Nothing to Lose

If the success of a franchise was only measured in how long franchisees stayed with a company, then V.I.P. Home Services would be near the top of the list. It was over a decade ago that Shabina Din started her career with the franchise, and she has surprised herself with her achievements ever since. “In 11 years, we are nearly mortgage free and own a rental property,” she says. “I never imagined we’d get to this point. It just demonstrates the strength of the V.I.P. system, and the fact that I made the right choice.”

Shabina had been working as a barista at a local café but found the hours kept her away from her husband Faiyazu and her two children – both under the age of four at the time. “My mother had been involved in a different cleaning business,” she explains. “Although helping her gave me good experience, it was not the kind of business that really allowed you to grow. We started investigating franchises that had real business potential, and quickly decided V.I.P. was the one.”

Shabina found she was able to purchase a cleaning business local to her in Papakura. “The current franchisees were transferring to Whangārei to take up the master franchise there and trained me in all aspects of the V.I.P. system, which was very valuable,” she says. “The company has a four-week training period for all franchisees, which taught me to work efficiently, to the highest standards. And it educated me on how to run a proper business, which neither I nor my husband had any real experience of.

“One of the great bonuses was that I was introduced to all my new customers. And I still have some of my original clients today. Inevitably, people move on, yet with the V.I.P. brand, this invariably means they want you to continue as their cleaner. If that isn’t possible, you can rest assured they’ll always seek someone else from the same company.”

Easy to grow the business

Initially, Shabina worked in the business and Faiyazu continued in his job. As half of the round was after hours work, this proved a great way to generate some extra cash. “V.I.P. can always keep you busy, as they provide all the leads from your area,” Shabina explains. “It was then very easy to grow the business with the continued support of the company and, before long, we were employing people, too. 

“For a while, we were working seven days a week, as we’d just bought a house. Today, we’ve cut back a bit. The children are now 10 and 13, and the business is flexible enough for us to collect them every day from school and make a very good income. Faiyazu works with a courier company, but I drag him in like a good husband to do the heavy lifting for me!”

I would not have survived on my own

Reflecting on her longevity with V.I.P. Shabina is emphatic that she would do it all again. “I’m convinced that if I’d gone into business on my own, I would not have survived,” she states. 

“There is enormous value in a brand that customers know they can trust. And, in the home services market, V.I.P. is the best. From a franchisee’s perspective, it has the big advantage of a fixed monthly fee – you don’t pay a percentage, as the fee is very modest and remains the same whatever the volume of work you take on, or how much you earn!

“Furthermore, the franchisor is very supportive towards its people. They hold monthly local meetings, for example, which are a great way of swapping ideas and getting to know fellow franchisees, who are also very supportive. During the Christchurch earthquake and Covid era they halted fees and have supported franchisees going through sickness etc – they are so approachable with any issues.”

Family feeling

Says Estelle Logan who, with her husband John, is V.I.P. Home Service’s national franchisor for New Zealand, “It’s a great joy to us to have franchisees in the business who have made such a success and to have been able to enjoy their children growing up, too. 

“V.I.P. has a great reputation for good reasons. We have over 40 years of experience in selecting the kind of people who maintain the standards that have built the franchise so successfully. Shabina and her family have made a great financial success of her business through dedication, hard work and sticking to the system. 

“Like some of our franchisees, they started with $1,700 per week established customer base and have more than doubled their business. Being able to consolidate your round and sell on work often results in a tidy capital gain for franchisees. It is just another of V.I.P.’s benefits, along with our work guarantees.”
Indoors or outdoors

V.I.P. Home Services offers two different kinds of franchise: indoor (all types of cleaning) and outdoor (lawn mowing, gardening and other work). “V.I.P. offers a completely flexible system that can be tailored to your needs,” says Estelle. “Shabina’s choice for V.I.P. as a business has been a solid investment that has brought her family a great lifestyle and an excellent income. Whether you’re looking for a full or part-time business, we are currently seeking new franchises throughout the country, as we have established and new growth opportunities available.”   

See this advertorial on page 13 of Franchise New Zealand magazine Year 34 Issue 1

Contact details for V.I.P. Home Services

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