Diana Wilson – Franchise Manager for Bebrite in NSW the ACT, QLD & WA, makes the following observations on Franchising in Australia. “Like a lot of us – franchising in Australia is now reaching mature age! “

It is well known that Australia has more franchises per capita than any other country in the world.

There are now more than 700 franchise systems operating in Australia with over 50,000 outlets that are employing over 388,000 staff. This creates a phenomenal impact on the Australian economy. Perhaps the answer to the success of franchising in Australia is the fact that people are attracted to the security of ‘a system’ and brand recognition, they also like the idea that they are their own boss. Most people are aware of the facts surrounding small business failure rates in Australia and this reinforces the attraction to purchase a franchise. One of the areas of significant growth in franchising is in home services, where lifestyle, flexible hours and a continuing demand for services have brought about significant growth, both in franchise appointments and client enquiries.

At a Bebrite Franchisee meeting one of Bebrite’s highly successful Franchisees told the story of how she had had 6 different jobs in six years and simply couldn’t find her niche. Then she bought a franchise and became quickly one of Bebrite’s most successful operators, employing a number of staff and loving every minute of her success.

Home cleaning is continually in high demand probably due to the fact that more and more couples are working longer hours, more and more homes are being built with high polish surfaces such as stainless steel, marble and granite. These surfaces require extra attention to maintain a good lustre and therefore require quality products and professional care. More and more people are choosing to have professional cleaners look after their homes. Issues like security, insurance, advertising and promotion are all taken care of by Bebrite Head Office, and this is an added attraction. People come into the business knowing the system of marketing and advertising to promote their services are already in place. Over 170 Bebrite franchises operate in NSW, the ACT, QLD & WA. In recent years we have seen an increase in the number of females buying franchises and becoming huge success stories. They are attracted by the high incomes, being able to work school hours and the lifestyle. The flexibility of the business also attracts single males and married couples for exactly the same reasons. The work is there – it all depends on what level of income you want to achieve.