For anyone interested in running their own franchise, the home care sector offers numerous opportunities for developing a successful, people-focused business. So, what is the demand like for home care at the moment, and how do you go about setting up a new home care franchise?
The UK home care market
The move towards high quality home care is continuing to grow in the UK. This is due to the increasing number of older people, strains on the NHS and because more and more people now want to stay in their own homes rather than go into residential care. There are now over 11 million people who are aged 65 or older. According to Department of Health and Social Care figures, 57% more of this age group will need care in 2038 than needed it in 2018. And this situation is only likely to get worse in the future.
Becoming a home care franchisee therefore gives you a chance to make a real difference to people’s quality of life whilst also enabling you to build a very viable business. However, it’s a change that needs to be carefully considered. You need a real heart for helping people – but you also need to be aware of all the rules and regulations affecting the industry. Most of these are designed to ensure your clients will be treated safely, with respect and dignity. And you’ll also need to ensure you have the funds required to start a new franchise.
In terms of the daily challenges you’ll face, these include recruiting and retaining the right staff; training and marketing; problem solving; and managing and growing your business. If you feel ready and equipped to face such challenges, you’ll find that a home care franchise such as one with Home Instead offers exciting opportunities for building a successful business. There will always be a need for a service such as this.
Why choose the home care route?
Starting your own business can be a particularly daunting and stressful task. So why should you consider the franchise route? One of the key reasons is that it takes some of the stress away. Because you’ll be looked after by a franchisor, and will be part of a network of franchisees, there will always be help and support available.
A lot of the hard work will already have been done for you. The franchisor should have established a strong business model that has been shown to work. They will already know the market for home care in your general area. You’ll also be able to tap into the experience of other franchisees within the network. If the franchisor is a well known, reputable company like Home Instead, they will also have generated awareness of their brand so that potential clients might already have heard of it.
In contrast, if you decide to set up your own independent business, you’ll have a mountain of work ahead of you. This includes developing a business model, systems, policies and procedures from scratch; obtaining all the relevant licences and insurance policies; being approved by the Care Quality Commission (CQC); and ensuring you meet all the relevant safeguarding and regulatory requirements. But why bother when you can have your own franchise under the umbrella of an organisation that has already done most of this for you? Franchisees have been shown to enjoy a much greater success rate than sole traders who set up their own business.
Buying the franchise
Once you’ve decided that a franchise could be the most logical step forward, you’ll need to think carefully about how you should buy one. There are several important steps involved, including carrying out the initial research; choosing the best franchisor; ensuring you do due diligence before you actually purchase the franchise; and considering all the costs involved. You can find more details about all of these steps in our blog: ‘The Process of Buying A Home Care Franchise’.
Launching your business
The launch of a new business is a time when you’ll really start to appreciate the extra help available from your franchisor. You’ll need to have developed a clear business plan, including details of your company, the services you’ll provide and how you will operate and finance your business.
With a franchisor like Home Instead, you’ll immediately be part of a nationally recognised brand with a proven business model. It will be able to provide you with established systems, policies and procedures. In addition, you’ll have a pre-defined territory and your own local website, along with a wide range of marketing assistance, including help with local campaigns as well as support from regional and nationwide marketing and advertising.
A good franchisor will also provide other aspects of support during the launch phase of your franchise. This could include networking opportunities within the industry; access to specialist marketing and PR professionals who will help to raise awareness of your business at this critical stage; and the ability to enjoy the bulk buying of supplies and the use of shared services.
Another important aspect at this stage is developing close links with various people within the local community. This includes other businesses within the area and your neighbours, any of whom might know people who will require care at some point. You might also want to get involved with various local activities as well. At Home Instead, we believe that care should be at the very heart of the community.
Operating and growing your business
To get your business running efficiently, you’ll need to have a registered manager in charge – either yourself (if you intend to have a hands-on role) or someone else. The manager will be responsible for the daily operations of the business, including staffing, clients, safety protocols, record keeping and compliance with regulations. You’ll also have to register your franchise with the CQC.
You’ll need to have clearly defined goals for your franchise and how these can be achieved, along with a schedule for achieving them. You’ll also have to ensure you have all the associated resources – including a sufficient number of qualified employees; a HR plan; and IT and office equipment. And you’ll need to ensure you have clear communication channels with your employees, as well as strong training and compliance procedures. In many of these areas, advice and support should be available from your franchisor.
Once you’ve established your business, you’ll want to strengthen it and grow it. This might include increasing your client base and staffing levels or introducing new services (such as specialist care packages). By building relationships with both your existing client base and members of the local community, you’ll find that new opportunities for care should start arising. Make sure that you take maximum advantage of all the support and resources available,particularly from your franchisor – it’s in their interest, as well as yours, that your business should continue to succeed and grow.
What next?
Does owning a franchise care business sound like the journey for you? Get in touch with our Franchise Development Manager Luke Spellman. You can submit your details by clicking here and Luke will send you the link to book a call.