August-September 2014 | BusinessWorld | 97
TOP LOW-COST
FRANCHISES
A Franchise Business Review special report
One of the best ways to know if a franchise
opportunity is really as good as it appears is
to look at its franchisee satisfaction data.
Not all brands survey their franchisees, but
those who do offer a wealth of information
on the system's leadership, culture, training
and support, financial outlook and
franchisee community to set clear
expectations for potential franchisees.
The low-cost franchise segment has
traditionally been very service-oriented
because these business models don't usually
need a big office space, inventory or other
resources that require lots of capital. Some
of the service brands on our top low-cost
franchise list this year include 360 Painting,
Window Genie, and Weed Man. We also
see franchise companies that provide
homecare services (e.g., Right at Home and
Visiting Angels), kid- and pet-focused care
(e.g., Soccer Shots and Sit Means Sit), and
business consulting services (e.g., Action
COACH and Focal Point Consulting) on
our list.
In the last year or two, we've seen increased
popularity in franchise businesses related to
the home, either real estate concepts like
Help-U-Sell or companies that offer home
services likeBudget Blinds.
Prospective franchisees may be surprised by
the brands and concepts that fall under the
“low-cost” umbrella. Food franchises, for
example, which typically require a big
investment in real estate, equipment and
supplies, don't usually have much of a
presence on our annual low-cost franchise
