Franchise Talk

* In recent years, home-based franchising has become more popular as a range of companies have discovered that working from home can be just as effective as having an established office elsewhere.

* Franchisers in sectors such as consulting, children’s services, financial services, computer training and repair, cleaning, pet care, photography and travel, are now actively offering potential franchisees opportunities to have their headquarters where they live.

* However, some towns do not allow businesses to be run from home, or have restrictions on it. For instance, customer parking could cause a problem should special permits be required for spaces used commercially.

* Therefore, potential franchisees must check with their local authority to see if there are any rules restricting the commercial use of a property and then decide if it is still worth working from home.

* If approved, this arrangement can save costs for both franchiser and franchisee, although specialist training will be needed to ensure that franchisees will be ready and able to run a successful franchise from home, as they will have to adapt to a unique working style.

* It is important that franchisees working from home have in place the right equipment. To make sure things are run efficiently, a desk, stationery, posting equipment, notebooks and other items should be in a set place.

* It is advisable to have a separate business phone line to keep work and home life apart and if using a computer, it should operate at a fast speed so that more work can be done during a day. The same applies for an internet connection and email software.

* Franchisees at home must have their office or workspace in an area away from distractions such as children, pets and television.

Other steps here.