June 2013
| Business World Magazine | 233
in every operational aspect of the business.
Upon returning home, a Filta field represen-
tative will travel to the franchisee’s territory
to provide hands-on guidance, coaching and
support for another two weeks. The field
representative will assist in helping the fran-
chisee secure the first customers, complete
the sales cycle and help ensure that all equip-
ment is functioning as optimally as expected.
As a mobile operation, this is a busi-
ness that accommodates little in the way of
overhead costs. The only real space that is
required is a self-storage unit encompassing
some 10x10-square feet for storing used oil.
Filta helps arrange for the collection of this
oil which is sold to biofuel refineries or ren-
derers, enabling the franchisee to get paid a
percentage based on the volume of oil they
collect which is on top of the more substan-
tial earnings they achieve through servicing
restaurants, cafeterias, hospitality and enter-
tainment centers.
Blake explains that customer needs can
vary. The franchisee may end-up servicing
restaurants on multiple routes through a
city, or have several large-scale clients who
demand extra-attention. For example, one
franchisee is responsible for serving opera-
tions at the Georgia Dome which is home to
more than 110 deep-fryers. This Filta fran-
chisee deploys a team to theDome after every
major event, be it a Falcons’ game, concert or
monster-truck rally, to filter and collect used
oil for transport off site. This franchisee is
collecting tens of thousands of gallons of oil
every month.
Granted, not all operations are so in-
tense. Furthermore, Filta’s services are so
novel and unrivaled that restaurant owners
who are unfamiliar with the service may re-
quire a demonstration to more readily grasp
the savings and safety benefits made possible
by Filta. “For some, if they have never heard
of us before, there is resistance because it all
sounds too good to be true,” explains Blake.
“To break down the wall, we’ll provide a free
demonstration or a free trial period involving
all the services we offer. The kitchen staff sees
what their fryer and oil was like before com-
pare to after our service, and the majority
of these demonstrations are converted into
customer relationships. The savings we offer
on oil costs make-up for the cost of the ser-
vice, but we’re providing other valuable ben-
efits too in terms of safety, reduced insurance
costs and their ability to focus on what they
