Quick learner? Excellence awaits

Sometimes high-fliers leap straight out of school. Calvin Liao was one of them. “I joined my Uncle’s Paramount franchise when I left school,” he says, “and eight years later, I have 70 staff under me.”

Auckland born and bred Calvin was obviously a quick learner. Having been promoted to operations manager in the family firm, he decided to take over the business in Nelson. “The attraction was chiefly the sunshine, beaches and weather,” he jokes. “It gives me easy access to the West Coast and Tasman regions, which I also bought eventually. 

“There were only a handful of sites here when I started in 2021, but expansion has been rapid. It was also a matter of very good timing,” he adds, perhaps modestly. “There was a surge in business following the Covid downturn, and we had the opportunity to take over a lot of contracts from another cleaning company. I had to find 30 staff instantly. I succeeded! Ever since, local reputation and word of mouth has been our chief expansion asset.”

Slightly scary

Calvin admits it was ‘slightly scary’ going into business on his own. “The biggest challenge was that I was fresh and young, and an unknown quantity. But all my staff have been very supportive, and I have a really nice collection of clients. I respond to any issues instantly and this has enhanced the reputation of the company, and me, as an operator. 

“I’m lucky, because I have a system in Paramount that helps me run a good business – excellent people and proven systems. I’ve found that if my staff are happy, then so are my clients. That makes it easy! I can then focus on making clear plans to expand the business in the future.”

Make running a business easy

Danielle Hampson, also in Nelson, came to Paramount via a very different route. “My background is entirely self-employed,” she explains. “I’ve had a couple of hospitality businesses and other enterprises in lawns, gardens and windows over the 30 years prior to joining Paramount, seven years ago. The job description of Customer Relationship Manager just seemed to fit my skills, and it has given me the best of both worlds; I’m autonomous in my own region but still working for a company. I love what I do!”  

The strength of the Paramount system is the support structure the company has put in place. “Many of our successful franchisees have no experience of the cleaning industry prior to starting with us,’ Danielle explains. “What we do for our franchisees is to make running a business easy. This allows our franchisees, such as Calvin, to concentrate on their business, and not worry about the details that can bog you down, particularly at start-up.

“From our clients’ perspectives we take the view that, ‘cleaning is no longer your problem... let us take care of it’,” Danielle continues. “We stand out as a franchise because we like to operate like a family. We care about our clients and our franchisees equally and we are there to assist them in every way.”

Aim for excellence

“We always aim for excellence in every aspect of our operations, and we work towards achieving the best results for all parties. When working with clients who’ve had issues it often boils down to perception. We’ll strip things down to the bare bones, tweak a few systems, and fix it. Calvin has built his business brilliantly using this formula; hence he was up for a big award in November as a finalist in the Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards.” 

Danielle says Paramount actively supports franchisees to build the lifestyle they want. “Whether you want to run a part-time business or build an empire, everyone at Paramount is there to make it easier for you,” she says. Danielle was also a Field Manager finalist in the 29th Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards. 

Celebrating success

Paramount is celebrating success after being named the Westpac Business to Business Franchise System of the Year 2024.
It is now seeking more franchisees throughout New Zealand to join in this success.

Danielle says, “We are dedicated to sustainability and zero waste, and we’ve won Franchise System of the Year awards nine times in the last 16 years. By 2025, Paramount will be carbon neutral, using electric/hybrid vehicles. Perhaps best of all, for our franchisees, is that we have guaranteed revenue for new businesses.

“Opportunities start from around $35,000 – so why not give us a call? Whether you love the North or South Island, or fancy a complete change of scenery, as Calvin did, we have regions and franchise opportunities available immediately.”  

See this advertorial on page 33 of Franchise New Zealand magazine Year 33 Issue 04 

Contact details for Paramount Services 

For more information and advice on buying a franchise get your FREE copy of Franchise New Zealand magazine. 

Industry: Business & Commercial

Contact: Stella Blake

021 912 615

FANZ member: yes

investment from:
$35,000

Number:: in NZ 215 globally 215

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• Phone
  0-9-376 7850
• Email
  sblake@paraserve.com
• Web
  https://www.paraserve.co.nz

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