FREE Franchise Magazine ( Franchising Magazine - Franchiseek, November 2022 )

CEO Foreword

By Joel Bissitt

Welcome back to another issue of Franchiseek Magazine, the magazine of the Quality Franchise Association, run by volunteers for the benefit of the franchising sector.

Thanks to everyone that has voted in the Virtual Franchising Awards 2023 entries are now closed and the finalists will be announced in the December 2022 issue. Good luck to everyone that entered!

As we continue our monthly interviews with the Virtual Franchising Awards sponsors in the run up to the awards, this month we spoke to Monique Watson of Worldpay who are headline sponsors this year. Monique explains a bit about why Worldpay have chosen to sponsor the awards and a bit about herself.

This month we bring you news from Screen Rescue, Tappy Toes and activ Digital Marketing, with some exciting news from the Franchiseek team and of course the latest business opportunities and resales

We hope you enjoy this issue and look forward to the announcement of the #VFA23 finalists next month!

www.franchise association.org.uk/VFA23

WORLDPAY MEET THE SPONSORS

This year, we’re delighted to welcome Worldpay from FIS as headline sponsors for the Virtual Franchising Awards 2023 Whether you are a franchisor or a franchisee, Worldpay from FIS have got you covered! A brand is arguably the most important asset you receive as a franchisee They understand the importance of this consistency across the business, with customer experience, product offering, and your brand. We spoke to Monique Watson, to learn more about who Worldpay from FIS are, and why they have chosen to sponsor the Virtual Franchising Awards this year.

1. Please tell me a bit about yourself. What is your role with Worldpay?

Hello, my name is Monique Watson, I live in Glasgow with my husband and two football mad boys. I have been with Worldpay for over 13 years now, having recently moved into the world of partnerships within Franchising.

My role is to help franchisors and franchisees streamline their payments. We appreciate every franchise is unique, and it is vital to understand how franchises operate; what their payments journey is, their pain points, and see where we can we add value. Ultimately, we want to demonstrate how payments can help build, run, and scale a franchise.

2. Who is Worldpay from FIS

Worldpay’s payment processing solutions allow businesses to take, make and manage payments seamlessly.

Worldpay solutions, which support more than 300 payment types in 126 currencies, are offered by FIS, a leading provider of technology solutions for merchants, banks, and capital markets firms globally

3. Why have you chosen to sponsor the Virtual Franchising Awards 2023?

We have been working closely with The QFA, we love how inclusive these awards are Not only are the awards free

Monique Watson is a Franchise Partner Director at Worldpay from FIS, working within the Partnerships Team. Worldpay from FIS are headline sponsors at the Virtual Franchising Awards 2023.

and available to the whole franchising community, but they also support and honour ethical franchising.

4. How does Worldpay support the franchising sector?

We have a dedicated Franchise Team within Worldpay, and we are working closely amongst the closeknit franchise community. Franchising is all about being supportive and collaboration, two key factors we follow closely.

5. What does Worldpay hope to achieve within the franchising sector in the next 5 years?

Franchises are built around strong and recognisable brands, which is exactly what Worldpay is; a trusted, reliable, and market leading brand. We are thriving to be the go to payments partner in franchising, in the UK and worldwide.

6. What is your favourite quote and why?

"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right “ Henry Ford

It just reminds me of my childhood; my dancing teacher always saying, “there is no such word as can’t!”

7. What are some of your hobbies and interests?

Family time, being surrounded by my family and friends Throw in some boardgames, cards, cocktails, and a dancefloor, I am in heaven!

Discover

Be

The premium franchise opportunity website, Franchiseek, is now live in South Africa. It allows franchisors and franchisees to connect online and make franchise dreams come true. The site also has premium content in the form of news and views that will help potential franchisees to make the life changing decision of joining a franchised network.

Franchiseek has been developed by the team behind Franchiseek globally and Franchise UK, one of the UK’s most successful franchise portals. They have partnered with SA based franchise consulting firm, Franchise Fundi, to launch the site in South Africa.

“I believe that most franchisees do their research online and that there is room in the market for an informative website that showcases premium brands”, says the founder and director of Franchise Fundi, Anita Du Toit. “I was impressed by the professionalism and deep knowledge of the franchise sector the Franchiseek UK team has. It’s a pleasure to work with them”, she continues.

Anita Du Toit founded Franchise Fundi in 2020, and her career spans more than 20 years in the sector. Her experience includes working as a Franchise Specialist at FNB and consulting roles where she assisted various brands with franchise development.

“I believe in the potential of franchising to help alleviate joblessness through the growth of SMEs. We need more franchises and more support for this sector”, she said when speaking to Joel Bissitt of Franchiseek UK.

The website can be found on www.franchise opportunities.co.za and has been live for over two weeks, with an online marketing campaign launched in November. The website already features premium websites in various categories. “We aim to provide potential franchisees with a wide variety of opportunities at various investment levels. In addition, we feature articles that will help franchisees do their research and choose the best franchise suited to their circumstances,” says Du Toit.

Franchisors can benefit from an online lead capturing system and analytics that will give them feedback on their listing performance. There are no fixed contracts, and various advertising packages are available. The site has an online booking and payment facility, simplifying the booking process. Dedicated Google Ad campaigns and specialised SEO will continue to drive traffic to the site.

For more information, please email info@franchise opportunities.co.za or visit www.franchise-opportunities.co.za to book

As a launch offer, advertisers can secure a 20% discount on their ads if booked and paid before 15 December. The site is the ideal launch pad for UK franchises seeking master franchisees in the SA market. Join some big name brands including Cash Converters, HJ Bosch and ACDC Electrical.

What a fantastic year it has been for Tappy Toes!

What a fantastic year it has been for Tappy Toes!

We were delighted to sponsor the Whats On 4 Awards and had a fabulous night out at Mercedes Benz world for the awards. We were awarded Runners up in the Most Loved Dance and Performing Arts category for the second year running!

November also saw the close of our Work Buzz survey. This is an anonymous survey where franchisees are quizzed about every aspect of the business, from support to systems and marketing. We were delighted to be awarded the 5 star franchisee satisfaction with 100% of franchisees stating they were satisfied with the initial training and support given by the franchise! This is an incredible achievement and we were delighted to receive such great feedback.

We have welcomed another 8 new franchises this year: 2 in Scotland (East Dunbartonshire and Glasgow), Nottingham, Kent, Hertford and Ware, Horsham and Crawley, Greenwich and Maidstone. Taking our network to just shy of 30 franchises.

Throughout the Summer months our classes were running on Carnival cruises. Tappy Ted got to travel the world and share our fun and energetic dance classes with even more babies and toddlers.

October and November saw a collaboration with David Ribi from Channel 5’s Milkshake. David was touring our different Tappy Toes venues with a one of a kind Milkshake style dance party, keeping our mini dancers on their toes, shall we say!?

All in all, it’s been a pretty fantastic year for Tappy Toes, despite the economic challenges.

If you are considering a career change during this time, why not find out more about running your own Tappy Toes business? There really is no other job like it! It’s fantastic fun, rewarding and every day in the life of a Tappy Toes business owner is different.

No sitting behind a desk all day, we are up and active and creating life ready children, one dance step at a time. Come and join the dance revolution, with Tappy Toes!

Above: David Ribi from Channel 5’s Milkshake toured different Tappy Toes venues with a Milkshake style dance party

Could You Be The Next Tappy Toes Franchisee?

Find out how you could be your own boss with an award winning brand, get in touch today with the Tappy Toes team.

Women in Marketing Global Awards 2022 Recognises Best Leader in Marketing

South Wales based entrepreneur, Katie Bullon, has been recognised as the Best Leader in Marketing: Agency at the Women in Marketing Global Awards 2022.

Bullon, who also celebrates two years of owning and running the digital marketing franchise, activ Marketing Group, was awarded the accolade at a distinguished awards ceremony at the WPP in London on 16th November, hosted by Global Chief Digital Officer VMLY&R Commerce, Debbie Ellison; a previous WiM award winner.

activ was established in 2008 as a digital marketing franchise, of which, Bullon became a franchisee in 2014, later becoming franchisor in 2020 and expanding the group into three separate business entities with a major rebrand through one of the most difficult economic climates the world has seen

Launched in 2010, the WiM Awards were established to recognise the economic, social influence and impact of women to millions The WiM Awards has given recognition to inspirational women and male equality advocates across the globe, from some of the biggest brands, including Google, HP, Unilever, Burberry, SAP and Live Nation

Bullon said of her award win: “I am totally gobsmacked to have received this Best Leader award To be recognised among some of the world’s top brands and businesses is truly humbling and I feel honoured

I was disappointed not to have been able to attend the awards in person and continue to be inspired by all of the shortlisted candidates Thank you for the recognition and well done to everyone; let’s build on this!”

The global theme of the WiM Awards this year is Evolution, inspiring the introduction of three new categories; Innovation Marketer of the Year, Creative Marketer of the Year and Strategic Planner of the Year, of which, activ’s Head of Marketing, Glenda Barber, was also commended for the latter at the awards ceremony.

Barber said of her commendation: “What an inspirational evening! The commendation means so much to me alongside women with astounding achievements. Thank you.”

WiM had also shortlisted a new team member at activ, only seven months into her role as Marketing Executive, Kathleen Taylor John as One to Watch.

Katie Bullon is franchisor of activ Marketing Group franchise

Glenda Barber , above, was also commended at the awards ceremony

Learn More

CommonFranchisingMythsDebunked

By Sandra James, Founder of The Cat Butler

Introduction

Are you thinking of starting your franchise journey but myths and misconceptions are holding you back? Here at The Cat Butler, we know the facts from the fiction with regards to franchising In this post we look at the most common myths regarding franchises and set them straight!

Myth 1: A Franchise costs more than starting your own business

Compared to starting a business from scratch, a franchise is so often a much better financial decision. One of the main reasons being that a lot of things are included within the initial cost Such as:

•A website within the brand & company email address

•Initial supply of promotional leaflets, branded stationery and business cards

•A pack of branded clothing/uniform

•Bespoke operational software to manage the business

•Training and so much more

There are many different franchise opportunities out there and they all come with varied price tags Depending on the size of the franchise can depend on the cost, some can be started from just a few thousand pounds, offering everything you need to get up and running A number of franchises can

also be run from home, eliminating a business premises and the additional costs, which allows you to get started quickly.

The Cat Butler offers the ability to join an already established and reputable brand Offering low start up costs, everything you need to grow your business and the ability to work from home which gives you the potential to start generating earnings straight away!

Myth 2:

Working With A Franchisor Means No Freedom

It is true that when you join a franchise, you are agreeing to follow the business model This business model is proven to be successful, so this is not such a bad thing!

You have the control of how your branch or territory is run. You will be the one speaking with clients and organising your staff You may be provided with the marketing materials, but you often will be the one doing the marketing for your own business.

Working with a franchise offers the benefit of gaining vital knowledge and experience from your franchisor; they offer support to help you face through the many challenges that come with running a business.

Myth 3: You Need To Be an Expert Within The Industry

This myth goes hand in hand with needing to have run a business previously, and both are strictly false experience is useful but it is not always essential. Joining a franchise is a great way to branch out into a new career path, in an industry you may not have worked in Just make sure you have an interest in the industry you are choosing as a business always works better when there is passion behind the brand!

Franchisors do not typically require you to be a previous business owner, you are provided with all the essential tools it takes to make your business thrive.

At the cat butler we look for people who are mad about cats, professional, reliable, organised and happy to be flexible about their hours of work.

Myth 4: No Time For Yourself

This is definitely true when building a new business from scratch, it requires all of your time to be able to grow a business from the ground up. When joining a franchise, they already have a model on which to build your territory, and most of the hard work has been done for you with regards to the set up. If it's the direction you're looking to go, you may also eventually hire a team of individuals who support the business and keep it running whilst you can have more time for yourself.

Unlike some franchises that need your time from 9 to 5 and sometimes beyond, the Cat Butler’s clients are flexible when it comes to the times of day that the service will be delivered, so you can operate the business around you and your lifestyle. We have also created the franchise model to be straightforward, we do as much of the legwork as we can, giving you the ability to have the time to provide an excellent customer experience in your area.

FancyBeingYourOwnBoss?

Myth 5: A Franchise Will Be Profitable Without Any Hard Work

Wouldn’t that be nice? Though this one is not true, franchises are known for their high success rates and this is driven by the hard work of the franchisees delivering an excellent service to their customers. There is no 100% guarantee of success with any business, you always need to put in the hard work.

Unlike going it alone, being part of a franchise does offer the stability of support, and you have the advantage of being provided with the necessary tools, support and the benefit of the brand already having a solid reputation.

As a new franchisee with the Cat Butler, we would expect that you do the initial cat visits yourself for the first few months, spending time becoming an expert in delivering a premium service, this puts you in the best place to be able to train your staff to the Cat Butler standards.

We have designed The Cat Butler franchise to be run as a management franchise, this means that when you have an increase in the number of regular clients you can then hire self employed sitters to assist with the delivery of your Cat Sitting service.

You will be running your business, marketing, building it up and visiting new clients.

In Conclusion

When you are looking into a franchise investment is it always best to do your research, as with any big decision in life and don’t believe everything you hear, as we know, it could just be a myth!

If you are ready to get started on your franchise journey with The Cat Butler and would like more information, get in touch with us today, we would love to hear from you!

The Cat Butler offers franchisees an opportunity to be their own boss and run a local cat sitting business with support and guidance from an established brand.

Request a Prospectus

FRANCHISE

Established in 2018, Naan Staap is an exciting, traditional but modern, Pakistani theme based café with 3 locations in East London. As the name suggest the café is all about Stuffed Naan, Cakes, Cookies and Desi Karak Chaah (Chai). We believe in serving fresh food therefore all our food is freshly baked inside our kitchen once we receive an order

Naan Staap franchisees can expect a ROI in under 2 years and an Indicative Annual Turnover of £700,000+. Can you see yourself running a Naan Staap franchise? Get in touch to learn more about this booming food and drink franchise.

Screen Rescue is nominated in the QFA Virtual Franchise Awards 2023!

Screen Rescue is nominated in the QFA Virtual Franchise Awards 2023!

Franchisor, Jaime Hilario is delighted to announce the Screen Rescue Mobile Windscreen & Glass Repairs Franchise has been nominated in five categories of the QFA Virtual Franchise Awards 2023

…

Hosted by the QFA and sponsored by #Worldpay, #Barclays, #franchiseek, #Cymphony, #franchiseUK and #Azura, The VFA23 (Virtual Franchise Awards 2023) opened in May, returning online to the franchise world for a third consecutive year.

Jaime said, “We are especially delighted to find ourselves nominated in five of the eight coveted categories this year more category nominations than we received last year!

“It is such an accolade for Screen Rescue to have received nominations in five different categories during the past five months ahead of the nominations closing in just one week. There are so many other exceptional franchise offerings being nominated, it is an honour to be part of this elite event

“We are extremely proud of the franchise team that work so hard behind scenes to ensure each of our franchisees are assisted on a daily basis with a comprehensive catalogue of essential support services, which are vital to their franchise success and enables them to focus entirely on their businesses

Jaime continued, “There are once again eight categories of excellence in the VFA23 Awards and to date, we have been nominated for ‘Best Franchisee Support’, ‘Franchisor of the Year’, ‘Best adaptation to Change’ and ‘Marketing Excellence’.

“We have also nominated last year’s Gold Winner, our very own Screen Rescue Stevenage franchisee, Keith Harrison once again in the coveted category: ‘Franchisee of the Year’ as he has been instrumental in contributing to the teamwork, culture and camaraderie of Screen Rescue this past year as well as growing his outstanding franchise business ”

To learn more about becoming a Screen Rescue franchisee, why not contact our friendly franchise team?

A Win-Win Franchise for you and your clients

Are you looking for a work from home, recession proof franchise, that allows you to work when you want to work giving you the perfect work-life balance?

Utilitrack is a low cost franchise that’s quick and simple to set up and operate. Your income will compound year on year, which enables you to build a valuable saleable asset with attractive residual income.

You’ll no longer need to waste time and money commuting and you can fit your work around your other commitments, giving you more quality leisure time.

Who We’re Looking For

We're looking for people with drive and entrepreneurial spirit, who want to start their own business Our opportunity is based on those all important relationships you already have with people that know, trust and like you We will help you build a successful business through our well established and financially attractive business model, which has already been successfully replicated by more than 45 franchisees

Franchise FAQs

Is it cold calling?

No, all clients are pre validated referrals or introductions.

Is it a one-off sale?

No, it’s based on repeat business, when your client’s contracts renew.

Is it recurring income?

Yes, our renewal retention rate is over 90%.

Can I work when I want?

Yes, with our system you can work when you want to work to suit your lifestyle.

Can I earn £100K per year?

Yes, as income is recurring, it increases year on year, making this a franchisee that creates compound income

I joined Utilitrack just before the pandemic and I’ve never looked back My only regret is I wish I’d done it sooner.

When I was looking for a franchise, there was so much choice out there that I found it really difficult to choose. I wanted a company with a stable and proven franchise model, that would allow me to work with people I wanted to work with and give me a better work life balance Utilitrack gave me that and more

Their model was so simple, that it was almost too easy to be true.

Even though I knew nothing about the commercial utility business, that didn’t matter and it wasn’t a barrier to me joining. All Utilitrack want from me, was the right passion, attitude and commitment and they’ve done the rest. The training and ongoing support I’ve received has been exceptional and has allowed me not only to grow my business, but grow as a person too

Because I’m not a salesperson, the fact that we offer a consultancy service to our clients suits me perfectly. By providing a service that ensures my clients get excellent advice on their utilities spend, I’m consulting, not selling I feel really comfortable with this sort of approach to my business contacts, because those relationships are very important to me The Utilitrack administration team make life really easy for me by producing a simple, easy to

Interested?

PEP’S STORY

A Recession Proof Business

understand market report, with competitive rates from a panel of suppliers The report is tailored to my client’s requirements and in most cases includes their current supplier My clients can then make an informed decision about which supplier to choose and because a switch isn’t always required, there’s no pressure.

I’ve been able to build a business by merely using the contacts that I’d already gathered throughout my life and working with people who know, like and trust me. That business has not only improved my work/life balance, but also allowed me to accumulate passive income that will grow year on year

As I continue to add new clients, that income will grow and compound.

In just my first year, I generated an income for the following 3 years that matched what I was earning as an employee and it was so rewarding to know that this would only increase beyond my wildest expectations. What’s more, it’s proved to be recession proof because businesses will always need gas and electricity. The pandemic wasn’t a barrier to growth and now the with the energy crisis, we have never been so busy.

The fact that I no longer need to waste time and money commuting back and forth to an office has also given me a quality of life I’d only ever dreamed of.

If you’ve been inspired by Pep’s story and would like to learn more about the Utilitrack opportunity, click to our listing to find out more.

Pep discusses his experience as a franchisee with the Utilitrack business utility broker franchise

How To Buy A Franchise In A Recession

With the apparent doom and gloom of the economy and likelihood of a prolonged recession, your appetite for looking into buying a franchise right now might now have stalled

However, now could be one of the best times to do so, have a read of this short article to find out why…

There Is Still An Opportunity For You In Franchising

Now let us get one thing straight from the outset, a franchise should not be seen as a straight replacement for employment, but it is fair to say that often individuals investigate franchising, not just in turbulent times, as a way for some level of security.

There Are A Number Of Reasons To Buy A Franchise In A Recession

Look at the historical facts of franchising first, you might well be able to look around on the very site you are reading this article on to find some information on the history of franchising, if not, just do some extended research on your browser, the good news about the franchising sector is that is has been around for probably longer than you realise, at least several

decades and within that some economic resets! And as such, there will be lots of data online to show you any impact of the economy, this is good news for you!

5 Factors To Consider A Franchise Right Now

There will be more of course, but just to highlight a few in this short article:

You typically will not be the very first to buy into a proven model, at least one other has done this before you, this will undoubtably be the Franchisor, or early adopter franchisees, therefore you own chance of success will have considerably increased, you just need to follow the system!

Most Franchisors have a system in place to teach anyone, regardless of background, how to operate their franchise.

This is excellent news for you, now you might be able to look at industries outside your natural skill set, great if you feel that the market you know about will be hit harder than others in a recession, although, for completeness, you should still have a passion for whatever it is you are looking to do!

ArticlebyRichardPakey

Franchisors will be more strategic about the future with any threat of recession or economic downturn is presented, so you can follow that system and not have to necessarily deal with this element by yourself, after all, franchising is all about being in business for yourself, but not by yourself

Before buying any franchise, you will be able to get all the facts and figures before you even part with a single penny! This will vary immensely from starting your own business, which is often done on a whim, no need for this when buying a franchise!

Others have done this before you, and they will be a great resource for you Check out any franchise resales in the franchise brand you are looking into, talk to them as well as other franchisees, they will be non competing anyway, there is nothing stopping you from talking to them at the appropriate stage!

There Are Risks To Mitigate

It is fair to say that your decision to enter franchising needs to be for the long term, not least because you will probably be entering a contract for a prolonged period, so let us look at other elements you should also be considering

Finance is this still readily available, you might find that some financial institutions decide to pull back from the amount of lending that they were once offering, there are some great schemes still available though, regardless of this

A brand new Franchisor we looked earlier in this report about historical data, one advantage of buying a franchise that is new, is that you will probably be offered some ‘early adopter incentives’ this can bring higher rewards, although there is an increased risk of course

Buying any franchise can take time you should fully research all options before fully committing, so factor what you do during this time, should you keep your job and do your research in your downtime? It might be that you have been made redundant for example, and whilst it might take a few months to actually commit to a franchise, this will have an impact of your own financials of course.

Working capital the funds to buy any franchise is often just the start, think about the cash requirements of the business moving forwards, ensure you can sustain this, getting this point wrong can be extremely costly and hamper the growth of your business.

Recessions Do Not Last Forever!

It is too easy to play into all the doom and gloom isn’t it! However, it will turn a corner at some point, and if you have come into franchising for all the right reasons, then factored in the positives and negatives, then also built your own solid business, imagine what great shape you will be in as we come out of any recession.

A Poor Outlook For Some, Great News For Others!

Let us look at some at some scenarios that might be presented in the coming months, obviously this is sad and disappointing for many, but there is opportunity there for you as well

Sites and locations you might find they become more readily available with landlords willing to accept preferential commercial terms

Staff this has been more of a problem of late, could more people looking for alterative jobs be the outcome to fix this? Often it will also drive down salary demands, Franchisor incentives franchisors will want more franchisees, see what they might be willing to offer to help you make your decision now.

Stay Focused!

If you are serious about a franchise, you will do your research, this will often become very apparent to the franchisor with the questions you put to them, asking for example how long they have been operating is not a good question, you’d be expected to know this! That said, if you don’t ever feel that your questions have been answered, the good news for you and franchising is that there are always more options, so power to you!

One more thing to remember, there are no recession proof franchises, no matter what anyone tells you! However, some franchise businesses are recession resistant and hold up better in a down market.

The franchise community is very friendly, ask anyone for an opinion, I’m sure they will be only too happy to assist!

Pakey Lime Licensing Group

Article By Richard

Contact Richard

Business Owners – How Big Should Your Franchise Territories Be?

When you are planning on growing your brand by selling franchise territories, size really does matter but perhaps not in the way you might think

If you want to attract potential franchisees, you will want to convince them that they will have the best opportunities for success

And as they develop their businesses and are able to compare their results with fellow franchisees, you’ll want them to see that you have given them all the same best chance to grow.

After all, happy franchisees make for a better business and a better reputation for your brand

But if you want to give franchisees as many opportunities as possible, surely franchise areas should be as large as possible and follow existing geographic boundaries?

The truth is that there are many factors that need to be considered when setting up new territories, or reassessing your existing franchise areas.

And it’s actually these factors that will help you determine the right size for your franchise territories and your franchise network (spoiler they’re not necessarily big or the same size!).

Choosing franchise territories based purely on whether they are comparable sizes, or drawing them up in reference to current geographical factors such as county boundaries and postcodes/zip codes, means that you ignore a huge amount of useful data that will help you create fairer, more profitable but not necessarily same size franchise areas

The key is in sourcing the most relevant and useful data for your business and having it presented in an easy to understand way that you can use to define franchise areas based on fact rather than gut instinct

Using a Location Intelligence System helps you to see and make sense of the right data for your business, enabling you to create franchise territories that are equitable and fair and which you can show potential and existing franchise holders to demonstrate how you have given them the best possible chance of success.

One of these is Tech4T’s Territory Runner system that clearly displays essential and relevant information on fully interactive maps that can be interrogated from postcode/zip code level all the way through to national or even international level.

Let’s look at some of the factors that influence the best size for a franchise territory.

It’s important that every franchisee feels that the territory they have been allocated is capable of delivering for their business and has the same chance of success as that of fellow franchisees

Deciding territories based on equal size may seem fair, but when you drill down to the practicalities, having enough customers within easy reach should be the real benchmark.

Customers

Who are your customers and where are they? Customers are the lifeblood of any business so it makes sense to make them a priority when planning your franchise territories.

It doesn’t always follow that a bigger territory will have enough of the right customers for your kind of business. The population may be sparse and even if the population is dense, there may not be enough of the ideal target customers for a franchise business to survive.

Data such as population density, age, gender and location, plus behavioural information such as day to day activities, hobbies, and purchase history can all help identify the right customers and where they live and how they spend their time.

Access How easy is it for customers to get to a franchise or for your franchisees to reach customers?

A bigger area could be more difficult, time consuming, and costly for a franchisee to cover, not only in terms of visits to customers, but also for marketing purposes.

It’s also worth considering whether customers will be less likely to visit a franchise location if they have to travel a long distance. Are transport links sufficient to help them reach the business easily?

About Tech4T

Competition

How much competition is there in each franchise territory area and on its borders?

Competition can be a major threat to businesses and problems can come from within as well as outside the proposed franchise area

In addition, creating franchise territories that are too small can lead to neighbouring franchisees fighting over the same customers. And creating territories that are too large means franchisees are more likely to come up against competitors from other businesses.

Your profits

Have you enough franchise territories to sell? While making franchise territories too large can cause problems for the franchisee, it can also affect your finances. A franchisee may be unable to ever cover their whole area so that’s wasted sales potential in the long run.

It often makes more financial sense for your business to have more smaller territories to sell than a few larger ones.

Conclusion

Tech4T’s Territory Runner system and expertise in franchise mapping can help you make the right territory size decisions for your franchise network.

And as it’s vital for you and your brand to build a good relationship with franchisees, the system can also help you share information with them that will demonstrate that while their territory may not be the same size as others geographically speaking, they do have the same sales opportunities to make their franchise business a success.

If you’re a franchisor or considering expanding by franchising your brand you’ll have unique needs when it comes to mapping territories. Tech4T work with the latest, most robust demographic and business data to help you create a successful franchise network. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help you.

Meet Andreas Aresti

Andreas is Master Franchisee for ColorGlo UK, the UK’s leading restoration franchise Andreas discusses a bit about himself and the Color Glo Franchise in the UK

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1. Who are you and what is your role with Color Glo?

I have been an entrepeneur since 1996, began my Color Glo business in 2013 and currently the Managing Director of Color Glo UK.

2. What does Color Glo do?

Color Glo are the world market leaders in leather, vinyl, plastic, fabric and carpet restoration since 1972, with footprint in over 54 countries and still growing.

3. Why is Color Glo a smart investment for entrepreneurs?

You’re investing in a world class ranked franchise (running over 10 years consecutively), categorised in a low cost investment sector, with accreditation as a top 100 best selling franchise globally. With the rising cost of living, Color Glo is ideally positioned by being a ‘low overheads’ business.

4. What do you look for in a potential franchisee?

An enthusiastic and passionate individual with an understanding of the potential market sectors, and a willingness to work with their hands.

5. How many franchisees do you currently have?

Currently we have 3 franchisees.

6. Please tell me how Color Glo supports its franchisees?

Amongst but not limited too;

24/7 Technical support group ∙ Product updates ∙ Social media marketing ∙ Training workshops

∙ Shows and exhibitions ∙

Lead generation

∙ Annual seminar

Whatsapp support chat group

7. What are your plans for growth over the next 5 years?

I have always believed in the ideaology that a successful Color Glo business should be to provide premium service, maintain sustainability and growth will be inevitable. Color Glo UK has circumvented this, through and post Covid successfully by maintaining year on year contracts with current and new service providers, and applying defining annual strategies for the future, which have ensured our year on year growth.

8. Do you have any discovery days upcoming? Are you attending any upcoming franchising events?

We regularly exhibit at shows and exhibitions (pre Covid), and will resume soon. However the need for restoration, due to the impact of Covid has shown a growth pattern reported by our Color Glo’ers, and I have discovered this with a mutual consensus found by most of our global partners as well.

I pride ourselves therefore as a being a “recession proof” business and specific emphasis to the rising costs of the living crisis, is mitigated by being active with mobile operations and low personnel requirements, being testament to maintaining lucrative profits

9. What has been your best achievement in the past year?

Reports of monthly growth from current franchisees, and having being of service to several cruise ships across the UK.

10. What are your interests and hobbies? What do you do to relax?

I enjoy the opportunity to travel and explore, reading (when given the opportunity), die cast avid collector, and enjoy home gardening projects

Interested in learning more?

If you’d like to know more about becoming a franchisee with Color Glo, click below to learn more about franchise opportunities with leading specialist in upholstery and colour restoration

We caught up with franchisee, James Ekhator, who joined eDivert in September 2021

Having always wanted to run his own business, James was attracted to eDivert because of the type of services that were offered He liked the broad variety and also the fact that he would learn skills related to every part of the business

He also liked the flexibility as he explains here: “I am an engineer by profession and I’m now transitioning between that and becoming a business owner

To do that, I need to run both activities side by side for a short time and the flexibility offered by eDivert makes that easy to do I’m part time engineer and part time eDivert but I plan for that to move to full time eDivert as soon as possible ”

In terms of his early experiences with eDivert, James found one thing really stood out and that was the training he received

“I’m delighted with the training I’ve been given. It has helped me understand how to set up and run my own business. It includes everything from how to register the business to running the finances and I now feel totally confident in something I had no real experience of before ”

James has taken on his first client during his first month, showing what a quick start an eDivert franchise brings

“I’m really pleased to have got my first client so quickly, especially as it was someone from my own network

However, I wouldn’t have spotted the opportunity if it weren’t for the mentoring I’ve had from eDivert. eDivert franchisees receive mentoring from a professional mentor, to help them work through the steep learning curve that comes with this new role James explained how this mentoring helped him understand how to pitch the services to prospects

How will YOU feel after your first month as an eDivert franchisee?

Another option available to franchisees is the chance to work within eDivert’s own franchise network

Franchisees can choose to carry out projects for one another, something which is particularly useful is they can trade those tasks they’re not so keen on. James used this opportunity to experience some of the services that were new to him

“I spent some time delivering some of the telephone answering services within the eDivert franchise network and it meant that I could better understand what I needed to deliver to my clients.”

In terms of advice to anyone considering buying in to a franchise business, James is clear:

“I’d say you definitely need to do your homework to ensure the business you choose is one that is right for your own needs. I’d recommend asking as many questions as you can eDivert were very happy to answer loads and speak to some existing franchisees too.

Once you’ve researched it and you’re happy, absolutely go for it. It’s a great way to start a business and be certain you have all the structure in place to be a success ”

About eDivert

The eDivert franchise is a unique business opportunity with low overheads and high profit margins Where in many industries, like recruitment and home care, profit margins of only 20% are achieved, our business model achieves 50% to 80%.

Unlike a traditional franchise, you don’t buy a geographical area. This means that if you move to a different area in the UK or even abroad, your business will not be affected. It also means that you can take on customers from anywhere in the UK. As part of the eDivert network, you will have the opportunity to take work on from other franchisees and from head office, which allows you to grow your business 3 times faster than when you start on your own.

Once you get too busy yourself, you can take on staff or just outsource some of your work to other franchisees within the network, knowing that they have received the same training as you have and share the same values.

In the eDivert network, franchisees are completely independent, but at the same time truly work together, with ongoing support from head office.

Our business model offers the SOLUTION to a perfect work life balance.

To find out more about franchise opportunities with eDivert, why not sign up for our next discovery webinar or request a prospectus. Click below. Get in Touch

James Ekhator has been a part of the eDivert network since September 2021

HOW TO OPEN A FAST FOOD FRANCHISE

A GUIDE TO OWNING A FRANCHISE IN ONE OF THE MOST LUCRATIVE SECTORS IN THE WORLD

How to open a fast food franchise?

Looking for a franchise with more bite?

Discover fast food franchises

With the growing popularity of fast food businesses, you may be wondering how you can get your slice of the pie by purchasing a fast food franchise, but it is essential you know how to buy a food franchise and what research is required before you make this decision.

In this article, we will cover why fast food franchises are such popular investments, what to research before investing, and how to open one of these franchises.

Why are fast food franchises so popular?

There are several reasons why fast food franchises are so popular, but let us cover the basics first of why fast food franchises are becoming increasingly popular:

Fast food franchises usually come with low franchise fees

One of the main reasons fast food franchises are so popular is because these types of business opportunities come with lower franchise fees than other types of food franchises, such as fine dining restaurant franchises

The demand for fast food is higher than ever before

According to various reports, during the COVID pandemic, there was unsurprisingly a decrease in restaurant dining This is another reason why fast food demand is higher than ever before since restaurant dining decreased drastically, but fast food takeaways grew in orders.

Fast food franchises are easy to market

Many franchisees find the marketing process is much easier with a fast food franchise since there are more taglines to get the local community interested in your fast food restaurant, such as “looking for a bargain?” this kind of marketing cannot be done with a fine dining restaurant as fast food attracts a different customer base.

Huge potential customer base

Last but not least, another crucial factor about why fast food franchises are so popular and successful is because they are not limited to a small customer base as they appeal to all demographics since most people like fast food, whether it’s just a quick lunch or a craving it’s cheap so it appeals to everyone whereas fine dining restaurants may have a customer base of people with a higher income, but they are also constrained compared to a fast food restaurants customer base.

How to buy a fast food franchise?

Now that you know why fast food franchises are so popular, we will now let you know how you can take the plunge to run your own fast food restaurant.

Step 1) Browse food franchises using a franchise directory.

The first step to finding your ideal fast food franchise is to browse an online franchise directory providing many different business opportunities available.

This will help you make a shortlist of about 5 or 10 fast food franchises that would suit your needs.

Step 2) Contact the fast food franchises you have an interest in

Now you have your shortlist. The next step is to contact these franchises. This process is straightforward if you use a franchise directory. All you need to do is fill out a contact form with basic information, and upon sending this information, you should receive information from that particular franchise soon.

Step 3) Meet the franchisor and ask questions.

It’s always best to meet the franchisor as soon as possible to ask any questions you may have about their franchise. This will allow you not to waste any time.

This way, if you decide a specific fast food franchise is not suitable for you, move on to the next one on your list as soon as possible.

This will save you plenty of time and money, especially if you are travelling to meet each franchisor.

Step 4) Secure capital and make an investment.

Once you have found your ideal fast food franchise opportunity, the next step is to secure the capital you need for your franchise business and pay the initial franchise fee

This is a standard cost in franchising and is used by most fast food franchises. Then after this, all you will need to do is pay a royalty each month

Step 5) Choose a franchise location for your fast food franchise.

Choosing the right location for your franchise will dramatically increase the chances of your fast food franchise succeeding. Some fast food franchises may not require a physical location, such as the Local Eats franchise.

For example, this franchise is an online takeaway ordering franchise and is a competitor to the well known Just Eat food delivery service. Online fast food franchises such as these will come with a lower franchise fee as a physical location is not needed helping you see a faster return on your investment

If you are interested in buying a fast food franchise with a physical location, we recommend you discuss this with the franchisor or a franchise consultant.

Step 6) Open your fast food restaurant.

Once you have paid all your fees and your physical location for your fast food franchise is set up, you can open your fast food franchise for its first day of business

Final thoughts on fast food franchises

We hope this short guide will help you find your ideal fast food franchise. As you can see from what we covered above, fast food franchises are a very popular type of franchise opportunity and are becoming increasingly popular, suggesting that now may be the time to invest in your financial future.

However, if you have read the article and want to learn more about franchising before pursuing a fast food franchise, we understand and recommend you check out a franchise directory such as Franchise UK to find your ideal franchise.

FRANCHISE RESALES

Kick start your future with an already trading franchise business for sale

Browse a range of franchise resale opportunities with Franchise Entrepreneur

5 reasons on why buying an established franchise is so beneficial:

The business is already up and running All the groundwork has been done for you, all you need to do is pick up the reins where the previous owner left off, allowing you to immediately start generating revenue.

The business has a proven track record One huge benefit is that there will already be existing contracts, brand recognition, a reputation and revenue to build upon.

It can be easier to obtain funding With the performance history of the business, the banks may look more favourably at lending money; making it easier to fund your new business venture than if you were to start from scratch.

Staff – Existing staff can bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to a new owner; they can help ensure a seamless transition from one owner to another.

Support and Training The franchisor will provide you with resources, connections, training and continuous support, which will help you avoid mistakes that might cost your company time or money! Furthermore, with a network of franchisees available to draw support and ideas from, you are not alone in your new business venture.

Agency Express Franchise Resales

Opportunities Available Across the UK

Join The UK’s Largest National Estate Agency Board Franchise

At any one time there are approximately 1.5 million estate agency boards displayed on the streets of the UK and Ireland.

Agency Express franchisees and their vehicles are responsible for serving over 60% of UK estate agency offices.

Franchising for over two decades, Agency Express is a ‘bfa HSBC Franchisor of the Year ‘and ‘ESTAS Estate Agency Supplier of the Year’ multi award winner.

As a result of this, the next owner of these resales will be able to take advantage of the support that a successful franchise model can offer.

Agency Express resale opportunities would suit a self motivated, practical, and driven person who enjoys meeting people and working outdoors. There is also excellent potential to expand this business into a multi van operation.

What’s Included:

• Exclusive territory license

• Fully sign written van*

• Specialist tools & equipment.

• Corporate clothing

• Stationery and marketing materials

• 8 days comprehensive training & business launch

• On going accounts, marketing, and sales support

• £5,000,000 public liability insurance The premium paid on your first 12 months

Interested?

Click below to request more information about taking control of one of the two resale areas available. Request

Agency Express

Location: Offers Around: Kent £POA

A unique opportunity has become available to join the highly successfully Agency Express franchise in a select number of areas across Kent

Do you have a desire to run your own business and to benefit from a better work life balance? Are you self motivated, practical and do you enjoy working outside? If the answer is YES then the Agency Express van-based franchise could be perfect for you!

Request Info

Agency Express

Location: Offers Around: Bucks £POA

Due to relocation a rare opportunity has risen to acquire a well established van based franchise, located in Buckinghamshire with Agency Express, the UK’s largest provider of professional estate agency board services. This franchise resale is an owner operated, single van business, covering Aylesbury and the surrounding towns and villages The next owner will benefit from being able to service a strong portfolio of existing clients. Due to the current franchisee boasting an excellent reputation within the local area, this business is ready to continue running in a successful manner Request Info

Agency Express

Location: Offers Around: Essex/Suffolk £POA

A rare opportunity has risen to acquire a well-established van-based franchise, located in either Suffolk or Essex with Agency Express, the UK’s largest provider of professional estate agency board services. This franchise resale would be sold as a single van business, covering the areas of Northern Essex or Southern Suffolk. The current franchisee is the owner of two territories and wishes to scale back to one

Franchise UK is the UK’s largest franchise directory with over 1,000 businesses looking to recruit franchisees to their growing franchise networks. With opportunities in all sectors, from van based businesses to white collar and retail, franchises cost anywhere from less than £500 up to high end businesses and brands.

There Has Never Been a Better Time to Own a Franchise in the Commercial Energy Sector

Imagine owning a business where:

You give clients clarity and choice in a confusing and expensive market.

You don’t have to ‘sell’ what you supply as no client can operate without your product.

You get paid even if your clients stay with their existing supplier.

You don’t have to cold call or knock on doors.

Typical clients stay with you for at least three years.

You’ll be helping businesses to go green.

How is your year going?

Are you any closer to leaving the drudgery, politics and nausea of employment to set up your own business?

The great news is you don’t have to do it alone. That’s the beauty of a Utilitrack franchise You’ll get the benefits of a reliable business model that can build your wealth, a back office team to support you on your journey and a smile generating work life balance that’ll make your former colleagues jealous A little over a year ago, most business owners didn’t care much about their gas and electricity bills

They knew they had to pay them or their business would be closed, but that was about it. Once every two or three years they might have to enter a new contract, but other than that, things just ticked over. That’s not the case now A year on and the energy crisis is constantly in the news. Business owners are worried

Interested?

about spiralling energy prices.

For some, their suppliers went bust, leaving them on uncapped rates and needing help fast For others, they are coming to the end of low cost contracts and facing price hikes of between 300% and 400% and wondering what is going to happen next. These huge increases will hit their bottom line and might not only wipe out any profits but could even force them to cease trading.

It’s critical these businesses take action now and call in an expert to help them get a grip of their energy costs That expert could be you. What’s more, clients you help who are in crisis will form the foundation of your long term business when normality returns if it ever does.

Request a brochure now and if you like what you see, we can set up a discovery meeting where you’ll find out just how simple and effective a Utilitrack franchise can be.