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A franchise offers a ready made system to include training on how you gain customers, what products to use, and sometimes back end software to help manage things aka CRM.
You'll be tied to their way to doing things, often buying product through them, and paying a monthly fee based on turnover to them (not profit).
For some, this wrapper / cosetting is comforting. For others its like a straight-jacket. Depends on you really.
For all of the above, you can get training for 1 off fees much cheaper than franchise fees with no ongoing fees. There are people in England, Scotland and Wales offereing such training so plenty around.
Theres a good conference in 2 weeks time at Bisham Abbey for Independent Lawn Care. See the thread on here.
Personally, I looked at franchise vs go alone, and went alone with some independent training.
Thanks Andrew - you burst my Forum cherry! I appreciate your reply. Have loads of questions to ask over time.
Can you tell me where I can find the courses you refer to or indeed what I should search the web for.
Thanks
I looked at buying a lawn care franchise nearly 10 years ago to sit alongside the existing business and it went to the wire - full meetings at head offices, NDA's, Due diligence, finance, my Accountant getting involved etc but decided not to progress after taking a step back and reviewing where I wanted to be....
For me several issues I could not reconcile - the royalties (ie the cost), operating restrictions and the fact we could not run the two businesses side by side due to who owned 'customers' if we wanted to sell other 'services'.
Many I met on that journey were looking for a business solution following redundancies, had a pot of money and wanted a 'ready made business'. Some totally lacked any business sense. I think my Accountant best summed it up for me - 'You'll get all the hassles of running the business, yet none of the benefits of owning the business'.
It may have changed since then....just look at the franchise with eyes wide open......
Gary, fair summary, especially not owning the customer. For those being made redundant and lacking business confidence (or good sense!) it can add up. However peel the layers, look at the consequences of the watertight agreements and it's very restrictive. Which, in a way it has to be to protect the brand / ensure quality. You have to see things from their side as well if they get a bad egg.
There are probably others out there now, but I talked to Richard at Prolawncare in St Neots and Rob at Lawn and Weed Expert, Cardiff. Both will be able to help and I would recommend both. I went with Richard btw and still lean on him regularly for advice which is always good & given.
Thnaks Andrew. Does your comment 'I went with Richard' mean you took a franchise from Prolawncare?
No, I bought some training from him.
Yes I did a similar thing Franchises give you a Business in a box. They usually have a name most people recognise. However for me it would be like working in a straight jacket. I like to make my own destiny. Thats not to say all franchising is bad, just not for me. I did my training with Lawn&Weed expert in Cardiff. Similar thing to Andy, He is pretty much my neighbour and we chat a fair bit both being independent Lawn Care businesses.