Advantages of Buying a Franchise

The pet services industry is clearly robust and ripe for the reaping, but why a franchise? Why not simply start your own business from scratch?

A franchise is ideal for people who want to go into business for themselves, but not by themselves. As a franchisee, you’re your own boss, sure, but you’ve managed to steer clear of the pitfalls of perfecting a business model that actually works, and wasting your savings and your sleep in month after month of trying to reinvent the wheel. As a franchisor, the Zoom Room has already invented this particular wheel; now we just want to put you into the driver’s seat so you can zoom off to owning and running a business that will reward you in every sense of the word.

The IFA (International Franchise Association), the most important non-profit association that represents the interests of over 1,300 franchisors as well as over 10,000 franchisees, provides the following summary of the advantages of owning a franchise:

The mutually beneficial relationship that exists between franchisors and franchisees makes franchising unique in the world of business. It provides entrepreneurs with an affordable means of accelerating expansion and achieving development goals more quickly than might otherwise be the case, and with far less risk. Similarly, franchisees have a head start because of the support provided by the franchise system. Franchisors are there to provide “hands on,” one-to-one assistance, while franchisees combine knowledge and resources with entrepreneurial drive and spirit to form a business relationship unique to franchising. Franchising is a field of expanding economic opportunity in which each and every person can play a part based on talent, initiative, and dedication.

Over 500,000 Americans lost their jobs in November of 2008; that represents the single largest one-month drop since 1974. Government statistics indicate that in this last quarter of 2008, 1.9 million American jobs have disappeared; even more startling is the prediction that an additional 2 million more jobs will be eliminated in 2009. (Goldman, David. “Lost: 1.9 Million Jobs” CNNMoney.com. Dec. 5, 2008.)

If you have been affected by this unprecedented downsizing, you may be thinking about looking to run your own business instead of looking for another job. Americans in this situation might benefit tremendously from the advantages of buying a franchise. Here are just some of the many benefits of buying a franchise vs. starting from scratch:

• Established Track Record – When you buy a franchise, you are purchasing an already time-tested, well-honed, proven concept with a business model that works.
• Faster Start Up – The learning curve is never so short as when you open a franchise. You have your franchisor’s experience to draw upon, and a vast majority of your initial decisions are already made. No need to wonder what color to paint the walls, or which retail products are worth stocking, or which classes will draw in the crowds, or how best to phrase your company’s publicity literature. You receive on-site and ongoing training in every aspect of the business.
• Low Investment – Most franchises keep their initial investment demands low, which favors new entrepreneurs. A franchise benefits by having operations in an ever-widening geographic distribution. In order for the franchise to grow, start-up costs are kept to a minimum.
• Purchasing Power – Furthermore, by being part of a group of franchisees, the company as a whole will enjoy stronger purchasing power and more favorable discounts from suppliers and wholesalers. There’s strength in numbers, and you as franchisee will be the prime beneficiary.
• A Proven Business Strategy – While many new businesses struggle to develop a viable and profitable business plan, franchisors have already done the heavy lifting. The lifeblood of a successful franchise is completely centered on their confidence that you, the franchisee, will succeed. Their success is in every way tethered to your success.
• Name Recognition – It takes years to build up name recognition for a new business when you first introduce your brand into the marketplace. A franchise, on the other hand, can provide you with instant awareness. Furthermore, even if the franchise is new to your particular territory, as the franchise continues to expand both nationwide and in your geographic area, brand awareness will increase exponentially in a way that it never could if you were simply running your own single storefront.
• Pre-Established Supply Lines – Establishing dependable relationships with vendors, service providers and suppliers is one of the biggest challenges for new businesses and can compromise any enterprise. With a franchise, you benefit from relationships that are already well-established and thoroughly vetted.
• Access to Proprietary Methods – A franchise may credit much of its success to some proprietary techniques that they have developed and perfected over the years. This could mean the perfect way to make a reuben sandwich, to cut anyone’s hair in under 5 minutes, or in our case, to train dogs with novel approaches, games, and curricula. All of these “trade secrets” are yours when you become a franchisee.
• Standardized Accounting and Financial Systems – Are payroll, taxes, spreadsheets, accounts receivable, inventory management, and asset allocation not your strong suit? Many new business owners lie awake at night with jumbles of numbers in their head, trying to come up with some way to hold back the onslaught of financial demands and data. In a franchise, a ready-to-go accounting and financial system is already in place for you. You receive your training and then you’re ready to roll.
• Guidance with Site Selection – If you’re starting your own business, the most likely advisor you will find is a realtor. A realtor is first and foremost interested in his own bottom line. When you own a franchise, the franchisor will aid you during the process of site selection. Their motive? Helping you find the location best suited to maximizing your success. There is no secret about the fact that a franchisor receives a percentage of your annual gross sales. That translates to a highly-motivated franchisor who will be your #1 ally. When you succeed, the franchisor succeeds. When it comes to site selection or any other aspect of running your business, you never need to question a franchisor’s motives – they are there to help you thrive, grow, and flourish.
• Local and Nationwide Marketing and Advertising – Hiring a professional ad agency, graphic designer and copywriter can be painfully costly, to say the least. Even then, after you’ve shelled out the money for the best work the experts can provide, you still have to sit back and wait to find out if the campaigns, logo, catchphrases and sales pitches will even work to bring in new business and keep the regulars regular. A franchise can provide you with all of the marketing material you’ll ever need.
• Training Programs – Franchises not only train you to run your business successfully; they also train your employees. In addition to hands-on training sessions, franchisors will provide you with operations and training manuals to eliminate the guesswork from running a thriving business. The policies and procedures for running the business and training and managing employees have already been well thought out, so you can count on an efficient, smoothly-operating workplace.
• A Built-in Support System – Besides the initial training, franchisors are required to check in with you throughout the year, including on-site visits. The central office is always a phone call or mouse click away, and franchisors are there to answer questions and help you through any rough patches. Remember, their success is inextricably entwined with your success, every step of the way.
• Research and Development – Lastly, while you are busy running and enjoying your new franchise, the franchisor’s time is spent analyzing large patterns of data, considering sales results, popularity of certain products or services, pricing structures, and new methods, materials and techniques for further bettering the business. Every time some new innovation is uncovered, you will directly benefit from these advances, incorporating these improvements into the ever-developing lifeblood of your business.

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