Franchise Article

While there are many things that a franchisee can do to prepare to begin their own franchise, such as study a comprehensive business model, develop a specific plan and set of steps and actions to prepare for success, nothing is quite so helpful as having direct access to the information obtained by actual franchise owner’s experiences. Here a Pauline May Franchise owner shares the specific aspects of owning a franchise and what she learned in respect to owning a franchise, surprises, challenges, and words of wisdom for future franchise owners.

The best aspects of owning a franchise and in specifically a Pauline May franchise depend very much on what motivates a franchisee. The specific franchise in this case is a home-based business, which requires no premises so it’s often a big promotional point to the franchise that there are no limitations and restrictions. There is a great deal of satisfaction in being able to actually plan work times around life rather than life around work. In the specific case of a franchise like Pauline May which provides clothing needs of the elderly there is also a very rewarding sense of serving the community and improving the quality of life in the area that the franchise is established. The other aspect of the franchise that is so rewarding is the back up of repeatable quality of stock at the right price with consistent margin across the product range that is backed by a full guarantee carried by the Head Office and not the individual franchise owner.

The biggest surprise to owning a franchise is the transition from a 9 to 5 style job to the self-employed discipline of being able to set specific guidelines for how a work schedule is to be created and motivation to stick to the task and being dedicated to seeing the specific franchise succeed. Sometimes it can take a considerable amount of time to adjust to the combination of isolation and loneliness that can exists combined with the pressure to stick to a work ethic with no boss. Being self-employed causes an individual to have to fill the role of employee as well as employer, not simply an employer-less employee.

In the case of a Pauline May franchise, the initial challenge for franchisees is to book up appointments for sales in Care Homes. At the franchise interview the need for the ability to be able to do cold calling as a major part of the franchise is stressed. However, the training provided covers all aspects of appointment making and providing the franchisee does exactly what they are taught, there are no problems. The main reason that franchisees experience problems in this area is that they try to reinvent the wheel instead of following a proven business model and plan.

Some final words of wisdom are to work the franchise the way the training and model shows the franchisee. The training methods exist for a reason and in the case of Pauline May the training is a sixteen-year process and works for a reason. A lack of success in the early stages of a franchise can be very depressing and demoralising for a franchisee and it is essential that they become comfortable and successful with the basics of the business model before tampering with it to fit the individual needs of a specific area.