I am self-employeed, but in a field non related to construction so I follow some of the business discussion. Also I an engineer by backround and a DIY for many of the home projects. So I am not the typical customer.
Last year I posted a message about an add I got from a company and then checked there website. It was a relatively new franchise based in this area (Kansas City) and had about 6 members local and I think a couple in Iowa. They backround of the frachisor was that they had just acted as a GC in their own remodel a couple of years ago and business backround. All but 1 or 2 of the franchisee’s backround consisted at most of a couple of summers work in construction while going to school. All of the support from the franchisor seemed to be in the form of business information. I did not have any great confidence that the most of the franchisees knew anything about how to actual do the remodeling.
Today I got an add from a local “painter” that is a Certa ProPainter. This is an other franchise operation. Checking the parrent company they also franchise Stained Glass Overlay, Nutrilawn, California Closet, Action Windows, and Paul Davis Restorations.
Now some of these take special training and/or supplies and I can see where the franchis might be helpful.
But looking at the nice colorfull brochure abd web site I did not see that the painters where anything other than “good painters” if they did all that they promised. For example I did see any mention about them trained to handle lead paint or if they could patch plaster.
Looking the parent company they say “Beyond the Cubicle, Out of suit, far from reah of ccorporate politics, a whole new world is waiting.”
It appears that they are not aimed a people that are in the trades and want to improve their business, but rather people that are want to start there own business, but don’t know how.
But as a customer that does not leave me with a warm feeling, but as I said I am probably not the typical customer.
The brochure does say “fully guaranteed work, 100% insured, 2 year written warranty on all workmanship, “NO TRACE” spotless paint, finest primers, finsihes and paints”. “our 100% satisfaction guarantee ensures that your final payment is not made until you agree that the job is well done.”
I guess that the people that would look at using the franchises are the same ones that would use HD or Sears installations. There is a “name” behind it.
Replies
I agree with your skepticism. Personally, I would not want to be held captive to the use of certain products (they probably have regional or national vendor contracts). Further, I would suspect that most of the kind of customers I serve would view employees of such a company as the strangers that they are and the potential for a solid customer/builder relationship has no beginning foundation.
In a recent house remodel I was doing, the owners had a valuable antique collection in their home. They were retired and gone a lot. They set up an access code for me in their home security system so I could come and go while they were absent. I find it difficult to imagine the same level of trust happening with a franchisee.
Notchman and Bill,
I think the franchise operation bases their ideas on that its easier for an individual just to fork over the money and WHAM! You're in business! No training, no school of hard knocks, etc that most of us have gone through.
Also, I think some clients would prefer to deal with a franchise because of the name exposure. They seehear the name on TV and all over and assume any company doing this much high-dollar advertising must do quality work (false assumption of course but done none the less). Some folks probably also figure a franchise has a name behind it so they have someone to go after legally if the job is not up to par or something goes wrong. If its just a sole prop. they figure its a lot harder to get something out of him.
Not my views of course, just what I think some others see and how franchises are in existence. Otherwise, why would someone who wanted to be in business pay $100k + for the name when they could put that much into tools or hiring quality help and let the business grow itself???
Mike
Bill, Do you live and work in Kansas City? I'm from there, but have moved to central Texas. Just wanted to know how things are. Hows the new home market.
No, I am not in the building trades. But I have a friend of mine in real estate and I see new permit annoucements in the paper from time to time. I don't follow them that closely, but new home starts seem to be steady.
I have a friend in commercial finish work. He has been a little slow, but see a bunch of stuff later this summer.