Franchising Opportunities

Quick and cost-effective

  Visit Company Website

Corporate refugee?

JOIN THE INTERFACE FINANCIAL GROUP, A FRANCHISE WITH A DIFFERENCE

When one talks about franchises there are usually a common set of words in the franchise description, regardless of the nature of the franchise in question. One of the most prevalent is probably the word ‘unique’.

The dictionary tells us that unique means exclusive, exceptional, inimitable, distinctive, matchless, rare and so on - a heady pedigree for any business to live up to, let alone a franchise. So why do these words appear so much in franchise jargon? Could it be that a franchise actually embraces all of these superlatives? Unlikely, but possible is maybe the best answer. Franchising is certainly a very specific niche marketplace. That having been said, there is very little in our daily lives that is not franchised in one form or another.

IMAGES

When most people think about a franchise, certain fast food images come to mind. Then there are petrol stations and related automotive establishments. But when franchising gets down into the realm of financial services, for example, not so many names, if any, come to mind. If a group of people were asked to name a bank that is, in effect, a franchise, few would have an answer as one would have to look far afield to find such ventures. The Australian banking sector has a franchise model, but there’s none we know of closer to home.

What about alternatives to banks? Now your search might show some results, but again it would be a limited selection. One of the names that would come up early in the search process would be The Interface Financial Group, a financial service franchise in the financial marketplace. Financial services come in many shapes and forms, but can you franchise a financial service?

In the case of Interface, the answer would be a resounding yes - a 20-year yes and on an international basis. The company has, in fact, been around for over 39 years. So why is it you have never heard of Interface or IFG, as it is often called? The company maintains a low profile and works with a very well defined market segment. It has created a ‘something different’ franchise. While words such as unique, distinctive and matchless may all apply, IFG tends to let its service and business model speak for itself.

Not only is it a franchised financial service, but it is also a home-based franchise. Franchisees enjoy the benefits of a home office without the overheads of rented premises. Because it is home-based it also tends to be a one-woman/one-man operation, meaning there’s no employees to hire and fire. Why does that work? Because it is a franchise format and the franchisor is able to provide wide ranging support that negates the need for an extensive and often expensive staff complement.

In addition, there is no fixed territory. All IFG franchisees are free to do business anywhere, thus giving them maximum opportunity to leverage their efforts and contacts. No territory also means portability. A franchisee is not obligated to always live and operate their business in the same geographic location. Because of the international nature of the franchise, it even enables franchisees to move their franchise from one country to another as their lifestyle and circumstances dictate.

WORK ETHIC

For IFG, corporate refugees make great franchisees - and it’s a two-way affair. Individuals coming out of corporate UK invariably have a strong work ethic that has resulted in them working 40-70 hours a week. This work regime, however, has in many cases been to the detriment of their family and social life.

IFG gives you the opportunity to run your own business for 40-50 hours a month. And the difference from corporate life doesn’t end there. An IFG franchisee is very much in charge, working to their own timetable and agenda within the franchise framework. There are no long hours, no extensive travel and no boss to have to please, other than yourself.

In the conventional world of new business acquisition and marketing, franchisees often work from a fixed location with the hope that passing trade will fill their premises or they work in a typical ‘go out and get’ business environment. That ‘going out’ for business usually entails calling on prospects, cold calling, advertising, direct mail, telemarketing approaches and so on. Interface offers something different - the majority of business transacted by IFG franchisees is referred to them.

IFG doesn’t have to use superlatives to describe its business - the company just brings something different and refreshing to the franchise marketplace

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information about The Interface Financial Group call David Banfield on 01 1 905 475 5701, email ifg@interfacefinancial.com or visit www.interfacefinancial.co.uk.

The interface financial group has taken the invoice discounting business model and created a successful franchise around the service

The Interface Financial Group (IFG) has over 38 years’ of experience servicing the financial needs of small businesses. If you need cash flow assistance of between £5,000-£500,000, you are probably well within the Interface service range.

One of the unique features of Interface is not only that it can and does service such a diverse range of funding, but that it does so without the traditional loan relationship. Without a loan relationship, it also means that as a funder Interface is not looking for traditional ‘bank-type’ security and documentation.

Existing Assets

The Interface approach to helping small and medium-sized businesses with their growth is to show them how they can use their existing assets to better advantage. IFG believes most companies already have all the ‘cash’ they need for their growth needs - they just need to understand where that cash is and how to unlock it and put it to good use. Interface clients find the service both quick and cost-effective. The constraints of bank borrowing are not prevalent and the long approval process is not a feature of the Interface approach. Typically, Interface can react to a funding request in just a matter of a few business days.

The company’s clients fall into both manufacturing and service categories - they either make and sell goods or provide services to their customers. When that process is completed, they invoice their customer and typically have to wait 30-50 days in order to receive payment. The invoice that is outstanding represents an investment for the IFG client inasmuch as goods and materials along with labor are all components of the invoice, components for which the client has in most cases already paid for. Therefore, every time that client increases their business and issues more invoices, they have an even bigger investment in those invoices.

Unlocking that valuable asset is where Interface’s expertise comes into play. With its proven method of invoice discounting, Interface can buy invoices that have been raised and turn them into instant cash for its clients. That cash, in turn, will be the fuel to create the next sale and invoice, which Interface will turn into cash, and so on. That’s the Interface magic, because what Interface does is to effectively buy the invoice from its client at a small discount; therefore, there is no loan and naturally no loan to repay. The transaction is concluded at the end of the credit period when the customer pays the full invoice amount directly to Interface.

Approach

Should the client wish to undertake another transaction, Interface is ready. If they do not need further assistance that also fits with Interface, since it offers clients a ‘use-it-as-you-need-it’ approach to funding. No long-term or even short-term commitments or hidden costs are further additional features of the Interface approach.

Interface believes this service is, in itself, unique and offers substantial value as an alternative funding approach when the bank says ‘no’ or ‘no more’. But the ‘uniqueness’ does not end there. Interface has taken the invoice discounting business model and created a successful franchise around the service.

This brings another dimension to the business inasmuch as each Interface office is independently owned and managed. This creates the further advantage that transactions can be reviewed and funded in hours rather than days or even weeks.

Every transaction is approved and funded on a local level - all Interface franchisees have a strong working relationship with their clients and that, in turn, brings ongoing repeat business from these clients.