Frequently Asked Questions Q : A :
Why would I invest with THE Shed Company?
The financial investment required to establish THE Shed Company Franchise will vary depending on the set up costs of your display centre and office facilities. These costs can be calculated when a suitable display centre site has been located and an acceptable sales budget has been agreed. An initial "once only" Franchise fee is payable by an incoming Franchisee for the use of THE Shed Company name, the building designs, computer software, business systems, manuals, marketing collateral, ongoing head office support and use of the website and 1800 phone system. This fee also includes the costs of installation of your computer software, initial training for you and your staff and the supply of the initial set-up items such as brochures and marketing aids, stationery, business cards, signage and corporate clothing etc. We will assist you to enter your initial premises and operating costs, variables and assumptions into the ShedMod computer-modelling program and this will assist you to forecast likely profit and cash flow outcomes for the first year of operation, and also to estimate total capital requirements, including start up working capital to establish your Franchise.
Q : A :
How much training and how extensive is it?
Initial installation and training is carried out at Head Office on the Gold Coast during which time an extensive training program is delivered. The unique Edu Shed training program enables all THE Shed Company team members to develop their skills and expand their knowledge over a range of subject areas. The three day installation training commences with the installation and customisation of your computer software and establishment of your local construction and concreting pricing structure plus assistance with establishing your display centre content and layout, signage etc. as required. Both theoretical and practical hands-on training is provided in the areas of product knowledge and pricing, use of your computer software, general administrative matters and sales operational issues, including selling techniques to help you maximise the conversion of leads to sales. Your training then moves to the ordering and scheduling of the product, sub-contractor recruitment and recommended operational procedures, marketing, promotion and advertising followed by assistance in preparing and costing your local marketing plan. The final stage of your initial training program covers on-site training of your subcontractors to train them in the correct methods of safely constructing the product plus timesaving methods that improve their efficiency and also produce the professional finish required. We understand that this information is much to consume during this time so regular ongoing training is provided by way of; head office classroom training sessions, local area workshops, web based training modules and regular visits to your Franchise. Page 1 of 4
Information provided by The Shed Company and correct as of 19/12/12 - while all care is taken, information should always be confirmed with franchisor. To contact The Shed Company, call Janet Hamilton, Managing Director, at +617 5574 3666 or send an email to info@theshedcompany.com.au
www.franchisebuyer.com.au
Frequently Asked Questions Q : A :
What sort of software and systems do you have to support the business?
THE Shed Company's state of the art software has been specifically developed to allow fast and accurate estimating, quoting, costing and ordering of THE Shed Company portal-framed prefabricat ed steel buildings by interpreting THE Shed Company's engineering designs to create exactly the building as requested by your prospect plus a bill of materials and full colour scaled architectural drawings, together with a detailed quotation and sales order form.
The program also allows incremental spans, eave heights and bay sizes to be used and generates precise cutting and punching details for each building for manufacturing purposes, at the same time allowing production of a range of other on-demand reports including supplier purchase orders, construction components listing, costing summary, punching lists for all components and portal frame drawings for each building. You can also quickly and accurately calculate the cost and selling price for the construction, concrete slab and pier footings and how much concrete is required to be ordered for the footings, for any building in THE Shed Company product range. You will also have access to the financial modelling program specifically written for THE Shed Company Franchisees. This program allows you to enter your financial assumptions and variables during your initial feasibility study into the purchase of THE Shed Company Franchise and will then generate likely profit and cash flow outcomes as well as calculating how much working capital you will require to set up your business initially. You can also do break-even analyses and "what if ?" scenarios quickly and easily. Once you start the business, this program can also be used to match your actual figures against your forecasts and also every year thereafter to prepare your annual business budgets. It produces a variety of reports and also shows your budget figures, your actual figures and variations in easy to understand graph form. THE Shed Company software also allows electronic transfer of price changes, software enhancements, component and product updates, new products etc. direct to each Franchisee as well as providing an on-line help desk to each THE Shed Company Franchisee. This system allows any queries or special training needs to be resolved immediately by using an electronic computer link-up between the Franchisor and the Franchisee.
Page 2 of 4 Information provided by The Shed Company and correct as of 19/12/12 - while all care is taken, information should always be confirmed with franchisor. To contact The Shed Company, call Janet Hamilton, Managing Director, at +617 5574 3666 or send an email to info@theshedcompany.com.au
www.franchisebuyer.com.au
Frequently Asked Questions Q : A :
What territories are available?
As a THE Shed Company Franchisee, your business will be centred in a high population city or area, with an adequate population base and will be dedicated to the sale and installation of THE Shed Company products and provision of associated services. Franchises are currently available in both metropolitan and country areas throughout Australia and New Zealand other than where a THE Shed Company Franchisee has been appointed. A detailed list of these cities and areas will be made available to you on application. THE Shed Company will only appoint one Franchisee in the one city (excluding capital cities) or area. As a Franchisee located in Australia, you will be assigned two types of territories - an exclusive territory and a non-exclusive territory. The exclusive territory is the area within a certain nominated radius from your place of business. The non-exclusive territory is anywhere else (in Australia), other than any other Franchisee's exclusive territory. This means that whilst you are not permitted to market, advertise or promote your business within any other Franchisee's exclusive territory (and neither are they permitted to do so within yours); all areas (In Australia) in between all other Franchisees' exclusive territories and yours are non-exclusive and are available to you and also to all other Franchisees.
THE Shed Company is also looking at markets for their products and services outside Australia and methods of servicing those markets including establishment of Master Franchises and transfer of technology.
Q : A :
What type of ongoing support will I get?
THE Shed Company Conference takes place every two years and includes presentations by professional speakers in a vast range of business development areas and there is also the opportu nity to talk one-on-one with engineers, software providers, suppliers and other industry experts. As a THE Shed Company Franchisee, you will also have unlimited access to the Head OfďŹ ce support team and your Franchisors as mentors, who have extensive experience in the shed industry, business development and sales techniques.
Page 3 of 4 Information provided by The Shed Company and correct as of 19/12/12 - while all care is taken, information should always be conďŹ rmed with franchisor. To contact The Shed Company, call Janet Hamilton, Managing Director, at +617 5574 3666 or send an email to info@theshedcompany.com.au
www.franchisebuyer.com.au
Frequently Asked Questions Q : A :
What are the steps involved to become a franchisee?
There are five steps to becoming a THE Shed Company Franchisee as follows: Step 1: Register your interest (you can do so by making contact here on www.franchiebuyer.com.au or direct to http://www.theshedcompany.com.au/opp-form.html ) Step 2: We will then arrange a face-to-face meeting with you to work through the Franchise prospectus and discuss all aspects of the Franchise including the business model, the opportunity, our Franchisee selection criteria, product ranges and designs, manufacturing and distribution of the product, business systems, computer software, marketing, training, fees etc and answer any questions you may have about the Franchise or its operation. Step 3: Next we will work with you through a computer model of the proposed Franchise that will calculate likely profit and cash flow outcomes for the first year of operation of your Franchise, based on your input and circumstances. This model will also calculate how much capital you will need to establish your business. You will then be ready and we will encourage you to proceed with your market research. Step 4: We will arrange a meeting with you and the Franchisors to allow you to get to know each other and ask any other questions you may have. The Franchisors will then make you an offer of the Franchise and provide you with a Disclosure document, a copy of the Franchise agreement and the Franchising Code of Conduct to allow you to carry out your due diligence. Step 5: Two weeks later they will send you the Franchise agreements for signature and agree dates for installation, training, fit-out and launch with you NOTE: There is no obligation on either party to proceed until a formal offer of a Franchise has been made by the Franchisor (at completion of step 4) and the offer has been accepted by you.
Page 4 of 4 Information provided by The Shed Company and correct as of 19/12/12 - while all care is taken, information should always be confirmed with franchisor. To contact The Shed Company, call Janet Hamilton, Managing Director, at +617 5574 3666 or send an email to info@theshedcompany.com.au
www.franchisebuyer.com.au