Contract Manager Insights
MFG (Motor Fuel Group), Rontec, MRH (Malthurst) Retail are major independent petrol forecourt operators. They all manage their petrol retail sites in similar ways. Some call their site managers “Contract Managers” and others call their site managers “Commision Operators”
They offer management of their sites to self employed business persons with the attraction of running “your own business”. You are expected to sign contracts that tie you to their regime.
Far from a relationship built on fairness, a partnership, or the principle of working together to make profit for both parties to the contract:
everything is set up so the company can make money out of YOU.
Awareness
Make prospective Contract Managers/Commission Operators aware of what they are committing themselves to.
Share Experiences
Provide a forum for existing Contract Mangers/Commission Operators to share their experiences and inform prospective ones of the risks of joining these organizations.Promote Fairness
To compel these forecourt companies to offer fairer contracts and management methods that meet the moral and ethical standards of the 21st centuryOur Aims
Many Contact Managers or Commission Operators become disillusioned once they take up their positions. For more detailed information regarding our aims, what were all about and how we can help…
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In or out of Europe, as long as it remains buoyant Britain will always need a huge amount of Migrant Workers.
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Is It a Franchise
In a word NO! There are few similarities between the structure of fuel forecourt management by Contract Manager/Commission Operator and that of a genuine Franchise. MRH Retail/Malthurst do not refer to their operating structure as a Franchise. However MFG and Rontec and a few others do. They are wrong to do so. It is misleading. Franchises are far more secure. The most fundamental feature is they have a defined period of contract; normally a minimum five year contract rising to longer contracts which can be up to 25 years and more. In most cases they have renewal options and conditions which can add to the security. In almost all cases a franchise is an asset which you buy and you have rights to sell it at a market rate although there maybe conditions attached. Your deal with the fuel forecourt company will have a notice period similar to an employment contract of something like 3 months. If the fuel company decides to change its management policy to direct managed sites, officially employing their site managers then they simply give you all 3 months notice and you’re gone. A franchisor cannot do this. They would have to buy you out. A few years ago TOTAL and ESSO did this leaving a lot of business persons high and dry. We say “officially employing their site managers”. Well in our opinion and that of many of MFG’s managers, is that the arrangement between Murco as it was (now MFG) and its contract managers is “direct management by any other name” (a quote from Andy Edwards an Area manager at the time). As... read more