GUEST SPEAKER – Melanie Harper was introduced by Ian Halford, advising that Melanie and her husband had established the business of Driving Miss Daisy in Havelock North.
Melanie advised that she and her husband Jack are the owners/directors of Driving Miss Daisy NZ Ltd which began in 2008 with one car. Now there are 255 vehicles throughout the country and it is her plan to have a “Daisy” in every town in New Zealand.
It is now an international franchise, beginning in the UK in 2014 and was to be in Australia this year but given the Covid pandemic, the legal papers were never signed. It is also hoped to get the business going in Europe.
A team of 5 run the New Zealand and International business.
The concept of franchises has spread the system well and it is intended to duplicate the business further around New Zealand and other countries. Each individual business is owned by Melanie and her team, with the cars all stamped with the same logo and colouring.