Richard Mukheibir Several years of strong sectoral growth combined with business opportunities that are often backed by an investor safety net is making franchising the top choice for many who want to own their own business.  This assessment is based on the strong foundations of my own experience of establishing Cash Converters nearly a quarter century ago and the recent results of Franchise Association of South Africa (FASA) annual industry survey. These figures show that the SA franchise industry has grown its turnover by 55 percent from R465 billion in 2014, when FASA conducted its first survey, to R721 billion in 2017. Alongside this, the sector’s contribution to South Africa’s GDP has expanded by 62 percent, from 9.7 percent in 2014 to 15.7 percent in 2017. The President’s recent Job Summit highlighted the critical need to reduce unemployment and boost the national economy by growing business and stimulating job creation. The franchise sector employs 369 573 people, 9...

Spring is on the way and Cash Converters is celebrating the season of renewal with a bigger than ever Spring Clean Sale – and this year it gives you two very different opportunities to cash in. The second phase of their Spring Sale Clean-up started on 3 September.  Cash Converters returns the favour by giving away R200 000 over 20 days! A total of 100 customers will win cash prizes in this Spring Clean Special Draw of R10 000 per day from 6 to 25 September. To enter, all you need to do is sell Cash Converters an unwanted item that you have decided to spring clean. Sorting through your cupboards for items that are in good condition but rarely used and that you are ready to sell could put you in line to be one of the lucky winners of a fistful of cash that will make your budget stretch further or give you a head start for early Christmas gift buys. If you have not yet managed to act on this year’s resolution to declutter your space, here is an excellent incentive to make good...

Signarama , the world’s largest signage franchise, celebrates its one-year anniversary with their marketing agency, The Brand Cartel, this September. Since the partnership came into fruition, Signarama and The Brand Cartel have both enjoyed incredible success over the past 12 months and continue to break boundaries and enjoy ongoing positive results. The Brand Cartel have executed two successful campaigns for Signarama’s brand strategy in the last year. The ‘Need A Sign’ campaign brought a sense of humour to seamless campaign and signage solutions for customers whilst keeping the integrity and high quality intact that Signarama is best known for. Showcasing the actual product is of utmost importance for Signarama and with the partnership with The Brand Cartel, customers were able to experience the product with its innovative ‘Inception’ campaign. As a customer, quality and assurance is a necessity and Signarama were able to give their customers the confidence to make the right ...

Real Fish & Chips Witbank Real Fish & Chips welcomes their second store in eMalahleni. Boasting an amazing look, the new store is centrally located close to major stores. Real Fish & Chips eMalahleni invites you to come and have a taste of their delicious meals at the corner of  Walter Sisulu & Colliery and Diederichs streets. If you are interested in opening your own Real Fish & Chips franchise, two options are available: 1. Real Fish & Chips Concept: Franchise cost : From R 600 000.00 + VAT A deposit of R 200 000 is required. 2. Real Fish, Chicken and Chips Concept: Franchise Cost: From R650 000.00 + VAT A deposit of R200 000 is required. Amounts quoted include store set up, equipment, signage and training. For more information get in touch by sending an email to info@realfishandchips.co.za . Real Fish & Chips will also be featured in the September issue of the Sunday Times Franchising magazine. Make sure to grab your copy!

Wessel Radyn (FICS Tshwane East), Gerhardt Becker (CEO) and Andries Radyn (FICS Tshwane East) The FICS footprint is growing with each new FICS Franchise that is opening its doors. With 145 FICS Franchises needing coverage, the opening of the FICS Tshwane East Franchise (number 22) allows FICS to gather information about accidents quickly and comprehensively as well as offering a service to clients in the Pretoria area. Wessel and Andries Radyn are two brothers who decided to start their own business. As Pretoria residents, it made sense to opt for a Franchise area close to home. These two complements one another well. Wessel, an ex-SAPS Colonel and Andre with extensive experience in administrating US Business School programmes for years have the abilities and skills for investigations and hands-on coordination of FICS work. Wessel and Andries Radyn are an ideal addition to the FICS team to address the services FICS offer to clients on a local and national level. FICS develope...

3@1 Business Centre franchising joins several other leading South African franchise brands who previously expanded to the UK successfully like Nando’s. We will be bringing a refreshing mix of products and services to the Print, Courier and Photographic retail sector there. If you want to get in early you can join our team and form part of a team of 4 carefully selected, strategically located adventurous and energetic entrepreneurs to open one of our first 3@1 pilot franchises in the UK. With a proven business model and 80 trading stores, developed and refined over 20 years and established in 1999 this South African born concept now sports a franchise network which is fast expanding throughout Southern Africa. You can see from looking at our logo, signage and striking stores just how modern our 3@1 Business Centres are. The 3@1 Business Centre Franchisor team continuously evaluates new and interesting retail trends to access technological advancements that can be incorporated int...

Nico Viljoen By implementing the systems in The Pioneering Practice Programme, one will build a marketing engine and, in the process, de-commoditise one’s firm in the eyes of his/her audience, resulting in the attraction and referral of more A-Grade clients and have more time, money and freedom. The Tax Shop Franchise Group associated with Amanda C. Watts because we believe The Pioneering Practice Programme will benefit all Accountants and Tax practitioners and make life easier as the programme covers inter alia the following exciting areas which are relevant and useful to all Accountants and Tax practitioners: Creating a brand and a message that will get attention! How to speak to your prospects so they stop, listen and sign up. How to position your firm as experts and attract more of the right clients. How to stop wasting time in 1:1 sales meetings and sign up groups of clients at a time! Where to find your best leads and how to convert them. For more information about...

Riaan Fouche The relationship between the franchisor and franchisee is often overlooked by people who are starting out in franchising. This is one of the biggest mistakes that one can do; it creates a lack of mutual understating, it also has a direct correlation to the 10% failure rate in franchising. Riaan Fouche, the Chief Operations Officer of Franchising at FNB Business says, “One of the things that franchisors should manage is a healthy relationship with franchisees and that requires a multitude of human relations skills paired with technical support structures that enable a win-win approach between the two parties.” Fouche shares four phases of the franchising relationship dynamic as per the renowned Franchise Relationship Expert, Greg Nathan: The courting phase: This is the creation phase of a relationship; both parties are communicating and making an effort to enter into a business relationship. Franchisees and franchisors must have clarity on the relationship and bu...

Do you have hidden gems concealed in your longstanding product offerings? Taking a new perspective on buying and selling patterns established over nearly quarter of a century at Cash Converters Southern Africa made CEO Richard Mukheibir realise a business lesson he needed to put into practice – and one he felt worth sharing with any other SA businesses looking for a wakeup call that can help them grow in today’s slow economy. Reinventing your brand to keep it fresh and successful means everything from refreshing your logo to sharpening your strategic vision, he believes. That led him to relook the company’s product offerings and spot the gap where they could supply better. “Dealing in second-hand jewellery has always been a side-line for us, another minor part of the product mix we offer,” he says. “But as the vintage trend took root in South Africa, we realised that instead of just ticking over and maybe not even earning its floor space, this could potentially be a good earner...

Sanondaf is one of the most progressive disinfectant methods utilized internationally and it now presents South Africans with the opportunity to not only better their work, and personal environments through touchless disinfectant, but also creates prominent job opportunities for those who want to invest in franchising. Mother and daughter team, Kirsty and Jackie Harron brought the Sanondaf franchise to South Africa in 2017 and they aim to be the #1 disinfection service business in the country, making a positive impact on your family’s health and that of your customers, staff and your business. Sanondaf’s touch-less disinfection solutions combine the effect of both spraying devices and disinfectant solutions. The dual effect of both devices and disinfectants, enables the air and surface in a room to be disinfected automatically. Since launching in March 2017 we have grown in leaps and bounds. With 3 new franchise owners and numerous clients on board. Servicing clients from butch...

Since the establishment of the Signarama brand in Southern Africa in 2000, 95% of the people who have purchased Signarama franchises had no experience in the signage industry prior to becoming franchisees – that’s right, no prior experience. This might seem strange in a relatively technical industry, but it speaks volumes for the training Signarama franchisees receive initially and as they grow their businesses going forward. Signarama believe ongoing training is key to growing a successful, sustainable business. According to Signarama franchisor, Kurt Tyack, the approach they take is that ‘to EARN you have to LEARN’. This mantra means that it is necessary to be a lifelong learner in order to grow a successful business and earn a good living. According to Tyack, “We ensure that each new franchisee receives the same initial training in order to ensure high standards are maintained across our network. In addition, our focus is to ensure that the franchisee receives additional trai...

FICS facilitators trained people from two newly bought Franchises from 2 to 6 July at the FICS Training Facility in Centurion. Franchise Owners from Nkomazi and Tshwane East attended the theoretical and functional training. Paulette van der Merwe and Charlé du Preez (just back from a 2-year stint in the USA) represented the Nkomazi area while Wessel and Andries Radyn (two brothers) represented the new Tshwane East Owners. The Van der Merwes already own the Mbombela Franchise and the logical step for them was to acquire the adjacent area, Nkomazi. With the experiences gained from already owning a FICS Franchise, Paulette added a lot of value during the training week regarding pitfalls, challenges and best-practices in managing a FICS Franchise. Charlé with her exposure to cutting edge technology in the USA brought youthful ‘outside the box’ perspectives into the classroom. Wessel is an ex-Colonel in the SAPS and gave valuable insights into investigation practicalities in the field...

As the business environment for workshops becomes more diversified, new opportunities are opening up for ambitious, entrepreneurial businesses. Rather than restricting themselves to servicing a single brand, increasing numbers of workshops are looking to extend the scope of their offering. By doing so, they are able to access new growth potential by attracting a wider range of customers. This is precisely the situation that the Bosch Car Service concept was designed to enable. Robert Bosch was one of the first to recognize the need for consistent excellence in both component quality and customer service: attributes that still define our offering today. Bosch Car Service has become one of the world’s leading workshop networks as a result of our unique know-how and systematic approach to quality control. Our worldwide reputation for quality and service helps Bosch Car Service workshops to boost their image as the most competent experts in their area, while allowing them to increase...

To tackle unemployment, Government has identified the SME sector as a promising platform for job creation. Fair enough, but an unacceptably high percentage of new SMEs fail, often within the first or second year of their existence. Business failures are a toxic mix of broken dreams, lost jobs and significant financial losses but fortunately, there is a better way. Investing in a franchise gives new entrepreneurs access to a tried and tested business model and increased chances for success. Unfortunately, not all franchises are created equal, posing the question, “what makes a good franchise?” We decided to find out. What makes a successful franchise? Text books on franchising will tell you that a franchise needs to be based on a product or service that satisfies a proven need by a growing market. The founder of the business should optimise product design, operations, marketing and sales channel development, systems and procedures before considering expansion via the franchise ...

Dumisani Bengu, Head of Franchising at Absa Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have become an important driver of value in the South African franchise industry sector, which continues to grow in both volume and value for investors in this low risk high return sector of the economy. This is despite the recent trend of slow growth in the South African economy. Our own data shows strong year-on-year growth in the franchise assets book between 2016 and 2017, which ran in excess of 20% and was primarily driven by M&A in the multiple store franchise groups. Most of this M&A activity was experienced in retail, restaurant and fast foods, and fuel franchise sub-sectors of the South African franchise landscape. M&A generally refer to the transactions in which the ownership of companies, business organisations, operating units or assets are transferred or combined. In a merger, two organisations join forces to become one new business, usually with a new name whereas in an acqu...

The real estate agent's offer in the buying and selling of a home is invaluable in today's property market with all the new laws and regulations. “In today's hands-on society, it's the responsibility of homeowners to fully understand all aspects of the buying and selling process – even the undisputed factor of commissions” notes Craig Hutchison, CEO of Engel & Völkers Southern Africa . The information below should serve to add a fuller picture to this part of the property process. Why are there estate agent commissions? Estate agents in most countries don't work for a salary, their earnings are commission based per sale they produce and often constitute their livelihood. When is an agent eligible to ask for commission? Both the agent and the agency they work for, must have valid Fidelity Fund Certificates in order to be eligible for commission. This means that the agent is qualified to operate in the real estate industry and has the necessary security as a saf...

Morne Cronje Much has been said about the slothful state of the economy and have echoed sentiments that 2017 is not going to be a walk in the park. The franchising sector has however found its way through the slow economy with industries such as the fast food segment showing positive growth in 2016. That said, franchising in South Africa is still not fully realising its true growth potential and franchises need to continue to plan ahead, innovate and adapt to changing market conditions to ensure that they stay abreast of the changing business environment. “The splendour of franchising is that you’re in business for yourself but not by yourself, however, one has to let go of the myth that franchising brings instant success. It is a safer type of business because it is part of an established brand: the risk nevertheless is not necessarily lower,” says Morne Cronje, Head of Franchising at FNB Business . He shares some of his views on what to monitor in the franchising sector: ...

As an employer, you are responsible for maintaining a working environment that is safe and without risk to the health of your employees while they are at work; this is as per the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 85 of 1993 Section 8 — General duties of employers. Unfortunately not many franchisees truly understand their obligations and how to adequately fulfil these requirements. Being party to a franchise arrangement does not lessen the health and safety obligations of the employer, and while Operations Manuals are generally silent on this subject and provide only limited, if any, information, it is imperative that franchisees understand the OHS act, its regulations and the importance thereof. The Act outlines the duties of all those involved within the workplace. Generally, the duty of the employer/franchisee is to ‘so far as is reasonably practicable, provide and maintain for employees a working environment that is safe and without risks to health’. In simple terms that ...

Success or failure of retail franchises primarily depends upon local marketing initiatives. In addition to the franchisor’s marketing efforts, success comes when a franchisee markets his or her business among the local community. Failure is usually a result of a franchisee believing he’s bought a business for which everything is laid on for him. Sally J’Arlette-Joy, founder of Sandwich Baron , says the key to success lies in a corporate marketing strategy dovetailing with a franchisee’s local marketing strategy. J’Arlette-Joy has a number of proven tips for franchisees. These are relevant to any franchisee, even though tailored for Sandwich Baron’s 49 outlets nationwide. “Much of our focus has been on maintaining a strong Internet presence, and we would similarly recommend this to franchisees. When you google ‘sandwich’, ‘Sandwich Baron’ is the first website that comes up. But to maintain that search engine presence requires constant updating. My advice is: first put aside a ...

We don’t want to rub our competitors up the wrong way…necessarily Brothers Bruno and Ivan Persic have not always been politically correct or done things the way they ought to have been done. While not everyone’s cup of tea, looking at it half a glass full, challenging the status quo sometimes has its upsides. The word “Hijacking” has mostly negative connotations but is a very famous local hobby. Wanting to keep with the “local is lekker” theme we decided to hijack a US concept and pretend it’s our original idea. “It all started after having travelled the US while in corporate. I had one or two Philly Cheesesteaks abroad but never really thought much of the idea other than it was a stunning hangover cure after a “long and strenuous” business dinner (hope my ex boss is not reading this)” says Bruno Persic, Joint MD of Philly Cheesesteak Co. “It was only a few months later that decided I was tired to licking bums for a living and decided to jump the corporate ship that I discovere...