- Franchise Q & A

How was your franchise/opportunity originally conceived and started?

Comfort Keepers® was originally conceived over 10 years ago by a home care nurse who spent much of her professional life caring for the medical needs of home bound seniors. It became obvious to her that there was a real need for non-medical home care for this population as well. From her direct experience, Comfort Keepers was born.

What do you believe is the single most important factor when choosing a franchise?

Franchisee satisfaction should be the single most important factor in choosing a franchise. It is critical to confirm franchisees are pleased with their business, the training they receive and the support they receive.

Why should someone choose your franchise over other similar franchises?

With 600 locations serving 47 states, Comfort Keepers is unquestionably a leader in the non-medical in home care business. Comfort Keepers offers tremendous start-up support, as we provide 8 days of franchise training to each new franchisee. We also provide a dedicated New Start-Up Coach who works with new franchisees after they have completed training. At the same time, new franchisees have the support of one of our Field Based Business Consultants for continued support. We provide continuing educational sessions throughout the year both in the field and during our Annual Conference. We also encourage open communication between ALL of our franchisees and the Franchisee Support Office.

What makes your industry attractive?

According to the US Census Bureau, there are 39 million adults in America, age 65 or older. That number is expected to more than double to close to 89 million in the next 40 years. The US Non-Medical In-Home Care Growth Revenue is approximately 15 Billion dollars and will continue to grow with the aging population. This market is still relatively unknown and has tremendous potential for current success and continued growth.

What types of qualities do you look for in potential franchisees?

We look for individuals who are:

- Must be a self-starter and understand the importance of having a sales focus to create your own success each day

- Passionate about providing quality care

- Able and willing to follow a proven system and not recreate the wheel

- Capable of simultaneously managing both internal and external business priorities

- Effective and efficient in managing time and setting priorities

How do territories work for your franchisees?

As a Comfort Keeper Franchisee, you will have a protected territory. We work with you to design your territory based on general population, senior population over 65, and average household income demographics.

Why has your franchise model been successful?

We have a proven operating system, excellent training and outstanding support. One important factor is we focus special attention on the Care Givers. Our motto is, if you take great care of the care giver, they will take great care of the client and you as the franchisee will benefit in the end.

Where do you see your franchise in 5 years and 10 years?

Our goal is to be the leader in the non- medical franchise sector both domestically and internationally.

What is your favorite advice for new franchisees to help them succeed?

Implement and follow the training and proven systems you receive.

What would you tell potential franchisees that may be nervous about the financial burdens of starting a franchise?

If you have consistently succeeded in your previous careers, providing you follow the training and implement the systems you will learn, you have what it takes to build your own business.

Can you explain your financial assistance?

We can refer you to third party financing sources.

On average, how long does it take to start a new franchise from the franchisees point of view?

From initial contact, you could be operating your own franchise in 60 to 90 days.