A growing number of people are looking to running their own business as a viable means to take them through difficult financial times and our uncertain economic climate. Even with a well thought-out marketing and business plan and financial backing from various sources, building a business from the ground up takes time and is a risky venture. Many entrepreneurs who realize the financial benefits and freedom of being your own boss are increasingly turning to the purchase of an established franchise business that has already proven its success.
Before taking the plunge into franchise ownership, there are several key points to consider as you begin your search for the right franchise business. These are:
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Ease of Training: A new franchisee must be able to learn the business in a relatively short period of time; ideally in no more than 3 or 4 months. Any product or service that is highly complex is generally best for professionals who have prior and specific training in the field, such as businesses in the medical field.
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Documentation of Procedures: One must look at how well a franchisor's systems, policies, forms, management and other office procedures and general business practices are documented. Operations manuals must be clear, concise, and easy to understand in order for them to be implemented successfully.
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Plausibility: As a prospective franchisee you must feel confident about the product or service of the company and that it is a credible organization. It is important to look at the number of years the company has been in business, if there is sufficient public awareness in the product or service, and the strength and expertise of management.
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Cost of Franchise: This is an important consideration, as the cost of purchasing any franchise must be in line with the purchaser's financial resources. The fact that a particular franchise operation has a realistic potential to earn more than $500,000 annually is of little consequence if the initial purchase cost is $75,000 and your budget stands at $50,000. You must decide from the outset exactly how much you can afford to spend in start-up costs.
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Ongoing Franchise Fees: You must factor in any ongoing franchise fees into your potential earnings. In most cases these fees will cover development of new products, training, etc. In general this fee is much lower than having a private stand-alone owner having to set aside their own money for such expenses, and will almost always be to the benefit of the company (including your franchise unit) as a whole.
Dust Queen has been providing maid and house cleaning services in Edmonton and the surrounding communities for more than 20 years. Starting as a modest home-based business, founding owner Shelly Barless has turned her company into the most successful and largest maid service company in Edmonton. From the very beginning Dust Queen has made client satisfaction the company's number one priority. All staff are professionally trained, insured by Workers' Compensation, bonded, and are proud of the services they offer. This dedication has earned Dust Queen the Consumers' Choice Award for Business Excellence in Edmonton in the Maid and Butler Service category for the last eight years in a row. They have also been proud to accept the Top Choice Award for the most referred maid service in 2008, 2009 and 2010. As part of their commitment to their customers and new franchise owners, Dust Queen is a member in good standing with the Better Business Bureau and the Canadian Franchise Association.
After more than 20 years of sustained growth, Dust Queen is well positioned to offer franchise opportunities to others who dream of becoming independent business owners. They understand that potential franchise owners will have many questions, and invite you to visit their Franchising Questions page and request a brochure for more detailed information. Their dedicated Franchise Team is happy to answer any further questions you may have about this exciting new opportunity, and can be contacted via e-mail at franchise@dustqueen.com or directly by phone at 1-877-383-4545.
We look forward to helping you realize your dreams of becoming your own boss and running a successful company!