CHOOSING A FRANCHISE – Ensuring that you choose a business that is right for you is essential if you want the business to be successful and you are going to enjoy what you are doing. There is plenty of advice out there about how to choose a franchise but the reality of actually following the advice can be tricky. Many people will choose a franchise because they believe they have ‘experience in the sector’ or they ‘know all about it’ rather than because they will actually be good at it and enjoy it – the two criteria we believe are essential to choosing your franchise.

What Do We Do?

We will discuss with you why you are looking to take on a franchise business and assess your strengths, experiences and find out what you really like to do. We will then be in a position to recommend certain industry sectors we think you would be suitable for. Once we have established the correct industry sectors for you we can begin searching for suitable franchise businesses that fall within your budget and geographical constraints.

FRANCHISE RESALES – If you are looking to acquire a trading franchise business we can match you to existing resale opportunities, provide an introduction to Franchisors and financial institutions that can provide funding, give an independent valuation of the business and even assist with negotiations. Likewise if you are looking to sell your trading franchise we can offer a similar service and help you to market it.

ASSISTANCE WITH DUE DILIGENCE – Once you have found a franchise business that you think is suitable and that you would enjoy running then you need to make sure it ‘does what it says on the tin’. Naturally the type of due diligence that needs to be undertaken heavily depends on the business model and sector that it is in however some of the things we can help you with include:

•     Contacting existing Franchisees for their feedback

•     Contacting existing or past customers of the service for their feedback

•     Reviewing the training and operations materials including the Operations Manual

•     Reviewing the Franchise Agreement (disclaimer bit: we are not solicitors but we have

      seen many different franchise agreements and have a good grasp of what should and

      should not be included here)

•     Reviewing revenue and cash forecasts and earning potential and modelling best and

      worse case scenarios

•     Establishing ownership of trademarks and intellectual property

•     Establishing the financial security and status of the franchisor

We are even happy to attend meetings with the Franchisor in an advisory capacity – if there is something you want help with just ask and we will make it happen.

DISPUTE MEDIATION – Occasionally Franchisors and Franchisees can fall out and often the main cause is just poor communication between either or both parties. Sadly we have some considerable experience in this area and therefore thought that we should put it to good use. We offer a service to both Franchisees and Franchisors where we will place ourselves in-between the parties and try and find a mutually acceptable solution for both parties. This can be done in face to face meetings or via the phone and written correspondence. The outcome is by no means legally binding however if the matter progresses to the courts our report and recommendations can be presented by both parties. In such a situation our role is completely neutral.

DEVELOPING YOUR FRANCHISE BUSINESS – Just like any other business it is important to build a solid customer base (if the model allows for regular repeat custom) and ensure you have sufficient levels of sales. We offer business development solutions for new and existing Franchisees to help boost sales. Again the methods depend on the business model but some of the things we can do include:

•  Networking and business development training – showing you ways to find new customers

•  Sales training – helping you to convert enquiries into sales

•  Developing your marketing materials and promotional literature

•  Reviewing your current advertising campaign and seeing where more enquiries can

   be generated. We may also be able to negotiate better rates for you.

•  Creation or review of your web presence, search engine optimisation and Pay Per Click campaigns

•  Creation or review of your social media presence

•  Ongoing support and guidance

If any of the services above are of interest please call us or email us via the contact form to discuss your needs.