New Franchise Concept

Like most other businesses, franchises are often saddled with short- and long-term costs. Capital investments, rents, employee compensation, inventory, maintenance and other overhead are normally a fact of life. Unless, that is, the franchise is a new style of business that requires no capital investments, no full-time employees, relatively low startup costs and minor overhead.

An emerging business concept, it is a nationwide system of franchises that provides homeowners and small business with highly qualified, certified and reliable service contractors ranging from maintenance, repair and emergency services to select professions such as architectural design, landscaping and even services such as voice training, pet sitting or fitness training.

“Our franchise business is like the AAA auto club for homeowners,” says Sam Goodwin of San Diego. “The auto club not only provides roadside services, but also discounted rates at hotels and other travel-related sites that provide extra value for its members. Our home services franchise does that and a lot more.”

For the past couple of years Goodwin’s franchise has provided contractor services including a plethora of trades, including plumbers, electricians, carpenters, painters, air conditioning & heating specialists, roofers and handymen – virtually any type of maintenance, repair or construction service that are needed by homeowners, rental home owners or small businesses today.

All these services are thoroughly checked out and verified as reliable by the network continually, so members know they are getting reliable, trustworthy professionals to deal with. Membership in the network provides ancillary services as well that range from music lessons to piano moving, maid services and RV rentals, in addition to discounts on purchases of items such as appliances from quality suppliers like Sears.

This unique approach is reinventing the way people think about home services. For the franchisee, it allows one the freedom to be their own boss, to achieve financial success and community involvement to whatever extent is desired while not locking one in to fixed assets such as facilities, inventories and full-time employees.

Goodwin, a former corporate executive, says he was looking to own his own business, either a pure start-up or a franchise that offered him the control of a system that he could build on.

“The business concept made a lot of sense to me,” Goodwin explains. “It fulfills a real need, gives me a strong business platform to build on, and also allows me the latitude to develop the business in my own way.”

Fast ROI

This franchise does not require the capital investments, staff, facilities, inventory or other ongoing expenses of many franchises. Most franchisees work from home, using only a computer, telephone and professional answering service.

The low overhead and a growing market contribute to the unusually fast return on the initial franchise investment. Most franchisees experience a complete ROI within one to three years. In the case of Goodwin, it took about 18 months.

By Craig Madans, HOCOA 4701 Hedgemore Dt., Charlotte, NC 28270; Phone: (704) 527-7660; Email: corporate@hocoa.com; or visit the web site: www.hocoa.com/