Secrets Shared

Appliance Tagging Services franchisee Joe Pingiaro believes being prepared is the key to initial success.

Before joining the home services franchise Joe Pingiaro clocked up an impressive 18 years working for Telstra; in the last three years he was a compliance inspector. And while he enjoyed the business and the company he was made redundant in December 2007.

So what made you turn to franchising?

My work at Telstra was like working for myself and I was responsible for works carried out in my area. For this reason I could not see myself working in a controlled environment with someone watching over me. I began looking on the web for suitable franchises, where I could be field based, on the move and working for myself.

How would you describe your attitude to your work?

To be caring and responsive in the way I provide service to my customers, to be honest and ethical in dealing with others, strive to be a member of a champion team. Being competitive demands teamwork and collaboration in order to achieve business success.

How are you marketing yourself and your business?

When working in any area I always try to visit other businesses in the same area and drop off cards, information and talk to people about the services that we can provide to help them meet their OH&S requirements and at achieve peace of mind. Using email I also pick out an industry or type of business each month and send out information.

How do you benchmark your performance?

I try to get regular feedback from my clients and also the franchisor, we have feedback sheets that we can leave with the clients so they can fill in and fax back to head office, if they wish. We hold performance review meetings where key performance criteria are measured, discussed and then action plans are created to assist with any issues. Due to the fact that this is a relatively young franchise, we (franchisee and franchisor) are still learning, but according to my franchisor and customers so far I'm doing pretty well.

What advice can you give prospective franchisees?

Do your homework, check out the intended industry, the competition and speak to other franchisees. It is very important to get independent professional advice. Remember that you are buying a business, not a job and that you only get back what you are prepared to put in, so go in with your eyes wide open and have realistic expectations.

I always get asked the question: 'How long do you think it will take you to make back the money that you have invested?' And my answer is always: 'This is a long-term investment, therefore when I sell my business is when I will get my investment back.'

If you keep thinking of the money you have used to set up you will never move forward.

Be prepared to follow the rules and guidelines established by the franchisor, because if you expect your franchisor to do everything, you cannot build a successful business for yourself and your family. And my last bit of advice is to make sure you have enough working capital to get you through your first year, be prepared for setbacks and quiet times.

Due to the fact that you are committing to a fairly long-term relationship with your franchisor make sure that you actually like the company and get on with them.

This article appears courtesy of Franchising Magazine