Frequently Asked Questions

What is Franchising?

Franchising is the legal right of a business to use another company's brand and business model for a period of time. The brand owner is known as a “franchisor”, while the firm that only uses the brand name is called a “franchisee.” For example, if you have a local professional cleaning company or looking to start one, you can partner up with Fantastic Services and take advantage of our franchising opportunity around the world.

Why Franchising?

Running a business alone is very risky and most such endeavours fail in the first five years. On the other hand, having a renowned franchise partner like Fantastic Services gives you the needed boost to make it work almost every time. In a 2014 survey by Franchise Business Review on franchisees’ relationship with their franchisors it was determined:

  • 90% enjoy operating their business
  • 88% of franchisees enjoy being part of their organization
  • 85% feel positive about their affiliation with their franchisor
  • 83% respect their franchisor
  • 80% feel their franchisor operates with a high level of honesty
  • 78% would recommend their franchise brand to others
  • 73% would “Do it all over again” if they had the option.

Betting on an established and well-known franchise like Fantastic Services will get you full support for marketing, finance and schedule management from your franchisor. Starting a franchise business is an immensely more secure investment than establishing a business from scratch.

What do I need to start with?

It all depends on what type of service you're planning on delivering. The requirements for being a handyman are different from those when you want to be a cleaner, for example. We'll be able to advise you on the equipment and vehicle that you'll need. Regardless of your service, you'll almost certainly need some staff. So if you haven't already, it's time to consider finding a small group of people you want to work with.

You’ll also need to:
- Establish a company;
- Get public liability insurance;

What service can I start with?

We offer more than 100 different services as part of the Fantastic Services Family. As a Working Franchisee, you'll be free to choose which one of these you want to specialise in.
For Area Developer Franchisees, we have three core services - Cleaning, Gardening and Handyman. Each of them has several upgrade packages. Finally, we have two add-ons. Together they make more than 100 services combined. In total, you can start with up to 25 services.
You can start with one, two or all core services and upgrade them accordingly. So, for example, you can take the Gardening core service alone and upgrade it with the landscaping services or any other upgrade service under Gardening’s cap. However, you can’t upgrade it with specialist cleaning or electrical because they are under a different core service. For an in-depth explanation, please contact our sales team and they will be happy to illustrate it in full.

How will I find customers?

If you choose the Working Franchise, we will get them for you! We will directly fill your schedule with work appointments. However, if you go with the Area Development or Master franchise, you’ll be responsible for the growth of Fantastic Services in your area. Solid sales and marketing skills will help you recruit like-minded service providers that will help you grow your business. Our 500+ experts, working around the clock for your success, will ensure you will have a constant flow of customers. In addition, our state-of-the-art online and app-based booking system will make customers find you, not the other way around.

How much money do I need to start?

The total investment for the Working franchise starts from £3,000, depending on the service(s) you choose to provide.
For the Area Development franchise, it heavily depends on your ambitions and business goals. However, the minimum amount you’d need to invest is £19,000 +VAT to become an Area Developer with Fantastic Services. This money will all get back to you in the form of training, branding, marketing, advertising, customer support and IT support.
You will also need between £10,000 and £15,000 of working capital, since, like any business, in the beginning, yours will spend more than it can earn. Unlike being alone, though, your business won’t take years to break even. In fact, it usually takes between 4-8 months to become self-sufficient and between 18-24 months to return your initial investment.
The investment for the Master franchise investment starts at £100,000.

I want to start, but I don’t have enough money?

If you have 30% of the needed capital, you can apply for a loan with a financial institution. Over the years, we’ve established good relationships with some of the biggest banks in England, and they know and like our business model. We also established relations with the funding platform YouLend. Although we can’t guarantee that they will approve a loan since it depends on your financial background, we can arrange an introduction which will make the whole process a bit easier. We can also help you with preparing all the necessary documents.

What do the Franchise Packages include?

We want you to be fully prepared to meet the industry’s demand, and we will share our 12-year experience of business execution depending on the franchise type you choose.

The Working Franchise package includes:

  • Full online and on-site training with Fantastic Academy;
  • A guaranteed amount of work for you and your team each week;
  • Support in marketing both offline and online;
  • A custom-built CRM system to manage your schedule and analyse your sales;
  • 24/7 call centre, providing sales and customer care support.

The Area Development and Master Franchise packages include:

  • Introduction to the industry and in-depth training;
  • Personal coaching to get all the one-on-one time you need and have all your questions answered;
  • Access to our full of resources and knowledge Fantastic Academy, where you can learn everything there is to know about franchising and the property maintenance business;
  • 500+ Specialists working 24/7 for your success;
  • A custom-built CRM system that automates all of your repetitive tasks;
  • Two mobile apps, to make customer acquisition a child’s play;
  • Over £20 million worth of technological solutions
  • A proven business model that brings you guaranteed bookings;
  • 50,000 loyal customers each month

What do the Franchise Packages NOT include?

Your Working/ Area Development or Master franchise package will not include vehicles or professional equipment. You need to own such. We’ll gladly recommend high-quality professional equipment and vehicles suitable for your service(s) in particular. We can offer you a personal equipment lease plan adapted to your budget.

How can I join?

All you need to do is fill in our franchise application form and we'll get in touch with you with the next steps.

I want to start as a Working franchisee but can’t afford to buy equipment/vehicle for the type of service I need. Can I still join the Fantastic Services franchise?

We can help you get started easily. We offer a number of options for rental or lease of equipment, and a vehicle, if delivering your service requires one. All you need to do is let us know, and we'll be happy to discuss it with you.

Do I have to provide the service(s) myself?

Depending on which type of franchise you choose, you can either perform the service(s) or not. If you go with the Working franchise, you will have to deliver service(s) initially, but later on, you can get to the point of managing your teams. On the other hand, the Area Development and Master franchise options will straight away allow you to build a network of service providers who will perform the service(s) in your specified postcode area.

Do I still have to handle all of the sales and customer service?

Nope! We'll provide you with a 24/7 call centre to take care of all that. In addition, there are hundreds of Fantastic Service advisers, sales, and customer support specialists who’ll be working to source jobs and manage feedback for you. We want to make sure that customers will return and use your services again as much as you do!

Do I need to understand marketing?

Тhe answer is no! We have a team of professionals who will assist you with local marketing campaigns, PR, offline brochures, online advertising campaigns, PPC (pay-per-click) and SEO (Google optimisation) in your specific area of operation. In addition, our team in the HQ works hard to make sure the Fantastic Services brand becomes a household name in a new area every day.

I don’t live in the location where I plan to open my Fantastic Services franchise. Is that a problem?

Not necessarily. You don’t need to live in a specific location to operate your business. However, you do need to have an in-depth knowledge of the geography, street names, specific terminology, local population habits and the culture of the area you are willing to manage. For example, you may live in London, but you can run an Area Development Franchise in your hometown.

How do you distribute the jobs between your Working Franchise partners?

Jobs are assigned based on each partner’s availability, skills and certifications, and the preferred areas they cover. For example, if you've got the qualifications needed for a major refurbishment, we'll offer you specialised jobs. In addition, the more flexible your working hours are, the more work you will receive. Performance is also key. The more highly you're rated by your clients, the more return customers you will have.

I currently own a home services business. Can I keep my existing clients?

Absolutely. By becoming a Fantastic Services franchisee, you agree to work with us exclusively. You’ll need to let us know your current clients’ details so that we can notify them you’ve become a part of Fantastic Services, and you will provide services as part of our brand. These appointments will also be subject to your standard commission rate.

What is an Area Development Franchise and what’s the difference with Working Franchise and Master Franchise

An Area Development Franchisee (ADF) is a person who has the exclusive rights to provide one, some or all of our services with our brand, name and colours in a specific postcode defined area like YO (for York) or M (for Manchester). Currently, there are more than 30 area developers across the UK alone.
As an Area Developer, you will need to manage several teams of property maintenance professionals who will provide the specific services. You will also have to uphold our values, follow our best practices and grow your business with our award-winning business model. Of course, you won’t be alone in this endeavour. We will support and help you through your whole journey.
An Area Developer is similar to the Master Franchise, only the Master Franchise has the exclusive right to work in a whole new country. The investment is much bigger, but the rewards are as well.
The Working Franchise on the other hand is a low-investment opportunity, where you are providing the services yourself. In this case, you won’t have exclusivity in an area, yet you will still have a constant flow of customers. It’s perfect for people who prefer to do the job themselves and shy away from management roles.

How will I recruit people as an Area Development / Master franchisee?

We will support you in finding the right people for your business. We will do the screening and teach you how to choose the best professionals in any industry we cover. We will launch recruitment campaigns right from the moment you sign up with us, so there is no delay in starting your business.

What do I need to know about the service(s) I’ll be offering?

Previous experience of the service(s) you will be offering as a Working Franchisee is a huge advantage, but it is not required. We provide complete onboarding into the industry - both on theory and onsite field training.
For the Area Development/ Master franchise, you don’t need to have any previous experience in this industry to get started. All you need is some managerial skills, an entrepreneurial spirit and eagerness to learn all there is to know about this industry, how to run a successful business and how to bring happiness to both your teammates and customers. We provide complete onboarding into the industry in theory and onsite field training. We will also help recruit the best professionals and everything you might need to grow your business from 0 to 7-figures in no time.

Got any other burning questions?

We’ll be happy to answer all of them. Just fill out this form.