[MNWC]

Got a load of burb from the above company today

Did anyone else get it and what do you think ??

its a national window cleaning franchise

Because ive been specially selected its only gonna cost £8.50 p/w plus vat

Reading the small print they want o down payment in advance for the first years fee = £519.35 + £45 admin fee

Looked on there website................Its down

Do i spot a con ??

[DaveG]

Whats does it say you get for your money?

Dave

[Van the man]

I was "lucky" enough to have been selected, I haven`t had a chance to look at it in detail, but from what I did see, they won`t be getting my £8.50.

[jakeandmia]

Hi

I had the same leaflet,read it in detail.A few things looked ok but what concerned me was that they were looking for 5 from each area.If I was to be the only 1 within a say 30 mile radius then it wouldnt be too bad.My £8.50 is staying in my pocket.

Wayne

[MNWC]

This is what it says in there brochure

1)  Corporate website.

2) Business stationery. 1000 persanalised business cards,letterheaded paper x 250
duplicate invoice pad, personalised id badge,
personalised "window cleaner called" booklet.

3)yellow pages add.

4)an increase to the value of your business

5)work handed to you on a plate

6)Vehicle livery

7)Support and guidance on making changes

8)operations manual

9)3000 full colour leaflets

10)  0800 number costing 4p a minute
 
11 Discounted supplies (including window cleaning warehouse) 5% off

12)Money for nothing !!

[Ian Lancaster]

I've had the same brochure.  Several things don't ring true.  Firstly, they only want established window cleaners as franchisees.  Why?  The whole point of franchising is that it gives the opportunity of starting your own business to people who don't want to go it alone.  if you're already up and running, that precludes you for a start.

There is no mention of ongoing royalty fees, just a £442 + vat yearly membership fee, payable in advance.  They even say they "don't have to rely on membership fees for their revenue."

These people are saints!!  They are doing it all from the goodness of their hearts, with no thought of their own gain!!

Not only that, the value of the "benefits" they will provide, including all your business stationery, your vehicle signwriting, 3000 double sided A5 colour leaflets and a "national sales team" to find you business in your area (actually, they qualify that by saying they will pass enquiries to you, and you do the sales bit) will cost far more than the fee they are asking.

I can't see any obvious con, but nobody gives away all this for no return.  The old rule applies: "If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is."

I can see this wouldn't be of any use to anyone contemplating entering the industry with no prior experience/knowledge etc., but I can't see why anyone with the drive to start up and develop a professional set-up would want to hand control of their business to someone else.

Does anyone know any of the three "founder franchisees":  Simon Jones, Mark Lovatt or Steve James?

[Edge Clean]

Got a load of burb from the above company today

Did anyone else get it and what do you think ??

its a national window cleaning franchise

Because ive been specially selected its only gonna cost £8.50 p/w plus vat

Reading the small print they want o down payment in advance for the first years fee = £519.35 + £45 admin fee

Looked on there website................Its down

Do i spot a con ??

and from what i read after you have paid your first 3 monthly installments for 1st year, you have to start paying for your second year by monthly DD.

[Ian Lancaster]

Whoops

Just noticed this:  "our franchise vans are getting between 30-65% more miles per gallon of fuel"

We've already had this discussion on here, and those of you with even a rudimetary grasp of physics already know these "hydrogen" systems are a con.  What does that tell you about these people?

[pjulk]

It does say in there book that they earn money from multisite contracts and they add between 5 and 8% on top of the actual cost to cover there costs and a little profit.

I have been reading it and it does look very good.

Im sending off for more info.

[MNWC]

Be careful

I smell a rat !!

[scud]

  Mines in the bin.
 
   You have to run under their name as well, a load of rubbish, steer well clear.

[MNWC]

yeah so is mine know 

You could send them a years subs and next week they go bust !!!!

[LWC]

my dad knows someone who made a very succesful franchise

you gotta be careful signing up for one of them, they get you in knots upon knots

you buy in, they your tied in, with he one my dad knows, if they guy who buys in comes to sell the round or whatever, the main man gets a %. if the owner doesnt like the new buyer you cant sell it to him!

bad place to be imo

if you can do it on your own, DO IT

[Moderator David@stives]

When i picked myself off the floor from laughing so much it went in the bin, why would you want to promote another company at the expence of your own, you even have to pay them for the privelidge.

Then when they went on about the multiple income streams for totally unrelated products, this is when i thought theses guys have really lost the plot.

If what they were selling was so good, why do they have to convince you with some utter tripe you will never make money from.

[scud]

  I liked the logo though, do you think they have trade markd it?