Precision Greens - Franchise Q & A
Franchise Qa With Precision Greens President Dave Abbott
How was your franchise/opportunity originally conceived and started?
Year over year we were struggling to keep up to the market demand regardless of how many crews we deployed. It was this challenge that brought about the idea to franchise our brand and pass on our years of experience.
What was your original vision for your company? How has that changed over time?
In 1999 we started Precision Greens by installing high end custom putting greens. Over the years we built strong relationships with builders, developers and architects. The demand from their high-end clients continued to grow year over year. As time passed, the artificial grass industry introduced new technology that created realistic and durable products suitable for many landscape and sport applications, which furthered our growth and created new installation opportunities. Today the majority of our installations are with synthetic landscape grasses.
What do you believe is the single most important factor when choosing a franchise?
We believe that the most single important factor when choosing a franchise, over and above the proven business model, is the strength of the support from the franchisor. Is the training adequate? Do they provide ongoing training? Are they always available to help? Are they continuing to stay ahead of industry trends? Our answer is Yes. We take pride in all of our partnerships because their success is our success.
Why should someone choose your franchise over other similar franchises?
We are different from other franchises because of our instant business model. Our partnership with Lowe’s Canada and Rona Inc., provides installation services to all their customers across Canada. Our products and services are on display in each store, with customers able to touch and feel the products and take our marketing brochure home with them. This generates immediate leads for your Precision Greens franchise, kickstarting your business while growing your territory organically. Precision Greens also provides a strong social media presence, along with web and video marketing platforms to assist all our franchisees with generating leads. These factors work together to build instant brand awareness in your territory, paving the path for your business to succeed from the start. Moreover, this franchise model can be used as an add-on to your existing landscape business, allowing your company to generate more revenue by offering additional services.
What makes your industry attractive?
What makes the industry attractive is that installing artificial grass doesn’t require weeks or months on a job site. We can often complete jobs in days allowing for quick payments and the ability to handle multiple projects in any given week.
What types of qualities do you look for in potential franchisees?
We look for energetic & enthusiastic individuals that want to grow a business long term. Generally, we would like candidates that have landscape and management experience, however we will also consider candidates without previous landscape experience if the have the right drive to learn and work with us over time to help them succeed.
What do your franchise fees and royalties cover?
We do not collect any royalties. Our franchise fees cover the following key points:
- Flights and accommodation to our training facility in Langley, BC
- Certification training
- Customized business documents
- Proprietary Management Software
- Website optimization and Google Ad words
- Below contactor product rates
- And much more
How do territories work for your franchisees?
Each franchisee has a defined territory of responsibility
Where do you see your franchise in 5 years and 10 years?
We see our franchise company expanding across Canada and providing the best workmanship and overall experience to all customers in the nation.
What is your favorite advice for new franchisees to help them succeed?
Be positive, be energetic, and pay close attention to detail while striving to grow your business
What would you tell potential franchisees that may be nervous about the financial burdens of starting a franchise?
The toughest part of starting a new business is trying to line up enough work to stay busy. Like all new start ups there will be a ‘nervous factor’ involved as you enter a new life venture, however we have developed our business model to mitigate these concerns. Thanks to our Lowe’s and Rona partnerships, your brand will be immediately well recognized. In conjunction with our corporate marketing campaign initiatives, leads will come in instantly without having to ‘hit the pavement’ yourself, although this will still be important to grow your business organically. Our in-depth training will also assist our franchisees on best practices to ensure a successful business plan for each of the available territories.
On average, how long does it take to start a new franchise from the franchisees point of view?
On average from the time a candidate is awarded their territory would be approximately 1 to 1.5 months.
- Franchise Disclosure document – 14 days
- Franchise Agreement – With revisions 1 to 2 weeks
- Training at our facility in Langley – 2 weeks
- Customization of all Website, marketing and documents – 1 to 2 weeks
Do you have any franchisee testimonials or success stories that you would like to share?
Yes, please review our franchise promotional video for our partners testimonials.
How easy is it to get product?
We have distribution centers in Langley, BC and in Mississauga, Ontario that allow us to provide product delivery within days at rates below contractor pricing.