Computer Franchises vs. Going it Alone

There are plenty of computer franchises for people looking to start up a new IT business.

Is going with a franchise a better option than starting up on your own?

This article considers the advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of Computer Franchises

1. A franchise can give you administrative support and guide you through the early days of starting your business using methods that are (at least in theory) well tried and tested.

2. Trading under a well-established name may increase the credibility of your business and help you to win clients.

3. Some franchises will bring you an automatic stream of client work, easing your marketing burden.

4. Running a franchise doesn’t give you the total freedom you have when running a business of your own. You may be forced to do some things in a particular way and charge your clients on a fixed pricing structure.
   
   

5. Most franchises require an initial investment to get started. Sometimes this can be significant and exceed the startup costs you would need to go solo.

6. A well-known name isn’t always a good name. When you buy into a franchise, you buy into its existing reputation—good or bad.

Disadvantages of Computer Franchises

Whether computer franchises beat going it alone depends a lot on you. If you don’t have prior business experience, you may find working with a franchise an easier way to get started. Consider the points in this article and your decision should seem a little easier.

Did you consider computer franchises when starting your IT business? Share your experiences in the Comments below.

And to follow-through on the ideas introduced in this short post, be sure to download your free copy of the quick reference guide to the 13 Computer Franchises that Start Up and Support Computer Repair, IT Consulting, and Managed Service Provider Businesses.

Creative Commons Image Source: flickr Dawn Endico