As we start to ease out of lockdown, it’s high time to start evaluating what’s next from a career perspective.
Have you lost your job and struggled to find employment since Covid hit or perhaps accepted a job that you don’t enjoy just to make ends meet? Maybe you’re a business owner who has been forced to cease trading due to recent challenges and is now looking at options to be your own boss again.
As a result of the pandemic and the additional thinking time forced upon us all, it’s fair to say that we’ve all found ourselves reflecting and re-evaluating our professional and personal goals. One of which could be about franchise vs own business and which option is best for you.
To help you make an educated decision, we’ll explore the benefits of a window cleaning franchise rather than taking the risk of running your own start-up.
No capital required
Unlike setting up your own cleaning business, it isn’t always necessary to have existing capital behind you. For example, a window cleaning franchise with Tidal Cleaning Services can be fully funded by a government Start Up Loan.
Whilst you do need to have a good credit history, meet certain lending criteria, and have a mature money mindset, you don’t need oodles of cash in the bank to begin. The backing from an existing franchisor also usually makes it easier to secure funding.
Tried and tested service and model
A franchise provides you with the comfort of knowing that the service you are going to offer is in customer demand, a business model that you can duplicate, and the scope to begin earning within a shorter timescale.
When starting your own window cleaning business in the traditional sense, you will have to dedicate countless hours to researching your target audience, identifying the most effective way to market to them, and devising a model that gets results and is scalable. All of this requires you to set those precious earning hours to one side.
Low start up costs
When you start your cleaning service business, you have to factor in the initial outlay. From logos, marketing materials, equipment, a sign-wrapped vehicle, systems, and software, start-up costs can soon add up and spiral. With a franchise package, your spending is capped.
You know exactly what you are getting for your investment and can decide whether or not you expand on that. You also have the added insight as to what resources and tools meet your business requirements without having to waste your time and cash on things that don’t work.
Business support
A lot of business owners who set up on their own will tell you that it can be a lonely place and a messy juggling act. Without spare cash to outsource the tasks that you don’t have the skills or the time to complete, you can find that you are spread quite thin.
Those crucial early business days can be eaten up by filling in the knowledge gaps and having to juggle everything. Quality cleaning franchises in the UK usually include a business support team and franchisee network whose expertise you can utilise and lean on in tough times.
Recognised brand
A franchisor has already invested time and money into its brand image. When setting up your own business, the impression and expectations that trigger in the minds of potential and existing customers are crucial. You can’t scrimp on it to save pennies.
Branding requires you to invest hours and energy to create one yourself or the money to pay a professional designer. Not to mention the time and patience for your brand to become recognised and memorable.
Established reputation
As well as a recognisable brand, a window cleaning franchise can offer you an already established reputation. Providing it’s a good one, it’s something that you will be able to leverage from the offset to increase credibility and gain customer confidence.
The same can’t be said for starting your own cleaning company when no one has ever heard of you. You have to grow your customer base first, demonstrate the quality of your service, and add value before they will be happy to provide testimonials and spread the word.
Increased exposure
A network of franchisees across the country increases the visibility of your business on a much larger scale than you can on your own as an independent window cleaner. Riding off the success of your peers and the high-quality service they provide often gives you a foot in the door and an opportunity to show that you can also deliver an exceptional window cleaning service in your local area.
Training
A forward-thinking franchisor will be keen to empower and encourage you to professionally and personally develop with continual training. A growth mindset is essential for business success otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Learning your expertise and completing individual training courses to stay on top of your game isn’t cheap.
Allocating money to this through your franchise management fee often isn’t as costly and ensures that you continue to upskill and reap the financial benefits.
So, is a franchise a good idea to start a business?
The benefits of opting for a Tidal window cleaning franchise in the UK are plenty, but at the end of the day, it’s still up to you. Whether you choose to invest in a window cleaning franchise or become an independent window cleaner is dependent on your mindset, goals, and individual situation. Regardless, you must be willing to put in the hard graft. If you are and you do, hopefully, you’ll never look back.
Are you still feeling in two minds about which route to take? Let us know and we’d be more than happy to answer your questions and address your concerns.