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Many successful businesses are looking for creative ways to expand throughout the UK. In fact, most successful businesses have been told they should set up a franchise system to grow their business idea through out the UK and world. Look at McDonalds, Dominos Pizza and KFC. These successful businesses have used franchising to become some of the largest most successful companies in the world. The most important concept to remember is that franchising should not be used as a testing ground for new businesses, but rather as a means of expanding an already successful business.

You should consider the following when determining whether to franchise:

1. Is my business suitable for franchising?

The concept of franchising is not suitable for all businesses. To expand with franchising, the business should be:

• SUCCESSFUL - Your business concept should be proven with a credible and successful team of players. Your business must be well known in the community and praised as a success.
• PROFITABLE - Your business should have a sound track record with a history of strong profits. Importantly, the business must have large profit margins to allow both you and the person taking the franchise to make a profit.
• INVENTIVE - Your business should be based upon unique ideas that differentiate it from competitors. This inventiveness should contribute to its success both domestically and internationally.
• PORTABLE - Your business ideas, procedures and operations should be clear, concise and easily documented. Being portable is important so that your ideas can be transferred to those operating the franchise.
• TEACHABLE - The business idea and operations must be clear and you must be able to create a manual. You should be able to teach the business procedures within three months.
• COST EFFECTIVE - The business idea must not be too expensive to implement and support.

2. Are there any disadvantages?

When you are considering franchising, you should also remember that there are some disadvantages.

Since you will be setting up essentially a network of businesses, initially you may incur significant costs without quick returns. You must make sure that you have sufficient start up capital to last until the franchise network starts making money.

When you set up a franchise, the person and/or company running the franchise does have a significant amount of independence. As a result, you will lose much control of the business concept you have developed. Importantly, the franchise agreements and manuals must be set up in such away that you have regular communication to ensure that the ideas you developed are being followed properly. The failure of one franchise can affect the whole. To avoid this, you must make sure that your procedures and manuals are followed as agreed in the franchise manuals.

Importantly, when soliciting investors to set up the franchise, you must make sure that the correct parties are recruited. You must identify and confirm that persons selected are highly motivated and have the capability to get things done as per your instructions. Additionally, you must ensure that you have sufficient support staff to ensure that the new franchise gets the support it needs. It is more important to be overstaffed than to have a franchise fail.

Finally the worst possible situation can be when conflicts arise between you and the franchisee.

Conflicts can lead to the downfall of any business Idea.

3. How to avoid mistakes and franchise your business with great success?

• You must seek professional advise to assist you in the development of a franchise. You must develop the procedures, manuals and agreements in such a way as to attract potential franchisees, without losing the legal rights and protections of the ideas and concepts you have developed. We here at Spiegel & Utrera Ltd are solicitors who can help you develop the comprehensive agreements and manuals you need to set up the franchise. We also assist you with protecting the intellectual property that goes along with the franchise.
  
  
• FRANCHISE AGREEMENT - This document is the most important as it governs the legal relationship between you and the franchisee. This is the document that protects all of the ideas and processes you have developed. This document is extremely important to make sure none of you ideas are stolen without your consent. This agreement sets out time frames, payment terms, schedules, intellectual property rights, enforcement provisions, non-disclosure/non-compete and termination/damages provisions. This document is essential to any franchise relationship! At Spiegel and Utrera Ltd we are specialists in dealing with the legal concerns of small businesses. We know what your rights are and how to protect those rights. We can develop the agreements in the best way to meet your needs. Our fees for the agreement start at £200 plus vat. Please contact our offices at our free phone 08009171200 or 02072843700 to discuss your needs today.
  
  
• FRANCHISE OPERATIONS MANUAL - We here at Spiegel & Utrera Ltd can help you develop a franchise operations manual that sets forth the business as you want it to be developed and operated. The operations manual must be clearly drafted as a plan and blueprint to be followed in building the new franchise. The new franchisee must be able to use this document to set up his business, to operate the business on a daily basis, to know the supplies and equipment he needs and even the method by which products must be displayed, used and marketed.
   
  
  • The manual is the day to day guide for the franchisee;
  • The manual is the script used to train all those working for and with the franchisee;
  • The manual forms the constitution for the development of the franchise using your business plans and ideas.
    
    
  The Franchise Agreement can be developed over months or immediately, if you have clearly met the requirements set forth in point one above. Our lawyers will meet with you to develop a clear, concise, legally enforceable manual at your direction and approval to ensure the success of your venture. DO NOT FORGET, THE MANUAL IS THE CONSTITUTION FOR YOUR BUSINESS IDEA AND MUST BE CLEARLY DEVELOPED TO MAKE SURE YOUR IDEA IS PROTECTED, DEVELOPED CORRECTLY AND A SUCCESS! OUR FEES TO DRAFT THE MANUAL START AT £300 PLUS VAT. PLEASE CONTACT US TO DISCUSS THIS IMPORTANT MATTER AT OUR FREE PHONE 08009171200 OR AT 02072843700.



• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS - As explained above, you as the developer of the successful business must protect the ideas and creations you have developed. Before you start a franchise, you must make sure that the ideas you developed are protected BEFORE you give others access. You must protect your trade names, your creative works and your inventions as soon as possible. In today's world, names and ideas spread within a matter of seconds. We here at Spiegel & Utrera Ltd. are very experienced with Intellectual Property registrations and disputes. Call us today to discuss these matters. Our fees to assist you with registration start as low as £100 plus vat. Please contact our offices at our free phone 08009171200 or 02072843700 to discuss these matters.

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