This week, Home Care Insight caught up with Prestige Nursing & Care’s managing director, Sarah Hughes, to gain some insight into its newly announced decision to go down the franchising route, something that is very popular in the home care market.
HCI: Prestige Nursing & Care has 30 locations already – are any of these already franchised, or is this a completely new journey?
SH: Prestige Nursing & Care has two very successful established franchise businesses who are proud to be third generation family owned, the culture of these businesses is a direct reflection of the power of the Prestige Nursing & Care business ethos and brand which we now wish to expand upon by enhancing and expanding our franchise operations. In addition to this, we have 28 company owned locations where we have a unique comprehensive offering available to our existing managers who may wish to become franchisees. Where they do not, we will extend this option to the open market. We also have an extensive list of available territories where new Prestige Nursing & Care locations can be opened.
HCI: Can you elaborate on where you are in your franchising journey?
SH: We have recently gained Emerging Member status with “The British Franchise Association” and will be present at the upcoming National Franchise Show at the Birmingham NEC on October 4-5 2024. We are now open to discussing franchise opportunities with interested individuals who may wish to operate their own Prestige Nursing & Care business. Our new Franchise page is live on our website, and we have already started to receive interest via that route.
HCI: What are the main reasons behind the decision to introduce the franchising system?
SH: We recognise the strength of the franchise model and the opportunity it allows for us to expand our established brand whilst maintaining effective cost centres. We also recognise the demand and need for additional care services across the UK.
HCI: What regions are you looking to expand into?
SH: We currently operate in England & Scotland and will develop in the future into Wales and Northern Ireland with the potential for international markets.
HCI: Franchising seems to be popular in the home care market – what are you doing to differentiate yourselves from the other key players?
SH: Prestige Nursing & Care is a specialist care provider, offering Home care services and Complex Care services including Nurse led, Paediatric care, Adult complex and Palliative care backed by a wealth of expert clinical experience within the public and private care sector, given that we are emerging into the franchise sector we have a substantial range of geographical territory offerings compared to existing, and all backed by an 80 year old trusted brand.
HCI: Have you anticipated or ran into any challenges of carrying this out?
SH: It’s always interesting to open up the brand to the opportunities that franchising brings, if any challenge at all has been experienced it has been in setting the scope of the opportunity to ensure that we can open this to as many individuals as possible.
HCI: What are the benefits for a potential Prestige Nursing & Care franchisee?
SH: Any Franchise will be joining a business with history, a business that operates a trusted brand, bringing real improvements to the lives of those in our communities, as well as a business which offers both real employment opportunities and career pathways to individuals. Whilst of course developing a business that is life changing for them as an individual and for their families.
HCI: Can you give us an idea of your strategy in terms of how many franchisees you are looking for – would you prefer to have multiple franchisees in multiple locations, or a franchisee who owns multiple locations in a similar area?
SH: We initially aim to grow with single territory franchisees and would anticipate that over the years as our franchise network grows, we will work with franchisees who wish to become multi-territory owners.
Click here for more information on our franchising opportunities.
Read the original article in the link below:
Prestige Nursing & Care’s franchising journey so far (homecareinsight.co.uk)
