Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: sunshine windows on April 13, 2015, 08:08:47 am

Title: Flying solo
Post by: sunshine windows on April 13, 2015, 08:08:47 am
Well, that's been 2 months already since taking on my first 2 franchisee's.

No training needed for one of them as he's been working for me for nearly 7 years.

The other fella was trained up from scratch, so I kept him with me for 2 months, working his and my round at the same time.  This gave me a chance to introduce him to most of the customers that are normally at home, also to explain the changes.

Have to say he's doing great!, hopefully the first of many more to come.

Happy Monday people 😀

Title: Re: Flying solo
Post by: Ian101 on April 13, 2015, 08:19:58 am
that's good to hear glad its worked out for you ... im thinking more and more of going this route but will be next year before I have enough customers again ...................... what level of turnover did you start them with if u don't mind saying
Title: Re: Flying solo
Post by: Ian101 on April 13, 2015, 08:23:50 am
£2500 just took a nosey at website  :)
Title: Re: Flying solo
Post by: sunshine windows on April 13, 2015, 08:44:17 am
Thanks Ian,

With the amount of work we had coming in, both started on around £33k turnover in the end.

Growing them both at a nice steady pace now. Shouldn't take too long to hit the figure promised before I start looking for another 😀

So glad I went down this route, as hopefully it will mean early semi retirement in a few years time.
 

Title: Re: Flying solo
Post by: Ian101 on April 13, 2015, 08:52:39 am
Im guessing that with a lump of cash of the franchisee you can invest in a system for getting more customers and the circle continues ?? ... if you didn't have a system already of course  ;D

my system at the moment is me delivering leaflets on a Saturday  ::)roll ... boring but is working slowly but surely ... off on holiday soon but when I return I will be employing canvassers and hitting streets from 3 to 7 a few nights a week or some leafleters not decided yet which way to go ?
Title: Re: Flying solo
Post by: Ian101 on April 13, 2015, 08:55:48 am
I think the closer you are to retirement age the more sense franchising makes ... spoken earlier this year to 2 big hitters from this forum one franchisers and other employs and for me at 47 franchising and its "passive" income appeals more
Title: Re: Flying solo
Post by: sunshine windows on April 13, 2015, 02:11:22 pm
I recently had 45,000 leaflets printed and delivered. Got a fairly good return from this, plus the website and being on checkatrade brings in a steady flow of customers anyway.

Thinking of advertising for a part time canvasser, working Saturday mornings from maybe 10am till 2pm. 

Good luck with whatever you decide Ian.

Title: Re: Flying solo
Post by: benny donnelly on April 13, 2015, 04:15:18 pm
Lads Ive been looking franchising myself, still very early days but all knowledge the better.
Can I ask are you using the system advertised on here? Basically I think it's you supply the work, franchisee completes work, he pays a royalty on said work etc
With franchise agreements and contracts did you consult a franchise specialist solicitor to have the agreements/contracts done up? If so, could I ask a rough guide price on the cost of that?
Cheers
Title: Re: Flying solo
Post by: Ian101 on April 13, 2015, 05:32:15 pm
Lads Ive been looking franchising myself, still very early days but all knowledge the better.
Can I ask are you using the system advertised on here? Basically I think it's you supply the work, franchisee completes work, he pays a royalty on said work etc
With franchise agreements and contracts did you consult a franchise specialist solicitor to have the agreements/contracts done up? If so, could I ask a rough guide price on the cost of that?
Cheers

ive spoken to ian Lancaster and a few of his purchasers of his franchise agreement and for £1000 you will find it impossible I rekon to get a franchise solicitor to do one for less than £5000 ... it is the way to go from what I can tell but if you wanted to be bullet proof you could always buy it and have someone legal go over it ??
Title: Re: Flying solo
Post by: DaveG on April 13, 2015, 08:18:00 pm
I've been thinking of going down the franchise route for my son to set him up on his own... 

How does franchising work, ie if they are working for you (or doing your work) how does that differ from being employed by you? When I was in my last job, we got "pulled up" by the tax man because I was self employed but only working for one person and he said I should be paye, because I only worked for one company??

I already have another van, set up ready to go, so do I just give my lad a worklist and say off you go and take a "royalty"  :) .  Or is it (a lot) more complicated than that?

Cheers
Title: Re: Flying solo
Post by: sunshine windows on April 14, 2015, 10:37:30 am
Yes, I'm using Ian Lancasters package.

I've edited the documents so they suit my way of operating, but there's no way I could have drawn these up from scratch. Well worth the initial fee in my opinion, as he'll talk you through everything you need to know to get up and running. Additional support is always on hand too, if needed.

This is definitely different to subcontracting or employing, as the franchisee is paying 'you' a royalty fee, instead of the other way round (you paying him).