The Facts About Window Cleaning Operations and Licensee Programs

I'm sure you've seen ads for buying into a window cleaning operation, since you're interested in starting a window cleaning business. Some of these presents could look really seductive, but let us look only a little deeper.First of all to buy your own window cleaning business, you've to make a large at the start non-refundable investment. On average in a nearby of $25,000-$100,000. And for that investment, franchisors state to provide you with the following:Claim: Protected Sales TerritoryFact: It is a nice method of saying that they'll assign you a property predicated on your neighborhood zip codes for you to work in. You are only permitted to provide and market your services within your given zip code. The only way to move outside your designated area would be to buy extra 'territories.'..Talk about limiting your growth potential.Claim: National Brand RecognitionFact: Give me a break! Let me ask you a you give me the name of a window cleaning franchise that's a family name?Come up with one? No, neither did I.Now can you give me the title of a restaurant operation that is a household name?I believe you can, I can give you an entire string of them...McDonalds, Taco Bell, Quiznos, Subway, and I could go on for days...You see my point?Claim: Sophisticated company websiteFact: 99% of window cleaning franchises give their franchisors a single webpage, off the company's main web site and they're incredible common and blah. For the kind of money you are paying you must get a lot more bang for your buck.Claim: Unparalleled Business SupportFact: By this they mean you obtain a 1-800 number to call, not your own personal individual number, but a general one that everyone gives for their support concerns. So if you can get through to someone to support you, but they don't solve your trouble, then they will send an 'agent' out to you to set you straight...for a healthy charge of course.Claim: Complete TrainingFact: Typically this means that you've to fly out (additional cost) to wherever the franchise's headquarters is and attend a whopping 2 or 3 day training course in which they claim to show you anything you need to learn about window cleaning and running a business. I assure you, even with my brilliant package, it'll get you more than 3 times to 'master' the window cleaning business.These are only a several supposed 'advantages' of shopping for in to a window cleaning operation. Oh and I very nearly forgot to mention, that in addition to your initial $25,000-$100,000 investment, you are also required to pay and added 6%-8% of one's income in royalties each year for the life of your business.How good of a package does a cleaning franchise sound to you now?Please do not get me wrong, I am not saying that franchises are ineffective, in many companies they are certainly the fast track to achievement (if you could afford one), however in the window cleaning business a franchise only doesn't make financial sense.