Franchising my business model
Franchising my business model
Author
Discussion

KingRichard

Original Poster:

10,146 posts

263 months

Tuesday 15th July 2008
quotequote all
I've started reading a little about franchising.

My firm is doing really well for a new start-up. We made a profit in year one and year two is looking extremely healthy.

I don't particularly want to use my company name (It's only really of value in the local area because of a historical connection). Is it possible to franchise a business model under a new name?

Does anyone here franchise their business?

smile

mcflurry

9,191 posts

284 months

Tuesday 15th July 2008
quotequote all
I guess it depends on what you are offering a potential franchisee.
Playing devils advocate for a second, what is to stop me from buying x number of nice-ish cars, a decent phone number and then taking people home from town at £2 a mile?

If you could offer them something different, and have the franchisee feel its worth paying you £x for that information then the world is your lobster smile

KingRichard

Original Poster:

10,146 posts

263 months

Tuesday 15th July 2008
quotequote all
mcflurry said:
I guess it depends on what you are offering a potential franchisee.
Playing devils advocate for a second, what is to stop me from buying x number of nice-ish cars, a decent phone number and then taking people home from town at £2 a mile?

If you could offer them something different, and have the franchisee feel its worth paying you £x for that information then the world is your lobster smile
The key thing I can offer is a profitable business model that has been proven to work. They can use our experience and contacts for advertising, securing contracts, financing vehicles at good rates, recruitment etc and they can take advantage of watertight credit control - They just look after the cash. All for a fixed monthly cost. They get a national umbrella to operate under with all logo's etc. We source all their IT and phones.

Whaddya think?


LivinLaVidaLotus

1,626 posts

232 months

Tuesday 15th July 2008
quotequote all
Franchising is all about the brand, unless you're planning on doing a lot of brand building or you've got a unique product that people can't replicate themselves, then franchising isn't going to work.

KingRichard

Original Poster:

10,146 posts

263 months

Tuesday 15th July 2008
quotequote all
LivinLaVidaLotus said:
Franchising is all about the brand, unless you're planning on doing a lot of brand building or you've got a unique product that people can't replicate themselves, then franchising isn't going to work.
I just wrote about 2000 words in reply and basically talked myself out of it laugh

Plotloss

67,280 posts

301 months

Tuesday 15th July 2008
quotequote all
Yep, put yourself in the shoes of a potential franchise buyer.

What are you going to offer him that differentiates your franchise from him setting up his own taxi firm?

KingRichard

Original Poster:

10,146 posts

263 months

Tuesday 15th July 2008
quotequote all
Plotloss said:
Yep, put yourself in the shoes of a potential franchise buyer.

What are you going to offer him that differentiates your franchise from him setting up his own taxi firm?
fk all really. The difference is the people that run it... And I can't do that for them. That's what talked me out of it.

sam.r

2,379 posts

259 months

Wednesday 16th July 2008
quotequote all
If your business is ticking over now. Can you not setup the same in another area (just do the 6 months or so hard work to get t going - I dont know how long it would take) and then float between the two?

Repeat.

rich1231

17,340 posts

291 months

Wednesday 16th July 2008
quotequote all
Some models work without "key people" some don't.

A taxi firm is one of those that would def rely on a key individual. Therefore replication is difficult.

KingRichard

Original Poster:

10,146 posts

263 months

Wednesday 16th July 2008
quotequote all
rich1231 said:
Some models work without "key people" some don't.

A taxi firm is one of those that would def rely on a key individual. Therefore replication is difficult.
Ah well... plenty more to be had round here smile

Justin Miles

193 posts

222 months

Wednesday 16th July 2008
quotequote all
A young chap in my neck of the woods did a similar thing to you, and it worked really well.

he "franchised" his hire name out to a number of "licensed" drivers. He advertised the service, handled the bookings etc whilst they fulfilled the contracts.

The franchisees have to supply their own cars (chose from a select list to fit his profile), keep them to a set standard of cleanliness, perform to set service standards, and they pay him a fee.

Some of the fees come on a "pay per booking basis" and others come in the form of a set monthly sum.

I'm afraid that's all I know about the business - gleaned from a nosey conversdation over a protein shake in the gym!

best of luck

Justin

rich1231

17,340 posts

291 months

Wednesday 16th July 2008
quotequote all
Justin Miles said:
A young chap in my neck of the woods did a similar thing to you, and it worked really well.

he "franchised" his hire name out to a number of "licensed" drivers. He advertised the service, handled the bookings etc whilst they fulfilled the contracts.

The franchisees have to supply their own cars (chose from a select list to fit his profile), keep them to a set standard of cleanliness, perform to set service standards, and they pay him a fee.

Some of the fees come on a "pay per booking basis" and others come in the form of a set monthly sum.

I'm afraid that's all I know about the business - gleaned from a nosey conversdation over a protein shake in the gym!

best of luck

Justin
thats prettiy much how most cab firms work.. a mixture of drivers own vehicles paying for "radio hire" and those rented to drivers with radio hire by the company.

KingRichard

Original Poster:

10,146 posts

263 months

Wednesday 16th July 2008
quotequote all
rich1231 said:
Justin Miles said:
A young chap in my neck of the woods did a similar thing to you, and it worked really well.

he "franchised" his hire name out to a number of "licensed" drivers. He advertised the service, handled the bookings etc whilst they fulfilled the contracts.

The franchisees have to supply their own cars (chose from a select list to fit his profile), keep them to a set standard of cleanliness, perform to set service standards, and they pay him a fee.

Some of the fees come on a "pay per booking basis" and others come in the form of a set monthly sum.

I'm afraid that's all I know about the business - gleaned from a nosey conversdation over a protein shake in the gym!

best of luck

Justin
thats prettiy much how most cab firms work.. a mixture of drivers own vehicles paying for "radio hire" and those rented to drivers with radio hire by the company.
Yeah pretty standard (we're a bit different but it's a secret) hehe

Justin Miles

193 posts

222 months

Thursday 17th July 2008
quotequote all
Shows how much I know about the cab business!

So come on - what makes ou different?

mcflurry

9,191 posts

284 months

Thursday 17th July 2008
quotequote all
Justin Miles said:
Shows how much I know about the cab business!

So come on - what makes you different?
I reckon turning up on time in a clean car, charging a fair price, and being fair to the drivers (whilst earning a living) seems to be King R's way of running the show smile


Justin Miles

193 posts

222 months

Thursday 17th July 2008
quotequote all
That's pretty much how the young guy down here operates... "his" drivers have to sign a contract to that effect with a few extras thrown in...

paulpsz008

463 posts

239 months

Thursday 17th July 2008
quotequote all
There's a market for anything at the right price!

What are you offering?
How much do you want for it?