Whether you’ve been considering buying a cleaning franchise for a while now, or you’re just dipping your toe into the idea, chances are you’ve already thought of what the pros and cons are. Here at Franchise UK, we want you to have all of the information you need to make a confident decision to invest your time and money into a cleaning franchise, which is why we’ve done the hard work for you. So, we’ve put together some of the pros and cons of cleaning and management franchises to help you get started.
Pros
You have business support
Unlike when you start your own business from scratch, purchasing a cleaning franchise comes with the benefit of business support. This could be as simple as a blueprint for how you should run the business to help you get started or be more personal, like access to support staff. Small business owners often struggle with a new business start-up due to a lack of experience and no handbook to follow. With any services franchises, not just cleaning franchises, you often have that support and information right there from the start.
Cleaning is in high demand
With the ongoing pandemic, cleaning services are in high demand. So, much so that research suggests the industry could grow up to 5.38% between 2021 and 2026. For that reason, a cleaning franchise could be a sustainable, long-term venture to sink your teeth into.
You can run the business from home
Franchises often take away the need for an office or off-site space, meaning you can run and operate the business from the comfort of your own home. In today’s world, working from home is becoming more and more ‘normal’, with people realising that a lack of commute, lower travel costs and the convenience of being at home are making their lives easier.
You could run a management franchise
If your heart is set on working from home with your cleaning franchise, you’ll be pleased to know that if you take the management franchise route, you could operate your entire work life from anywhere you can take a laptop. As a management franchise, you can manage the cleaning services using staff, meaning you won’t need to do any cleaning yourself.
Training is often provided
For a lot of franchise owners, selling to those with experience benefits them, which is why training is often provided where necessary. You don’t have to search for or payout for any additional training in most cases, as it’s all provided to you prior to being let out on your own with your new franchise. The training will likely cover everything you need to run and operate a new business in the cleaning industry, or you may be provided with information as to what training you need outside of this, which eliminates the guesswork.
Cons
Rules to follow
For some franchises, there may be rules you have to follow as part of your franchise agreement. As the brand is already established, the owner is likely going to have rules and regulations to follow to ensure the business runs smoothly but maintains a good reputation. In most cases, however, franchise agreements shouldn’t be restrictive in any way and should be drawn up by an approved solicitor. If you have any concerns, you can get in touch with our team for information.
Restricted terms
Some franchise agreements only span for a fixed term. Usually five years, though, this may vary depending on the franchise you’re looking to purchase. However, renewal is easy and can generally be done without any excess costs or fees. You can research this information and what is required for renewal before investing in the franchise initially for extra peace of mind.
Legal concerns
The legal side of investing in a cleaning franchise can often put people off of trying. You’ll need a Franchise Disclosure Document before being able to purchase, and there may be ongoing legal requirements as you operate the business if this is obtained. This can include anything from claims and insurance, even down to the products used to clean. However, it’s also worth noting that many of these legal concerns would still be at the forefront with your own business and that you may have more support with a franchise than with your own small independent company.
Shared reputation
Working for a franchise means sharing the reputation that the name holds, and while this can be a good thing, it can also mean trouble. Your reputation is only as good as the franchise’s reputation, and any bad reviews or scandals can reflect on you, even if it has nothing to do with you and your personal cleaning franchise. If you do your research into each franchise before considering a purchase, you can better understand what you’ll be getting into and whether you can expect trouble down the line.
Discover a range of cleaning franchises today.