We’ve all been there – looking to source a tradesman/woman or handyperson or an accountant or IT person for work around the house or bach or work..
It might be a one-off job like have a new deck or fence built, or getting a kitchen or bathroom sorted.
Or it might be a job which requires ongoing commitment – like lawns and hedges and gardening, bach cleaning or getting those accounts sorted.
And then, who to trust? If you’re unsure though of where to start, there’s a very trustworthy lot out there who run their small to medium operations under the banner of franchises. Many already advertise in the Times.
These operators – some just one-man or woman businesses, others with a few staff – have invested in a franchise, and with it a huge amount of trust through a brand.
Can you depend on them? Absolutely, with those registered with the Franchise Association of New Zealand (FANZ).
FANZ chairman Bradley Jacobs said all prospective members of the Franchise Association must submit to an independent scrutiny of the relevant material to ensure that their processes provide all the necessary information to potential franchisees or clients.“One of our strong marketing messages is look for this sign before you sign,” he said.
“We believe buying a franchise system from one of our members is better than from a group who is not a member.”
Due diligence will look at everything from whether the franchisor is financially viable, seek disclosure documents and ensure all company directors are searched,” he said.
“We have independent scrutiny of all that for us. Everyone is compliance-checked every second year and we go through the whole process all over again.
“The last thing is if a franchisee joins one of our member’s franchise systems, we have a dispute resolution system available for them in the event something doesn’t go as planned.”
“The success of franchises in New Zealand is significantly higher than that of small independent businesses,” Mr Jacobs said. “By having a strict Code of Practice, we ensure that people who deal with our members can do so in the confidence that the franchisor or advisor will adhere to the principles of best practice.”
