Each and every year there are a number of flagship events that play host to large numbers of Britain’s finest franchisors, and many newcomers are often present too. However, from the visitors perspective where does one start? Any large scale events such as these are useful for exploratory work and for narrowing down the type of franchise that interests you but they can also provide too much choice and too much information all in one go.

Prepare in Advance. Rather than just attend on the day it might be prudent to do some homework in advance of your visit. Try and narrow down the type of franchise that you are interested in. Ideally this should be something that excites you and an environment within which you feel comfortable.

Why franchising? Hopefully you are not looking at franchising as a means to acquire a job. Redundancy is often a common reason for looking at alternative lifestyles but with a nice pay off from redundancy burning a hole in your pocket you could be rushing headlong into the wrong decision. The golden rule is to take your time. Seek the advice of others. Make sure you speak to franchisees from the franchisors that appeal to you. Preferably try and spend a day with one of them out on the road. This will tell you more about the company than any other source of information.

Is this a profitable business? Territories or locations offered by franchisors can vary in terms of diversity of the population, traveling time, affluent or high unemployment areas and a variety of important key factors. You need to do your homework and look carefully at the demographics. If there is no opportunity nearby don’t be tempted to travel miles just to acquire a territory. Building a business is hard enough without adding a couple of hours on each day in travel time and expense.

Is this just a passing fad? Many people make the mistake of purchasing a franchise which is based purely on current trends. A couple of years ago it might have been coffee shops. Today’s latest hot craze might be fruit drinks. You might like to ask yourself how long you think these will be popular. Look for some stability in what you buy into. There are plenty of established franchisors out there that have been around for a number of years. They must be getting something right. You will want to be fairly certain that what you are buying into today will be around tomorrow.

Training & Support The training and support you receive as part of your franchise package is important. However, what ongoing support is there. Are there enough staff at head office to cope with the demands of the franchise network? Does the company have support managers in the field that are on hand if things go wrong or if you need help?

Why franchise at all? If this is your first business venture then you might benefit from the back up and support of a good franchisor.  

To find out more about Chemex and to receive the franchise recruitment prospectus please complete the contacts form or alternatively send in the application form. You could of course just pick up the phone and ask to speak to Ron Hutton on 0121 565 6300.