Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying a franchise business?

I worked in the warehousing industry for a company working shifts, quality checking, data entry and checking orders.

Why did you go down the franchise route? What made you choose your industry? And why did you choose your franchise?

I chose this industry because I saw a lot of benefiting factors - there was more earning potential working for yourself and it offered a more flexible lifestyle. Through social circles I’d met quite a few people who had their own World Options franchise business. They were doing well, buying new homes,living a good lifestyle and their franchise business had helped them achieve this. I thought it could offer myself and my partner as a family a better lifestyle.

How did you raise the finance?

Through saving and help from family.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?

I initially had three days' training at the World Options support center, learning how to find customers, using the online portal and computer systems. We were taught everything we needed to know about the shipping industry. After that over the coming months I’ve had additional freight training and sales training. I’ve also received support and advice from other World Options franchisees. The training and support is ongoing, which is good.

What is your opinion on the World Options online shipping portal as a product?

As a product the World Options online shipping portal helps my customers with their logistics needs. It gives them the visibility to view different shipping prices and courier services and transit times all in place. It’s a fantastic product. Also for larger businesses who have online shops and larger shipping requirements we have integration software that can help them with their shipping needs through the online portal.

What is a typical day for you as a franchisee?

In a typical day, I start by putting together a list of all the customers and prospective customers that I am going to call. I’ll make those calls in the morning and then follow up my conversations with emails to the people I’ve spoken to. I sometimes visit customers and prospective customers by going to their office premises to introduce myself and see who might be interested in using our services. I also support my existing customers, if they need assistance with their shipping I’ll follow up their queries to help get them resolved.

What challenges have you faced?

At the beginning I found it challenging to keep motivated and find new customers especially when I'd speak to a prospective customer so seemed uninterested. I overcame this by getting some extra couching listening to other franchisees and seeing how they were handling calls. I realized that there are lots of different avenues you can go down when offering our shipping services. Realizing that everyone is different is the key.

I started to carefully listen to what a potential customer was saying and understand their needs. Then I tailored every conversation and phone call to adapt and offer them a service that fits in with their shipping needs. I found customers started to listen to me more when I started to listen to their needs and help them find solutions. If you are genuinely interested in helping them with their shipping needs they will want your help. Everything just clicked when I realized this, and it became so much easier.

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life? If so, how?

Yes, my time is my own. If I need to spend time with family I can. My franchise business has given me a great opportunity for the future to earn more and be financially stable.

What Matters to You: Becoming a business success, freedom, flexibility, be your own boss, financial security, happiness, lifestyle, work life balance?

In my business, happiness is what matters to me and to be happy with the work that I’m doing. I do want to succeed with my business and to be financially secure. The flexibility to be able to spend time with my family and do what I want when I want is also very important.

How do you measure success?

I measure success when I’ve secured a new customer and know I can help them with their shipping requirements, then I know I’ve done a good job and that makes me feel successful. I also measure success by how financially secure I am, and by how happy my family are.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?

The best piece of advice I would give is: Believe in the product and not to give up.

At the start I lost some motivation - a few bad calls got me down. I then let my determination take over, and that’s when everything changed for me. I secured a few new customers and I realized I can do this. I started to believe in the product and I make a success of this business.

What are your plans for the future?

My plans are to build my business and to carry on bringing more customers on board using the World Options online shipping portal. It would be great to eventually have the business run itself. In the future, I’d like to employ people so I can take a back seat and live a more comfortable life.

Would you do it again?

Yes, I would. I have flexibility, freedom and I’m working towards a successful future.