Do I, don't I? Any franchisees with horror/success stories to share?

[dippymare]

Thinking of taking the plunge and buying a franchise, not a very expensive one must add.
Think I would love the job, and it would fit round family but don't want to end up knee deep in paperwork/debt and sidestepping the kids because of too much work/stress. Any advice welcomed.

First thing I would consider is do you have to do it through a franchise. What will you get that you won't get if you did it alone.

Is it a big chain with a identity in the market place and some kudos?

Do they support you in a way that you wouldn't get if you did it alone?

Do they help with advertising, referels, website, etc etc.

Basicly what do you get for your money?
Do they already have a number of franchise you can have a look at?
Are there lots of franchises up for resell, do they even make that possible?

I looked at a few small scale franchises and was shocked at how little you got for the money, one was a chocolate fountain company, it was very expensive. Ok you got one fountain, a few logo t-shirts and aprons and a manual plus advertising on their crappy website that never came up on a search engine.

Whereas you could buy a machine from a company direct they included a manual and training. Logo t-shirts aren't going to break the bank and an IT student (or any teenager) could do a basic website, couple of free editorials in the local press and you are on the way for half as much.

Hi,

I am licencing my business, it's similar to franchise but far cheaper and less rigid.

My aim is that I will do all of the work, all teh licencee will have to do is run their own classes and get the people in, but the stress of planning classes, sorting recipes, etc will all be taken away, they'll literally just have to keep a track of their records.

To me that's teh whole point of people buying into an established business rather than starting solo.

That is a big part of it for some types of business I agree, if it is that kind of thing it can be easier to do a franchise and let someone else do all the planning. Something like baby signing would be an example of that; where you would need to plan out classes and have printed materials perhaps. All depends on the kind of business I suppose.

I was looking at doing some gardening for mainly the elderly and on a search engine, a franchise deal came up and they would provide you with clients and train you on all the machinery ectt.
But all i really want to do is just a bit of grass cutting, weeding and tidying up really.
But what worries me is that there are a few gardening firms around and they get a bit nasty if you try and move onto their "pitch" so to speak.
As cash in hand it may work.
AB

it's a free market - my feeling is very strongly in favour of you starting up on your own, at your own pace. You can learn as you go, tool hire places can help you find out about various bits of kit.

I work with a team of other self-employed dog walkers, it sounds like a joke to some people but it tops my other income up nicely and we are constantly expanding and taking on new people and finding more and more services to offer - there were three of us to begin with, doing just a few hours a week and now it's pretty near full time (meaning I have to do my real work in my 'free' time) but this is just an example of the kind of business available as a franchise that can be very profitable when set up alone.

so what if there is competition? that means there is an established need for your services and there are customers for the taking.

also, there is the potential for you to be a sub-contractor for these firms

forgot there are now 7 of us within just 2 1/2 yrs

Vaccua, glad you've found a niche.
I've done voluntuary work for Age Concern in the past and i've done lots of gardening and neighbours were always coming over and asking how much i charged!
But, i couldn't offer my services without leaving the charity, and the whole poing of it was to help people who could not afford a gardener.
Things have changed recently and the Charity itself is now charging £8 and hour! but i don't see any of that money.
In the meantime, lots of people are not getting their gardens done.
Yes, i think i'll put a couple of adverts up in the local village shop and see if i get any replies!..you never know.
AB

Edit.. meant point not poing

I would try that (advertising localy) for something like gardening it is usually word of mouth that will get you clients, perhaps you could do a few freebes as an introductory offer.

Be very careful about franchises that promises to provide clients, what they might mean is they have a website that will list you. Getting clients is something you would usually have to put the leg work into franchise or not.

Do your research before agreeing to buy a franchise.

I once bought one because they said they would do most of the marketing (in their area therefore totally unknown on mine), they will deal with the phone calls (which they did but forwarded them back to me taking a higher % commmission on the work even when what had attracted those calls in the first place was my own work and advertising rather than theirs,but it was not difficult for them to prettend those calls were the fruit of their own efforts and charge me accordingly for "finding me a client"), the "support" they promised was so primitive that I could have done much better getting a cheap book on the subject. They had a website they used to advertise the company (which was mainly read by other franchises rather than clients). I had no freedom to negociate prices on certain works and I had to shut my mouth up when my "boss" gave advice to a client that made him loose thousands but obviously benefitted my boss purse. etc. etc.

Thread carefully, there are some "franchises" available out there whose main income comes from selling franchises rather than the profit originating from their services or products.

Ahh, and finally, another of the beauties of my franchise was that it didn't allow me to work in the same thing for a year after the termination of the franchise contract. Quite convenient for them, especially when you have former clients begging you to undertake more work for them but you can't because you are afraid of the antics of the company.

Thanks for all input, gratefully received, will do lots of research.