Former Army Major Andrew Davis has found a new outlet for his vocation to help give others a better life.

Andrew was a Commissioned Officer with the British Army before taking up his Right at Home franchise in 2012. The 38-year-old had seen active service in the Balkans and Iraq before taking a mentoring role helping other officers prepare themselves for commanding their troops on operations.

Now he owns a business providing top quality home care services for elderly people and adults with physical and mild learning disabilities in Bournemouth.

Andrew’s caregivers provide quality care and companionship to clients in the comfort of their own home. He runs a service that is reliable, flexible and highly-personalised, prioritising his clients’ interests above all else.

His clients range from seniors in need of companionship or help with daily tasks, to adults living with disabilities or recovering from surgery. Providing care on a short-term and long-term basis, from a daily visit through to 24 hour care, seven days a week, Right at Home provides a more independent alternative to residential care.

Andrew works alongside an experienced Registered Manager, Helen; supporting her as she oversees care delivery, recruitment and scheduling and staff training, while he focuses on increasing enquiries by marketing the business and building relationships with local referral sources.

So what factors led Andrew from the military to the care sector?

The growth potential in the UK market, and the operational support provided by Right at Home proved to be the key.

“It’s quite a departure from my previous life, certainly!” says Andrew.

“I chose franchising because the notion of being “the master of my own destiny” is really very important to me. Secondly, I wanted to have that relationship and guidance –a road map to success if you like.

“I was attracted to care because whilst I can see that financially I can control my own growth and income, I also wanted to do something that made me feel good about the value I was adding to the lives of others. As I become successful, my staff will see the benefits, but most importantly the people that we provide care and support to will have a better quality of life. That feels really great.”

The care sector is a competitive market – so why choose Right at Home?

“I did lots of research, speaking to several franchisors in the sector and plenty of franchisees as well. I was impressed with the passion and commitment shown by the Right At Home team, right from the word “go”.

“The support and guidance that they showed to me was reflected in what their franchisees said as well. Lots of organisations say that their support is really good, but with Right at Home, their franchisees said the same thing.

“The training that I received before I started was valuable – I can’t speak highly enough about it. It can all seem a bit overwhelming at the start, but I couldn’t have asked for more help and not once did I think I was being a nuisance when seeking guidance or clarification. It was refreshing to deal with a company that does exactly what it says it will do.

“Having no specific “sector experience”, it was a relief to see the scope of experience within the head office team as well. After initial training, there was regular contact between us. This helped me during the set up and particularly with the recruitment of a manager through to the big day when I opened the doors to the big wide world. The social care and business management support I have received since then have enabled me to go from strength to strength. ”

Andrew’s annualised turnover 18 months after opening is more than £500,000 and he hopes to achieve £900,000 by the end of 2014, after trading for just over two years.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Right at Home is a global market leader in quality home care, with more than 400 offices operating across North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

UK operations began in 2010, when former bfa Franchisee of the Year Ken Deary was selected to become the UK Master Franchisee and, aftera huge amount of preparation, opened our pilot office in Preston, Lancashire.

Since then we have strived to find franchisees who share our passion for helping vulnerable people, and have the great leadership, management and inter-personal skills that will allow them to excel in this field.

We have grown our network to 24 offices, providing first class training and mentoring, and closely supporting our owners and their Registered Managers throughout the early days of getting their businesses off the ground.

Ken Deary’s combined experience of franchising and the care industry is unique in this sector, as is our selective and controlled growth strategy, which ensures we find the right partners and have time to devote to helping them grow their businesses.

TRAINING & SUPPORT

We offer what we believe is the best opening package in the industry, but it is our training, on-going support and mentoring that really makes adifference to how you are able to maximise your business. This starts from your first Discovery Day, as we support you to identify the best territory, create a solid business plan, recruit an experienced care manager and find a suitable office.

Our Franchisee Training Programme is to our knowledge the most comprehensive on offer; Phase One is carried out over two weeks at head office, where you will learn about the administrative and operational side of the business, polish your sales and marketing skills and receive valuable financial management advice.

We provide a week-by-week calendar, containing detailed tasks to guide you through the opening process, then deliver Phase Two of your training at your Right at Home location after your business opens. This on-site guidance will help establish the daily routines you’ll use to grow and maintain your company.

Our on-going support includes regular field support visits, online meetings and conference calls, access to valuable sales support from our award-winning parent company, Right at Home International, and close links to managing director Ken Deary, his support team and the growing network of Right atHome UK franchisees.

As your business develops, we offer a Continual Improvement Programme encompassing on-going training, support and mentoring, and the provision of a Quality Assurance Programme to ensure all owners remain compliant with the all national legislation and the relevant legislative bodies.

INVESTMENT& RETURNS

Our initial franchise fee is £29,995 +VAT – as well as exclusive trading rights this includes a generous start-up package, containingvirtually everything you need to get your business up and running.

Our franchisees also need sufficient Working Capital to cover the cost of opening and running an office until it begins to turnover a profit. Estimated total investment: up to £100,000. We have a good record of supporting new franchisees to secure bank finance.

Initial Franchise term: 10 years

Our franchisees pay a single Royalty payment of 6.25% of their turnover, after every 4-week billing period.

Profits will vary according to region and the individual office but net profits, once established, are approximately 10-15% of turnover. We provide conservative projections at our first face-to-face meeting, along with the calculator so you can further tailor these to your own circumstances.

TERRITORIES

Our territories are large, offering great long-term profitability; mapped in adjoining postcode districts, each has a minimum of 35,000 over-65s living within. We have great territory options across the UK – contact Kate Dilworth on 07825 047344 or kate.dilworth@rightathomeuk.com to discuss availability in your area.