Case in Point

Assisting Hands Area Representative enjoys the gig

Nearly 11 years ago, Richard Ueberfluss bought the rights to be an Area Representative for Assisting Hands® Home Care. Its franchises provide medical (taking vitals, medication setups, etc.) and nonmedical care (hygiene, light housework, driving to appointments) so disabled and senior clients can stay in their homes. Under the company’s Area Representative model, Ueberfluss adds franchises to his territory (Chicago and seven counties around it plus Wisconsin) and trains and assists franchisees.

Prospects come to him via franchise brokers, the internet, public relations, and word-of-mouth. He validates candidates, ensuring they qualify financially and that their goals and abilities align with the company’s and vice versa. To assist their decision-making, Ueberfluss supplies contact information for Assisting Hands franchisees (for prospects’ further research) and organizes a Discovery Day. Then if all systems are go, he trains them in his Naperville, Illinois, office – he’s a franchisee, too. “They learn by doing,” Ueberfluss says.

I call my franchisees – 12 in Illinois, two in Wisconsin – biweekly, to see what’s going on. After they’ve been in business six months, franchisees don’t have many questions. I get about four or five calls from them each week.

In addition, Ueberfluss periodically visits franchisees’ sites and schedules meetings to discuss topics such as additional training, employee recruitment, and advertising. “My biggest challenge is re-minding them to follow the model – telling them where to advertise and how much, that a full-time sales-person is a must – things like that.”

His work is rewarding. “We’re keeping people alive, happy, and safe, and I like helping people,” says Ueberfluss, a former physical therapist. (However, he emphasizes that nearly all his franchisees come from sales or business backgrounds.) “Part of it is business coaching – taking a former schoolteacher to where she owns a million-dollar franchise. I like doing that.”

He applauds Assisting Hands for its family-friendly culture, responsiveness to franchisees, and income potential. “Unlike with some franchises, I don’t need to own 10 locations to fare well financially. I didn’t spend $200,000 on a build-out. And I like developing my territory.

I wish I would’ve done it 20 years ago instead of 10!

– Mary Vinnedge