Opportunity: Business & Commercial
living THE GOOD LIFE Paramount Services business creates enviable lifestyle for franchisees
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t was almost 16 years ago when James Rao finally called full-time on his career in the printing trade. It was a career that had taken him to New Zealand, Australia and Fiji, and had seen him succeed in both engineering and management roles. But times were changing for the print sector with the steady advance of digital technology, and James had long harboured a desire to be his own boss and steer his own course. However, like many people he struggled to decide on what would be his next step. So he started looking on the internet and it was there that he first discovered the Paramount Services franchise opportunity. James was already familiar with the franchising model as he had worked for a couple of franchised print companies in management roles. ‘That made investing in a Paramount franchise back in 2006 a relatively easy decision,’ he remembers. With the full backing of Paramount’s experienced support team, James and his wife Sarita eased into the business. Commercial cleaning required new skills, and James is grateful for the mentoring and training delivered by their franchise support person, particularly during the early stage of their business journey. ‘Every time there was a problem to be solved, we’d go back to her. She taught me absolutely everything I know about commercial cleaning,’ says James. The couple started by servicing just one large site in Penrose. Other sites soon followed, and the business grew steadily, employing more people along the way. To grow the business further, James and Sarita took full advantage of Paramount’s ‘shared contract’ option – an arrangement which brings together individual franchisees to share work on a single large site.
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Solutions-driven Paramount Services’ national key account manager Rajan Patel has worked with James and Sarita for the past four years, and he is full of admiration for their work ethic. ‘James takes full ownership and accountability for his business,’ he says. ‘He is very methodical, constantly thinks outside the square, and has always had an innovative approach to his business.’ Rajan says it’s no coincidence that most of James’ clients have been with him for more than four or five years. ‘He is totally solutions-driven in his methodology, and he sticks to a defined workflow which results in superior work for all his clients.’
Going that extra mile Today, James and Sarita’s Paramount Services business stretches across South Auckland, from Remuera to Manukau and down to Karaka. Asked if he envisaged achieving such success when he first started out, James says it was hard not to, because he is by nature a very positive – although humble – person. The 58-year-old also attributes their success to his Christian background and ministry. He speaks to hundreds of people every week at his church, so it is no surprise that communication comes to him easily. That has helped him to connect with clients, he says. It’s one aspect of the business that he has always been comfortable with. James prides himself on always going that extra mile for his clients, and helping them out when required. He says it helps to have a ‘client is always right’ attitude.
Franchise New Zealand
Winter 2022
Year 31 Issue 02
