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In The News
Using a Professional Spa Business Consultant vs. a Franchise
FAQ's
1. What's the biggest advantage of using a consultant?
There are many:
- You decide what you can afford and how fast you want to
grow.
- You decide fees, hours of operation, how your facility
looks.
- You will get a personalized business plan based on your
financial resources and your goals.
- You are in control of everything that concerns your
business.
2. Is it less expensive to use a medical spa consultant
than a franchisor?
Usually, yes. Franchise companies require a lump-sum up-front
financial commitment, and continue to extract monthly service
fees, sometimes royalties and even rent. That fee is based on
their formula and not customized to the individual owner. That
means you can pay ?Manhattan? prices for a business in Anytown,
USA. A Consultant receives a one-time fee, based on the exact
amount of work put in. The revenue that comes in after opening
day is yours.
3. Will I be able to customize my services menu with a
franchise?
Not usually. Franchisors normally require that you use a
predetermined menu of services, hire a specific number of staff
for those services and even dictate how your facility looks.
A spa business consultant will help you customize your facility
to reflect YOU: your tastes, your budget and the look and
feeling you want to convey.
4. What about product and equipment?
Franchisors expect you to buy the product line and equipment
they provide, and often take royalties from products sold. A
private consultant will help you decide among the many
private-brand lines or guide you in developing your own
personal-label products. The relationship that private
consultants have with the equipment guarantees that you'll get
the most up-to-date equipment for a price that fits your budget
and needs.
5. Isn't it easier to franchise?
No. It may seem easy, but the cost is loss of individuality and
the time you spend learning someone else's system. If your dream
is to open your own business, why make it someone else's idea of
that dream? A franchise can give you a recognizable name and
reputation, and manuals of operation that detail how every thing
is to be done. But, again, would it fit your vision? A
consultant works with you every step of the way to make it your
business. You also have the opportunity to develop your own
private-label products and keep all the profits.
6. Is franchising a sure road to success?
No. It may be more reliable in mature businesses (like
McDonald's) with proven track records over decades, but
franchisors can and do fail. There is no medical spa franchisor
that can show you years and years of success, along with loads
of locations to point to. Yet, you will be told to follow a
template and a system. Expect that it's probably not a proven
one. Remember?when a franchise has a problem that makes the
news, it affects all the franchisees. In your own business, you
alone are in control of your reputation. The franchise model is
good for some types of business, but not medical spas. |
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