Take off!

With a host of impressive international brands seeking master franchisees in the UK and numerous British franchisors taking their business abroad, there is no shortage of opportunities to become part of an international franchise network

Once successfully established in the UK, franchisors are increasingly choosing to take their business opportunity overseas. International expansion is, of course, a sign that a business is operating successfully, but a franchise must cultivate its infrastructure to cope with the demands that rapid global expansion places on its support system, such as needing to deliver consistent, quality support across different time zones.

Home improvement franchise Fibrenew International has addressed franchisee concerns about maintaining high levels of support as the company grows in numbers and across geographically diverse areas by developing a ‘mentor programme’ to provide support for its franchisees. 12 of the strongest Fibrenew franchisees throughout Canada and the US have accepted additional responsibilities as ‘mentors’ to help franchisees with questions and problems. Fibrenew mentors cross several time zones, giving Fibrenew the ability to provide the same level of support for new franchisees in the UK as they do in North America, New Zealand and Australia and offer coaching to all franchisees for both their professional and personal growth.

Michael Wilson, CEO and founder, says the initiative has had a big impact on the franchise. “In the year since launching the program, the feedback from our franchisees has been incredibly positive. It has meant a tighter-knit support network in which everyone wins.”

Numerous franchisors are on the same wavelength as Fibrenew, believing that the bigger the network, the more franchisees can lean on one another for help. Simon Mills, franchise developer for The Dwyer Group brands Mr. Electric and Aire Serv, explains why there is strength in numbers: “One of the biggest advantages of joining The Dwyer Group is the sheer vastness of our network. As we are a franchise, our business owners have access not only to the expertise of our corporate offices, but also the business experience of hundreds of other like-minded business owners who they can connect with to share ideas, solutions, experiences and friendships. With The Dwyer Group, you become part of a network composed of people working to make each other stronger.”

Management consultancy franchise IMSM operates across the globe. Their business development centres are located strategically to safeguard the continuity of their brand, which continues to grow by using a proven operating method delivered at a local, regional and country level.

IMSM’s managing director Michael Bright says: “Our support is both flexible and scalable to meet the requirements of differing cultures and business needs. There are trained and experienced franchise support team members in developing regions able to deliver territory classroom, field training provision, and thereafter the full franchisee business development services, from marketing campaign and lead generation to local helpline.”

Becoming a master franchisee – essentially operating overseas on behalf of the franchisor – requires huge amounts of hard work. Also, because a master franchisee will earn a percentage of the franchisee network revenue (the network that they are helping to build), the initial investment fee for the territorial rights is usually considerably more than for a standard franchise.

There is, however, a great deal of money to be made from this sort of venture and the backing of a franchisor means it is still safer than going it alone. Here are two inspiring examples of master franchisees. 

ChipsAway (Saudi Arabia) 

Talal Obid Al Osaimi opened his ChipsAway master franchise in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2012. ChipsAway is one of the world’s largest car repair networks, and expansion into the Middle East marked the next step for the British business, which currently has 300 specialists in the UK and a growing network of international master franchisees across the globe.

What did you do prior to investing in a master franchise?
For seven years I ran two repair centres in Riyadh and owned a successful construction business, through which I gained a wealth of business knowledge. My business partner, Ieyd Al Shammari, also brings many years of experience from his operations manager roles within the financial services sector.

What attracted you to own a ChipsAway master franchise?
From our first experiences with the ChipsAway brand, we were impressed by the business model and by the present and estimated levels of growth. It’s easy to see how potential franchisees can make money so there is a great opportunity to develop a Saudi Arabian franchise network.

Why is Saudi Arabia a good place to own a ChipsAway franchise?
With second-hand vehicle ownership so prominent in Saudi Arabia, accounting for 46 per cent of cars, there is a large untapped market for the services offered by Chipsaway. The Saudi Arabian economy has actually managed to maintain growth in difficult times. The buoyant Saudi Arabian automotive industry is the largest in the Middle East and one of the largest in the world.

Caremark (Ireland)

Paul Boucher is the Caremark master franchisee for the Republic of Ireland. Paul has a fully operational company-owned business, functioning as the flagship for the sub-franchisees across Ireland.

Paul is responsible for driving the growth and development of the network in Ireland. He provides guidance and support to the sub-franchisees in Ireland who, by keeping to the Caremark system, provide the highest standard of care and support, their ultimate goal being to build a successful business.

What did you do prior to owning a Caremark master franchise?
I worked for 19 years in the money markets until 2004. I then moved into residential childcare. Today, I maintain a proprietary, non-executive role in that business, which continues to trade successfully.

What attracted you to investing in a master franchise?
I was attracted to the idea of homecare first and after careful research I concluded that franchising was ideal for running a homecare business. I was originally going to bring a new American franchise into Ireland when I was alerted to the opportunity to purchase the master franchise licence for Caremark in Ireland. This was too good an opportunity to pass up, as Caremark’s excellent reputation was already known to me.

What are the benefits and challenges of being a Caremark master franchisee?
The fact that Caremark is a proven, successful business model with a constantly evolving set of policies and procedures makes all the difference. This means that as long as the franchisee follows their training and the business model, with the support of Caremark Ireland there is no reason why they will not end up with a prosperous business. The biggest challenge is the selection of suitable sub-franchisee candidates. A Caremark franchisee must have a passion for delivering safe, high-quality care. This must be combined with sound business acumen and a desire to own a successful business. It is also vital that they understand that what they are buying is a proven, successful business model. While new ideas are welcome, there is no point in becoming a Caremark franchisee and trying to run it at odds with the model.

How have you found the ongoing support from the franchisor?
The ongoing support from Caremark International is excellent. I have a dedicated point of contact based in the UK – Paul Richards, head of international development. He visits us in Ireland regularly, attending our quarterly strategy meetings and also supports us at external events such as franchise shows as well as auditing the master franchise business in line with the Caremark system. Paul is always available at the end of a phone and, where necessary, makes direct departmental support available to us from their robust training and IT support departments.

What advice would you give to anyone considering becoming a Caremark master franchisee elsewhere in the world?
Providing there is an infrastructure, the Caremark system can pretty much be used anywhere in the world as it doesn’t dictate the type of service the franchisee provides, but ultimately asks the question: “What do you want your care to look like?”

The Caremark system has been developed over 24 years, responding and adapting to the many changes in the sector. The result is an operating system that is solid in terms of care, franchising management and profitability. My advice is: do your research; all homecare businesses are not the same.

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