Page 37 - 914INC - Q1 - 2013

Questions savvy business people ask about
a limo company.
Are they always on time?
Are their drivers professional chauffers?
Have they been trained in defensive driving?
Are they personable, knowledgable, pleasant?
Does the company own all its own vehicles?
And are they impeccably maintained?
Does the company have a tracking system that knows when flights depart and arrive?
And knows where every vehicle is at all times?
Does it have a large, diverse fleet capable of comfortably seating up to 35?
Does it have a record of getting clients to their destinations safely, comfortable and on-time?
WCTLC #01-00131
Does it go the extra mile for customers?
Has it been doing that for clients for 75 years?
If you answered yes to every question, thank you for being a Red Oak customer.
If you answered no, call Westchester’s premiere limousine company:
914.708.5777. Or visit www.redoaktrans.com
The professionals who go the extra miles.
Our Top Franchises
So what are the most popular franchises around here? Well, food’s big—really big, from usual suspects like Dunkin’ Donuts—which tops the list with a whopping 56 units in the County—to locally founded Carvel. And that’s not much of a surprise. According to the International Franchise Association, “quick-service” restaurants currently have the most establishments, employees, and economic output across the nation—to the tune of more than $200 billion for the sector, according to one recent esti- mate. Other successful franchise models include per- sonal services and business services, and we’ve got some of those as well. Check out the top 15 below, courtesy of the public relations firm FranPR:
Franchise Units in Westchester
Dunkin’ Donuts: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Subway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 McDonald’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Carvel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Ameriprise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 TheUPSStore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Kumon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Combination Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin-Robbins 13 KFC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Nathan’s Famous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. . . . 11 Applebee’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Valvoline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Blockbuster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Century21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
if a franchisor is unwilling or unable to yield on contract provisions that the franchisee strongly objects to, the prospective franchi- see should shake hands and walk away.”
Ed Nardella, president and owner of Paul Davis Restoration in Pound Ridge, and his wife, Nancy, know the drill. Before purchasing their franchise, “we employed lawyers, as well as an accountant, and I spent considerable time with the previous owner. You need to dig as deeply as you can, and you have two levels of due dili- gence: Find out about the franchise opera- tion on a macro level and, on a micro level, investigate the details of that particular operation.” Once approved by the company but prior to starting operations, new own- ers of an existing Paul Davis franchise must take a six-week training course at its train- ing center, adds Nardella. “Additionally, the franchisor provides ongoing support in marketing, operations, and further train- ing.” Today, Nardella’s franchise is in top 10 percent of the offices in his network.
Lerner was leery about another go- round with a franchisor, but he did his best to apply what he learned about the neces- sity of deep investigation from his first time around. “We spent several months research- ing the new company, visiting their offices and franchisees,” he says. “I must have ➔ spent weeks on the road and visited
INComing914INC. INComing Bi-weekly Newsletter
Delivered to your e-mail in-box FREE twice a month, 914INC. INComing gives the scoop on everything seen and heard around the county business community.
From hirings, promotions, and retirements to openings and closings and the newest great commercial real estate offerings.
How can any businessman or businesswoman do without it? To sign up free visit westchestermagazine.com
35
westchestermagazine.com