Service charge

Former policeman Richard Trevivian shocked his franchise director soon after he started his Chamberlains Security franchise. Graham Venn wanted to know whether Richard was checking every guarded site at least once a week, to check on standards - and Richard's response was quick: 'Three times a night, if I'm not happy.'

'That's exactly the kind of commitment you get from a good franchisee,' says Graham, franchise director at Chamberlains Security Franchise Ltd. 'If we'd simply put a manager in, he'd have been happy to tick the box and say everything was fine. But a good franchisee has that professionalism and commitment, and people with a services or police background are ideal.'

There are large numbers of franchisees today from just such a background, and for good reasons, says franchisors. They typically leave their first career in their mid-40s and with a strong track record, as well with a good payoff which many choose to put towards a franchise.

And with years of discipline behind them, but no business experience, teaming up with a franchisor with a strong track record and tried-and-tested business model is a formula for success, say insiders.

'Franchisees from a police or services background have confidence, assurance, strong life skills and discipline,' says Graham, who also has successful franchisees with Royal Marines backgrounds. That experience fits naturally into a security franchise, he believes, as franchisees build up a customer base and are determined that their security employees will not let the customer down.

But growing regulation in the security industry also means that other companies have failed, and so the business model at Chamberlains provides an ideal way in for ex-services and ex-police applicants, says Graham. 'We have the business model and know how it works,' says Graham, who points out that Chamberlains had been established 22 years before it started sharing its inside knowledge as the first private security company to be franchised.

And others franchisors agree that prospective franchisees from a services, police or fire background make great franchisees. 'They are used to working in structured environments, and in pyramid structures,' says Mark Richardson, marketing executive at Chem-Dry. He points to the successes of West Yorkshire franchisee Martin Beanlands, from the armed forces; and Castle Chem-Dry franchisee David Hunt, who bought an existing franchise in Edinburgh after 14 years in the police, and reached a £100,000 turnover in his second year of trading.

'We find they have good process and project management skills, and are used to working in a disciplined environment. They can identify what does and doesn't work, and they have vast experience of following orders and direction.  And of course they have high levels of motivation, and are good at motivating their team.'

Yet while prospective franchisees may have a shining track record in the forces or police, many have few business skills - which is where a good franchisor helps, says Mark. 'As the master franchisor we provide the knowledge of the market place, the Chem-Dry system and process, business skills and marketing skills for franchisees to grow and develop their businesses.' The combined skills are a recipe for success.

Franchising is not for everyone, franchisors are quick to point out: any prospective franchisee who wants to re-invent the wheel, or thinks he can do better by departing completely from the established business model, would do better to look elsewhere. So those franchisees who have the discipline to commit to an established model do very well, says Mark.

'Franchising is a proven business solution - we always say to our franchisees, "follow the system".' Chem-Dry's established business model as personalised for a local market is a winner: 'Franchisees are able to manage their own businesses, and add their local accents to the Chem-Dry name,' says Mark.

So what are franchisors looking for in a prospective franchisee? Many good franchisors turn down more applications than they can accept, when applications are patently unsuitable: at Chamberlains, Graham admits to turning down applicants he believes do not look the part, and would not meet customers' exacting standards.

Good communication skills are increasingly important too in a security industry which is becoming more sophisticated and well-regulated, he adds: 'Prospective franchisees need a certain level of professionalism, which we get from the military,' he adds.

Former policemen also do very well, he adds: that Cardiff franchisee Richard Trevivian, who was then a police officer, first heard about the franchise after his mother-in-law visited a franchise exhibition, and is now using his knowledge of the law to build a business complying with strict new legislation.

Using the strengths built up through years of discipline is key to success in franchising, say franchisors who advertise regularly in services magazines and would like to recruit more. 'We've had a couple of ex-services franchisees down the years who have been excellent franchisees, and we'd love to recruit more,' says franchise manager Janet Walmsley. Discipline and dedication are key, she adds: so Mairi Gallagher, from Dunbartonshire, moved from a police dog handling role to a new life as a successful Oscar franchisee.

Good franchisees come from all walks of life, says Robin Page, franchise director at Cash Generator - franchisees include an ex paratrooper, former police community support officer, warrant officer and RAF officer. 'Ex-service personnel seem to fit the mould of our business exceptionally well, and as a group of individuals, seem to have a natural born ability to develop a most successful business,' he says. Most perfected their commitment, focus and communication ability in the services, and now use those skills brilliantly as franchisees, often going on to open other outlets too.

Oggy Oggy Pasty Company founder Brian Stanleick is equally delighted with franchisees from the forces. 'Some franchisees might buy a franchise and want to change it, because they think they know better,' he adds. 'But ex-servicemen in particular are well suited to following a formula or a system.' With one former Red Cap who is now a successful franchisee, a former flight lieutenant and another ex-services franchisee coming on stream this September, Brian would be delighted to see more.

Ex-servicemen typically have a final payout which they can use to set up a franchise. And instead of searching for premises, Brian points out, they can have a van-based operation or industrial unit which are much easier to mobilise and become profitable quickly: 'No one else is doing freshly baked traditional pasties, just sandwiches, and so franchisees have a head start.'

Oggy Oggy Blackpool franchisee John Jerrell is delighted he made the move. The product sells itself, says the former Royal Navy lieutenant commander from Penzance who used to find he could not buy a decent Cornish pasty away from Cornwall, 'though there were plenty of poor imitations.'

And moving from his Royal Navy existence to franchising was ideal, says John: 'We're used to doing what we're told, and following a set of instructions - we follow the procedures as laid down.' That doesn't rule out initiative, he adds - but it has always meant taking a bright idea one step up the ladder, and then often seeing a superior officer take the credit.

'I've worked hard all my life, but the difference is that now I'm doing it for us,' says John, who works with wife Allison and son Nathan. 'When we work hard now, we get the benefit, and I think that's wonderful.'

Those successes are set to continue, says Robin Page at Cash Generator. 'With the amount of people currently leaving the services, franchising provides them with an off-the-shelf turnkey package to self-employment. The Cash Generator business model lends itself well to both buoyant times and also those more challenging economic climates, helped considerably by the multiple income streams of the business.'

And after many years in the forces, many new franchisees make the transition from disciplined officer to equally disciplined businessman incredibly quickly. Warrant officer John Murray ended his 23-year career in the British Army one Friday afternoon in 1999, and began intensive training with Cash Generator on the Monday.

'I always dreamed of becoming a successful businessman making enough money to lead a quality life,' admits John, now Wishaw franchisee. 'When I first came across the concept of Cash Generator, I knew I was going to be part of it. A brand new concept and an attractive business format franchise is not available very often so I grabbed the opportunity.

That army experience of working with different groups of people in difficult situations helps him manage his staff, John believes: 'My staff are my business's strength, and if they are happy it will reflect in the cash counter.'

For the right franchisee, the rewards are substantial. Cash Generator franchisee Nick Bourne moved from a police career to a Cash Generator franchise in Weymouth just under two years ago - and could hardly have imagined that within a year his business would be so successful that he would be able to buy his dream car, an Aston Martin.

With a turnover of over £1m in the first year, buying the car of his dreams was the icing on the cake for Nick. 'I love the sense of achievement I get from my business,' he says, adding that he plans to buy his wife her dream car - a Porsche - in the next nine months. Putting years of discipline to use as a franchisee has paid off for Nick, as it has for so many former services, police and fire officers around Britain.