Remember that a great looking website and glossy brochures are the front door to every franchise – but look very carefully at what’s inside.
What size is the team supporting you and how experienced are they?
What level of support will you receive after your initial induction training?
Who is there to help you when things don’t go to plan?
You need experienced and trusted support throughout your journey as a franchise owner, from day one to year 10 plus. Speak to existing franchise owners to make sure this is already in place and that the franchisor has the team, resources and finance to fully support you to achieve success.
If you are investing in your future, both financially and for the long term, make sure they are investing in you too!
Choosing a growing and stable sector is an obvious choice, but it also needs to align with your personal values. How passionate are you about the sectors you’re looking into? Does the industry require any relevant experience or does it offer all the training you need? Are there independent reports on the stability and predicted growth of the industry?
The home care industry makes for the perfect choice for a prospective franchise owner. It’s growing, stable, pandemic- and recession-proof and wholly rewarding. It provides an excellent return on investment and, you don’t need care experience.
Home care is a booming market worth £9.5bn in the UK (Source: Laing Buisson – 2018/19) and around 958,000 people in the UK are receiving home care (Source: homecare.co.uk). With the ageing population ever increasing and 9 out of 10 people wanting to receive care in their own homes (Source: Saga Populus Survey) home care is a great choice for owning a franchise and creating a profitable future.
You invest in a franchise because you receive a business model that has already seen success – but how often and for how long? When you buy into a franchise that has been around a long time, you’re benefitting from their experience, their practices and policies, and a proven business model. At Caremark, we have over 17 years’ of franchising experience with more than 110 offices in the UK. Over the years, we have adapted and honed our model to what it is today – a successful, easy-to follow home care franchise business.
When you start out in business, support and guidance is key to keeping you on track and setting you up for success. The franchisor’s head office will be paramount to your early wins and future growth. What expertise can the leadership team offer you?
More often than not, a newer franchisor will have less head office staff than one that has been going a number of years. Will the support level meet your requirements? The support team at Caremark’s franchise support centre is extensive. The local support is second to none, with one Regional Support Manager guiding and supporting you with your business development and one Regional Quality Manager, who supports your Care Manager and your Care team on all care-related matters. The Franchise Support Centre also has marketing, IT support and training teams that are dedicated to supporting the network of franchise owners at all times. The entire Caremark support team are dedicated to assisting in maximising business growth – we care as much about our franchise owners’ business as they do. When starting on your franchising journey, be sure to undertake extensive research and dig into these subjects in great detail.
Time well spent now will hold you in good stead for the future.
This article comes courtesy of Caremark Limited, the REAL care company!
