companies and government accounts,” said Bonfiglio. “We’ve built a team that’s able to grow this company in a much faster, more accurate and profitable way than we ever had before.”
Kelsi Trinidad