[Sean Dyer]

Just wondered if any of you lads got started through a franchise and how you found it??

Just before you ask, no im not, and never will as i am growing happily alone,

I know its easy to knock being a franchise as many will , but i think for someone who has a good work ethic but needs some help and a team behnd them its a good way to start, i knew a chap who drove buses 60 hrs a week, never seen his family, and hated his job, it was suggested he take a look at franchises, he bought into a company that fixed dents and scratches on cars, he never looked back he loves his job and has a good wage,

There are downsides obviously such as paying out alot of cash and having a percentage to kick up in some cases, but there is obviously something attractive about it for some??

So anyone doing it??

[Paul_Rolfe]

If they was in a franchise then they wouldn't have started on here. Noone in their right mind would buy a w/c franchise.

[Alistair@AWC]

If they was in a franchise then they wouldn't have started on here. Noone in their right mind would buy a w/c franchise.

And who in there right mind would buy into a sandwich shop franchise!  :

Oh, everyone who owns a Subway!!

[Sean Dyer]

some have and do!

Just because it isnt your ideal option doesn't mean it isnt someone elses, i was asking for people who have, not people who haven't

[Paul_Rolfe]

Well noone's come on and said they have yet! To embarassed I expect.   

Look there's a BIG difference between a sandwich chain and a w/c franchise.

[bluez]

Franchise posts always bring out the "are you mad" brigade. I am not involved in a franchise but I have been involved in non window cleaning franchises in my former life and found them to be like everything in life mixed. Some good and some bad.

I would definately join a franchise for window cleaning if they could provide me with the following benifits.

1. 20% of my turnover via national accounts, doesnt have to be my most profitable work but does have to be consistant and do-able in all weathers.

2. Regular one off referals from their marketing efforts either via web sites or local advertising.

3. Professional Printed materials at low cost at least every 1/4 for publication in my local papers or for use leafleting. (distribution at my cost)

4. Discounts on consumerables negotiated with suppliers (brushes, poles, uniforms, resin etc) Discounts should at least amount to 1/3 of my fees.

5. Discounts on insurance for vehicles and el & pl

6.  Free membership of trade associations.

7. Access to comprehensive health & safety templates and regular updates of same.

8. Access to accounting packages and round managing software at reduced rates.

9. Support in the form of about 4 training days a year in areas such as closing sales, tendering, safety and equipment changes.

I would see the trade off as being that I can then concentrate on doing profitable work instead of spending all my time dealing with web sites, printers, suppliers etc

Dont know if the % I would be prepared to pay would make it viable for a franchise to supply the above which is probably why there arnt too many wc franchises.

Fish window cleaning in the US seem to be going from strength to strength.

I wonder about a commercial wc franchise as opposed to domestic.

[Sean Dyer]

Good post that Bluez

Franchises can be extremely successful in the right hands - mcdonalds, need i say more haha

But certainly window cleaning would be a much more difficult arena to run it, but like you say bluez, if such things were offered to let you save money in some areas, and just concentrate on running it , then that percentage would be worth while, also if there was a company that created a huge brand and you could buy into that, that is invaluable!

[mark dew]

ian lancaster who comes here sometimes has set up a franchise.

[ronnie paton]

that is correct and i think he has sold four franchises and says he is close to retiring and still earning a good living so it most defo can work for some

[S.A.J]

www.ianlancasterwindowcleaner.co.uk

[Helen]

Well noone's come on and said they have yet! To embarassed I expect.   

Look there's a BIG difference between a sandwich chain and a w/c franchise.

No there isn't. Both are a business, providing a service to the public, unless of course you (general not personal you) view wc'ing as only a job.

[Sean Dyer]

Well noone's come on and said they have yet! To embarassed I expect.   

Look there's a BIG difference between a sandwich chain and a w/c franchise.

No there isn't. Both are a business, providing a service to the public, unless of course you (general not personal you) view wc'ing as only a job.

Exactly

Makes you wonder how many people in this economic climate would buy into a window cleaning franchise

[dave0123]

I have heard there are window cleaning franchises where you pay all your franshise money and get all your equipment then have to go out and get your own jobs by knocking or whatever.

I think Ian lancaster's is the best way of doing it him providing them with work from day one and that looks attractive system.

Ideal for married people with a family were they can run there own widnow cleaning franshise under ian lancaster earn from day one working hours they want thin its smashing 

[Londoner]

When you buy a franchise you are buying the name, nothing else, but you may find a name like Subway is worth paying money for.

With a window cleaning franchise its harder to see what you get for your money. Most of the ones I have seen have been pretty hollow and are no more than a plan and a bit of training.

Its my impression that most of the people who take up window cleaning franchises come from a position of total ignorance having had no previous experience in the business. Probably the most likely route into franchises are through redundancy or from the payoff you get when you leave the services.

Its interesting to note that the franchise companies stay well away from trying to sell at places like Windex but instead advertise at Franchise Exhibitions and in the Franchise magazines. Its as though they are trying to attract window cleaning virgins. I could be cynical and say they are looking for mugs.

Franchising as a whole is big business and its a good business at the top end with names like McD and Subway. At the bottom end there are some very dodgy dealers around who appear to me to be selling something that is little more than a scam.

I have spoken to a man with an oven cleaning franchise when he was working at one of my customers. It was a very revealing conversation. Basically, after the initial training course you are on your own. The only reason he is scraping by is because other franchisees around him have thrown in the towel and are referring any enquiries his way.

[Paul_Rolfe]

Best reply yet on the subject Vince G.

[daniel worgan]

Yeh wonder what happened to Paul C Smiths franchise.....is he still lurking around?

[ftp]

I looked into a locksmith franchise, an oven cleaning franchise and have since looked at a windowcleaning franchise in Bristol. Concept20 is bordering on a franchise the way they push their systems.

The problem with the franchises I looked at was that all the cards are decked very heavily in the hands of the franchise company and very little for the franchisee.

[bluez]

I always finf discussions on wc franchising interesting because on the face of it, it is the perfect business to franchise.

A service, repeat business, short duration work, low skill levels, fairly high demand across all regions, high visability and good potential for add ons.

But when you look into it a bit more deeply the potential turnover per man is not high enough for more the one feeding from the trough. It is my opinion that for a franchise to be succesful in window cleaning it must add value so that it can achieve a consistantly higher price in the market than the sole trader and so far no one has come up with a way to do that.

eg A sole trader in my area can turn over €1000 a week which means that after all expenses he is ahead of the national average income and probably happy enough with 6 / 700 a week.

But for a franchise to be viable it has to convince a man like the one above to do the same work but pay €10k to get started and give a slice of turnover back each week, that immeadiately sets the bar higher in terms of turnover and unless the first guy was only working 25 hours a week for his €1000 then the only way to do it is to charge a higher per hour cost or work longer hours.

An agency type scheme may be more suitable for window cleaning than franchising based on this, where existing window cleaners get referals in exchange for a price per job.

 

 

[Paul_Rolfe]

I wish I could have put it as well as Vince G and bluez.

Bang on the money.

[gerard mcmanus]

I personal think window cleaning is more suited for the sole trader. When or if you are a larger window cleaning company and VAT etc comes into there really isn't a whole lot left in my opinion to start paying a franchise company a percent of profits, so I would say it will stump the growth of your business giving you an extra expense you don't need.

That is why I think so many people comment on fish window cleaning and there employees making very little money. Which becomes even worse when the sales people try to force there way into an area and undercut others, only tightening there own belts.

I once read some where on-line who was basically giving them a bad review after his own experience and someone else responded, saying "you have to work hard etc, I have a WC franchise with fish window cleaning and after four years hard work, I have now started making a profit.".

Feck that, four years without profit, it was hardly selling there positives. I would further speculate that most who may have failed with a franchise like fish window cleaning may have did a better job themselves.

People who a really serious about making a go at something should do there homework, run some figures together, you see so many new starts on here asking how much so I charge. how much do you want to earn? how much are you going to have to payout, how many customer do you think you could do? after that its just simple maths.

I think franchises like greggs etc. are very different, as they have there own recipes etc., that make selling there product easy because it has been tested in the market. Window Cleaning is a simple service that with some practice can be done quickly using professional tools, and is relatively easy to make money at if you do your homework, so why would you need a franchise. They are suppose to do something for you that would otherwise be difficult on your own.