Business Franchise articles from December 2008

Business Franchise archives from December 2008

New Year, new start?(EDITOR'S column)
December 1, 2008... AT THIS time of year, it is normal for us to reflect on the past year and turn our thoughts to what the next 12 months might bring. It hardly needs me to say that this has been a difficult year for the UK economy. But even amid a credit...

Ex-marines join forces.(Franchise news)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TWO FORMER Royal Marine Commandos have rejoined forces to offer a new 24-hour emergency repair and maintenance service for the Milton Keynes area. Jamie Falconer and Matt Gregg are providing a locksmith, glazing...

Awards for kings of Castle Estates.(Franchise news)
December 1, 2008... THE CASTLE Estates Franchisee of the Year award for 2008 was presented at The National Franchise Exhibition in Birmingham in October. Unbeknown to the franchisees, both the runner-up and the winner were invited along to the exhibition this...

New generation.(Franchise news)
December 1, 2008... TWO NEW franchise projects have taken place at Cash Generator. Rob Melling from Shevington will be sitting in the driving seat of the newly opened Cash Generator store in Market Street in Chorley. With the backing and support from Cash...

More rewards than risks for ex-insurance man.(Franchise news)
December 1, 2008... AFTER 26 years in the insurance industry, Phil Marshall has proved that you don't need specific experience in a sector to set up a successful franchise. Having moved his family to Devon to avoid the city commute, he turned to franchising. He...

Domino's franchisee engages with local community.(Franchise news)
December 1, 2008... DOMINO'S PIZZA franchisee Peter Thompson has invested with success in his local community. He owns two stores, in Warrington and Widnes, and has made it a family-run business, with his wife and sons both involved. He is now a...

Ex-engineer buys franchise.(Franchise news)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FORMER LOCAL engineer Altan Kargaci has brought his new Aire Serv franchise to the Gatwick area. "When I met with Aire Serv, I liked the company straight away," he said. "They encouraged me to think as an...

New franchisees for TaxAssist.(Franchise news)
December 1, 2008... AXASSIST ACCOUNTANTS has brought two new franchisees on board. The 70th TaxAssist franchisee is Peter Sewell, who operates from Llandudno in north Wales. He said: "The Support Centre were very proactive and helped me select two possible...

Badge maker, badge maker, sing me a song!(Franchise news)
December 1, 2008... A RECOGNITION Express franchisee has joined in a performance of Verdi's Requiem at Guildford Cathedral. Nick Manning, Recognition Express' franchisee in Goldaming, Surrey, sang with the Vivace Chorus for the performance in November. ...

Drink to that ...(NEWS shorts)
December 1, 2008... Ex-publican Gabriel McGeown has been appointed as the new Irish franchisee for greeting card publisher and franchisor Card Connection, "Gabriel's experience in managing a large team of people in his previous role as a busy pub and restaurant...

Watching for signs.(NEWS shorts)
December 1, 2008... A husband and wife franchisee partnership for Fastsigns, John and Suzannah Gilson, have appeared in the BBCTV series All Over the Shop, which sees a business guru help small shops turn a profit. "It's the first time that we've ever been...

Conquering new mountains.(NEWS shorts)
December 1, 2008... A former ski-instructor is ORCA Website's latest franchisee. Tom Camlin, 35, has become ORCA's 60th franchisee. And in his first month of operation, he has already accrued a customer base of major local companies including a Landrover parts...

Multi-unit partners help sandwich bar widen its spread.(Franchise news)
December 1, 2008... THE GRANGE and Pyramids Shopping Centre in Birkenhead town centre is home to the latest O'Briens Sandwich Bar in Merseyside, the first of several new cafes opening across England and Scotland this autumn for the hand cut sandwich and gourmet...

Care franchise enjoys rapid expansion in Scotland.(Franchise news)
December 1, 2008... BLUEBIRD CARE, the provider of care at home, has set up two new offices in Glasgow--and another is planned for Dumfries. The move will give the fast-growing Hampshire-based company a firm foothold in Scotland, following the opening of its...

SMEs market themselves.(Small business round up: ESSENTIAL UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION FOR FRANCHISES AND SMEs)
December 1, 2008... CASH-STRAPPED small businesses are finding ways to reduce their marketing bills by producing their own advertising campaigns. A survey by technology group Brother found that more than 60% of small company owners were dropping their contracts...

UK red tape creates exodus.(Small business round up: ESSENTIAL UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION FOR FRANCHISES AND SMEs)
December 1, 2008... A THIRD of UK SHE business leaders believe that Britain is no longer a good place to do business according to a Tenon Group survey Over half of bosses expect the legislative pressure to cause fewer start-ups in 2009. Many entrepreneurs are now...

Training budgets cut.(Small business round up: ESSENTIAL UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION FOR FRANCHISES AND SMEs)
December 1, 2008... MORE THAN six out of 10 training professionals say that their training budgets have been reduced or put on hold. A survey from training specialists MTD Training found that more than a third of businesses had reviewed their expenditure...

Management jargon hampers productivity.(Small business round up: ESSENTIAL UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION FOR FRANCHISES AND SMEs)
December 1, 2008... MORE THAN half of office workers admit to using unnecessary jargon at work according to a survey from office services company MWB Business Exchange. A third of those questioned confess to saying the phrase Let's touch base every day. One in...

Security standard confuses firms.(Small business round up: ESSENTIAL UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION FOR FRANCHISES AND SMEs)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE FORUM of Private Business has advised small firms handling or storing credit card information that they must comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Failure to do so could result...

Business will have to seek extra finance.
December 1, 2008... Company owners are convinced they will need additional funding in the next year a Microsoft study has found. The majority of those questioned said they had made no plans to deal with the consequences of a downturn, SMEs saw a recession as a...

Failures less than expected.
December 1, 2008... A new report from business information provider Equifax indicates that the rate of failures in the SME sector is much less than predicted, The manufacturing sector has been worst hit in the third quarter 2008 with 14% failure while the services...

Workers worry over job security.
December 1, 2008... 80% of staff are worried that a national economic downturn represents a threat to their jobs a survey from law firm Peninsula has revealed. One in seven workers were now working longer hours just to cover increases in the cost of living. 75%...

75% go to work when they're ill.
December 1, 2008... The nation's workers are sacrificing their health for their careers suggests research from healthcare providers AXA PPP with 75% going to work so ill they could legitimately stay at home. In the last six months two-thirds of workers have gone...

Data protection inadequate.(Small business round up)
December 1, 2008... INSURANCE COMPANY CPP has warned err employers that lax data security puts their companies at risk with 90% of bosses admitting trey nave made no changes to computer protection of spite of high profile ID theft cases. 20% of staff say they do...

Maternity law may catch firms out.(Small business round up)
December 1, 2008... LAW FIRM Mace & Jones has warned employers about new maternity legislation. Workers now have the same rights during Additional maternity or Additional Adoption Leave as those which currently apply under ordinary Maternity and Adoption Leave....

Employers disappointed by staff.(Small business round up)
December 1, 2008... BUSINESS OWNERS feel let down by their workers with 90% wanting to change at least one member of staff if there weren't legal consequences. A survey from online meeting platform Skillzbase found that a fifth of businesses would gladly replace...

Looking back, and thinking ahead.(British Franchise Association)
December 1, 2008... 2008 WAS an important year for franchising and the British Franchise Association (bfa), as not only was the industry tested with economic uncertainty, it also saw the introduction of the 'One Vision' strategic paper, which identifies and...

Building 'brand franchise' through PR.(British Franchise Association)
December 1, 2008... THE BFA has appointed Ascent PR to assist in the launch of a targeted PR programme aimed at raising the profile of the franchise industry while communicating the benefits to both consumers and investors of best practice and ethical franchising....

Peterborough franchisees join forces.(British Franchise Association)
December 1, 2008... A GROUP of franchisees from around Peterborough joined forces earlier in the year as part of the national Proud to Franchise initiative. Those involved in this open stand, held at the Serpentine Centre, included: Belvoir Lettings, Cartridge...

Franchisor secures funding for PhD.(British Franchise Association)
December 1, 2008... CLIVE BROOKS, managing director of Clive's Easylearn Pop Music Schools and winner of the 2007 HSBC Award for Enterprise at the British Franchise Association Franchisor of the Year awards, has gained a three-year fully-funded PhD research award...

Where the grass is greener: despite a slow economy, GreenThumb franchisees have reported significant growth in their businesses during 2008.(Cover story)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FRANCHISEES OF the biggest lawn treatment franchise met in November to celebrate an outstanding year of business. Despite the economic situation, GreenThumb has bucked the trend and actually saw business grow by over...

New orders: new franchisees have a lot of obstacles to overcome. Carol Davis assesses the positives that can be gleaned in that crucial first year of a franchise ...(FRANCHISEES A YEAR ON)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] STARTING A new franchise is a steep learning curve. The risks are usually higher in the first year, and the profits lower but new enterprises also have the energy and drive to expand fast. According to this...

Beauty and the best: John Bensalhia finds the healthy solutions to making money as he explores some of the top health and beauty franchises around ...(MARKET FOCUS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT'S TIME to ring out the old. Just as there is usually a surge in new users of gyms at this time of year, so too might there be an increase in people paying a visit to their local beauty salon. But the health...

The perfect place to start your own business: roll up, roll up for the first major franchising and SME exhibition of the year--The British Franchise Exhibition and Growing Your Own Business Exhibition and Conference from 30-31 January 2009.(The British Franchise Exhibition)(Conference news)
December 1, 2008... FANCY OPENING your own branch of McDonald's? Or running a Pitman Training Centre? Or your own franchised travel agency? There will be an exciting range of proven business opportunities to choose from at The British Franchise Exhibition, taking...

Manchester unites with franchisee success stories: the British Franchise Exhibition (BFE) at Manchester has a remarkable track record of matching people interested in starting their own businesses with franchisors. On this page, we meet two such people ...(The British Franchise Exhibition)
December 1, 2008... Generating cash WITH AMBITIOUS growth plans in place for 2009 and beyond, Cash Generator is one company that realises the importance of franchise exhibitions, benefiting from leads made at the shows in its search for entrepreneurial...

Inspiring entrepreneurs speak at growing your own business exhibition and conference.(The British Franchise Exhibition)(Conference news)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE GROWING Your Own Business Exhibition & Conference features companies that offer small business advice and can help take established businesses to the next stage. The exhibition will be supported by free seminars,...

Dubl up: cleaning business Dublcheck continues to clean up for its franchisees.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises up to 10,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CLEANING BUSINESS Dublcheck is the franchise that does not require an ability to sell. The company obtains all the business for franchisees, so that they know exactly what turnover they get. This enables franchisees...

Good fortune: Fortune Network Mortgages is enjoying busier times, despite the current economic climate.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises up to 10,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FORTUNE NETWORK Mortgages has never been busier. With the relentless reports about the state of the economy, more and more people are looking into their finances. And with 1.4 million homeowners coming out of their...

Ooh la la! FrenchEntree offers the chance to live and work in France while earning between 60,000 [euro]-90,000 [euro] a year.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises up to 10,000 [pounds sterling] to 20,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SUMMER 2008 saw the launch of France's first national network of property finders, FrenchEntree. And licences have already been signed in areas from Cognac to Chamonix, Mayenne to Bordeaux, There are plenty of...

Take me to the Riverford: organic food franchise Riverford Organic Vegetables is looking to recruit more franchisees.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises up to 10,000 [pounds sterling] to 20,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SWITCH ON to any of the cookery TV shows such as The Restaurant or one of Jamie Oliver's Channel 4 offerings, and it's a safe bet that they'll feature the benefits of organic vegetables. For those looking at a...

Blessing in disguise: facing redundancy? Then give signage and printing franchise Fastsigns a call--that's what Chris Simpson (pictured) decided to do ...(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises up to 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] REDUNDANCY IS becoming a fact of life, and although many wish to escape it, it can be a real blessing in disguise. It can offer people the opportunity to realise those long forgotten dreams of being their own boss...

Invest for a brighter future: with a reputation as one of the most respected training companies today, Pitman Training is a safe franchising investment.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises up to 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PITMAN TRAINING is one of the UK's oldest, and best respected, training companies, operating in a multi-billion pound market. With the current economic situation in mind. Pitman Training believes investing in skills...

'Five-star' opportunity in every home: Pitman Computer Support feels proud of its recent five star rating awarded in a magazine.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises up to 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WITH HOME PCs and laptops being more important to their owners than a television, stereo or microwave, its not surprising that people have been known to experience 'computer rage' when technology lets them down. When...

Energy savers: changes in government legislation opens up a new franchise opportunity at Envos.(NEW LAUNCH: Franchises up to 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ENVOS offers a unique opportunity within a rapidly growing market estimated to be worth over 500 [pounds sterling] million in the UK. Since October, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) have been required by law...

Cleaning up: New City Contract Cleaning has already attracted a high level of interest in its expansion plan across all areas of the UK.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises up to 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FOLLOWING THE launch of a new franchise opportunity by New City Contract Cleaning reported in last month's Business Franchise. New City says it is already reporting success in its programme of expansion. Managing...

People with drive: for many people, John Gibson Associates has opened the door to a new lifestyle and the freedom to be their own boss.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises up to 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WITH OVER 20 years' experience in recruitment, specialising only in the motor industry and its related industries, the success of John Gibson Associates (JGA) has ensured that is a recognised and trusted brand name....

Making a difference: Christo Lues is just one of Sevenpointfive's franchisees who are providing for themselves financially.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises up to 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CHRISTO LUES had been in the health industry for some years before he came across Sevenpointfive. Because there are so many products out there with varying degrees of efficacy, he viewed the products with a healthy...

Making the right choice: meet one hopeful franchisee who was lucky to come across Prestige Nursing.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises up to 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FOLLOWING A successful career in medical device sales, both in the UK and previously in her native South Africa, Carol Stafford, today a Prestige Nursing franchisee, was looking to change direction and take on a new....

Double top: in Snap-on Tools, twin brothers Tim and Nigel Slater have found the perfect franchise.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises up to 50,000 [pounds sterling] to 100,000 [pounds sterling])
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TIM AND Nigel Slater have a lot in common: they are brothers, they are twins and they love Snap-on Tools. Tim was first to join the company in 1982. At that time, he was a Snap-on customer when a visit from his...

A profitable work/life balance: this issue's Franchisees of the Month, Gas-elec's Richard Curl and Jason Davey, specialise in safety.(Franchisees of the month)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHEN GAS-elec launched its safety inspection business in the UK, the industry was somewhat sceptical about its 'partnering' model. Eleven years on, with a national network behind it and a shortlisting for Enterprise...

A year in franchising: after reaching his first anniversary, Martin Davis of Signs Express (Huddersfield), in his final diary entry for us, reflects on a successful year.(Franchisee Diary)
December 1, 2008... IT'S AMAZING to think that my first year of business as a Signs Express franchisee has gone by so quickly. Luckily, when looking at the current economic climate. I'm even happier that I opted for the franchising route. Franchising has given me...

Tales of the expected: Manzoor Ishani outlines the things that franchisees should expect from franchisors when they start their brand new franchised business.(FRANCHISE ADVICE: Franchise rights)
December 1, 2008... IN DETERMINING the obligations of a franchisor, much depends on the nature of the business. The sorts of obligations which a franchisee should rightly expect from a franchisor of a fried chicken business are going to vary considerably from...

Q: What do you think 2009 will hold in store for the franchising industry?(PANEL OF EXPERTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PETER WILLIAMS Franchise consultant [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A: One of the facts of life in business is that the law of gravity can be absolutely relied upon. While the economy goes up and stays buoyant...

Silver lining: with the 2008 National Franchise Exhibition a great success, Peter Williams explains why franchisees stand a good chance of raking in the profits during uncertain economic climes.(FRANCHISE ADVICE: HOT topic)
December 1, 2008... AT THIS year's National Franchise Exhibition held in the midst of turmoil in the financial world, with the media conveying depressing news without let or hindrance, the old adage, "Every cloud has a silver lining", came to mind, Given the...

Manage by yourself: Andrew Cutler explores the various skills that franchisees require to run management franchises.(FRANCHISE ADVICE: HOT topic)
December 1, 2008... FRANCHISING OFFERS people the opportunity to manage and run their own business at a far reduced risk than setting up alone. With the support of an experienced franchisor behind them, franchisees are largely accountable for their own success and...

Recognition express / ComputerXplorers.(RESALE OF THE MONTH)
December 1, 2008... First impressions really do count, It is crucial that the image companies project is both positive and enduring, Every organisation needs to be instantly recognisable in today's highly competitive market place. Recognition Express has been...

Resales explained.(FRANCHISE RESALES)
December 1, 2008... Existing franchises are sold for various reasons--retirement, ill-health, moving abroad, etc. Some franchise companies operate networks comprising hundreds of franchisees and more than one entry in the listings may simply reflect the scale of...

A-Z franchise directory.(Directory)
December 1, 2008... Key terms * Number of outlets Current number of franchise units in network * bfa member status Franchisor's level of bfa accreditation * Initial...

Franchise services.
December 1, 2008... Franchise Development Services Roy Seaman t: 01603 620 301 e: enquiries@fdsltd.com Locations covered: UK Are you considering franchising your business? Or are you an established franchisor? Our 25 years of experience in...

Reeling in the year: ring out the old, ring in the new. After a decidedly shaky 2008, John Bensalhia ponders on how franchisees can make the best of the new year ...(BEST Practice)
December 1, 2008... HO HO HO. 'Tis the season to be jolly, Supposedly, Unfortunately at the moment the prospect of a happy Christmas--slap bang in the middle of an economic crisis fuelled by an obsessed media--seems as realistic as old Santa himself (Is this a bad...

Counting sheep: Bill Ewbank assesses the links between the farmer and his sheep and the franchisor and its franchisees.(Last word)
December 1, 2008... ONE THING you will find in franchising is alternative gates to entry. Like a hill farmer tending to a herd of sheep, he can put them in either an established field where there is no rag worm and the fences are intact, or he can put them onto...