Franchise FAQ

Let’s get together over a coffee. If we are going to build a successful business relationship we both need to get to know each other and ensure this business is right for you.

We would love to sit down with you and discuss the VIP opportunity. You’ll have questions for us too, and we will be happy to answer all of them when we meet.

One of our values is that we are fully transparent and there are no hidden surprises.

You decide. Choose from several different investment options ranging from $15,000 to $29,000, plus start-up kit & equipment plus GST, which puts the power of choice in your hands.

No matter which investment level option you choose, providing you meet normal lending criteria, we have several options to help you purchase your new VIP franchise. You’ll be surprised how easy it can be.

All business carries some risk - becoming a partner with VIP puts you in the drivers seat of succeeding in your own business.

VIP has established, award-winning systems, training processes and support that allows you as a franchisee to focus on growing your business.

In fact, when you see what our franchisees have to say, we think you’ll agree that the risks involved are well worth it.

Our system and book work are so simple that you can do most of it while you are out and about. You won’t waste your precious time working with complicated programs that don’t add value to YOUR business.

VIP has a long-standing record of providing excellent support to franchisees, allowing you to utilise the VIP system to its full potential.

Computers don’t provide excellent customer service, people do. People like you.

Our weekly flat franchise fees are among the most competitive in the industry and are the same no matter how much work you do. We don’t jack up our fees just because you need a higher income guarantee, nor do we keep taking more and more fees as your income increases. Nor do we charge you "work referral fees” for leads. Generating leads for you is what we are all about.

Your customers pay you directly. Many will pay you by internet banking or cash, on the day you do the work.

You do, because only you know the right price for you. We will teach you how to prepare and present a quote for your potential customer, and how to convert the quote into a sale. By doing your own quotes you can be sure you are only doing work at a price you are happy with. You won’t be obligated to work for less than what you are worth, simply because an area manager had to meet their monthly sales target.

By all means! In fact, you will automatically generate more work by simply doing a great job for your customers. They will recommend you to their friends, family and neighbours. Remember, too, that you will have a sign-written vehicle and/or trailer, which means you will be taking a mobile billboard with you everywhere you go.

You can if you want to, but VIP franchisees mostly find they don’t need to do any advertising. In the unusual event, a particular franchisee could use more work, there are many cost-effective ways to spread the word. We are only too happy to help and advise you.

This may be the most important of all questions. In short, your territory will be big enough to give you as much work as you can handle. But there’s more to it than that and we look forward to an opportunity to share it with you when we meet you.

You can rest assured that VIP will not send you all over the place trying to service a territory of 60,000 homes. That would be like the whole Bay of Plenty, or half of Wellington! What’s the point of that? The whole idea of a group of operators working together is to eliminate all that wasted travel.

Yes, you will. When you start as a VIP franchisee you will be assigned an exclusive territory, which you’ll keep for the life of your franchise. All inquiries from within your exclusive territory automatically go directly to you. Without an exclusive territory, you can find yourself driving all over town, passing your fellow franchisees as you go.

When a prospective customer calls any of the advertised VIP numbers or contacts us through the internet, that contact is passed on to you directly. You’ll be given the customer’s name, contact information and the service required. You then arrange a convenient time to visit and provide a quote. By adding your personal touch and the high VIP standard of service, there is a high probability of the quote being accepted.

After the customer has accepted your quote, you schedule them into your round, on a day and at a time that suits your needs or time commitments, not VIP’s.

Oh yes! Most of our franchisees are turning work away every week. Some VIP franchisees employ staff to help them keep up and, at the same time, build an even stronger business. The key point here is that the amount of work you’ll end up doing will depend entirely on how much you want to do. Not what VIP chooses to pass on to you.

That depends on which franchise you choose. All VIP franchisees receive a starter kit including uniforms, stationery, vehicle signage and/ or sign written VIP trailer, plus personalised business cards and stamper.

In addition, our Cleaning franchisees are equipped with all the equipment, including a window cleaning kit, mopping system, vacuum system, chemical kit, cloths, brushes, and accessories, they need to start out.

During training, our Lawn & Garden franchisees try out several different types & brands of equipment to see what suits them best. We advise and help them purchase the equipment that best meets their needs, from their local VIP-approved supplier, at specially discounted prices. VIP franchisees use and recommend STIHL equipment.

As a new VIP franchisee you'll receive a minimum of 4 weeks paid training dealing with all aspects of your new business, including not only how to clean or how to mow lawns, but also how to improve your profitability, how to maintain your equipment and everything else in between.

Yes. And it’s not just a guarantee of extra work when you don't really need it, which may not be near your main round. VIP guarantees your actual income during the critical start-up phase of your new business - the actual money you need to run your household while you start your new business. And we won’t trick you into voiding your guarantee by sending you all over the country to small jobs that just aren’t worth your time, or overloading you up with a stack of catch-up work later in the year when you are already busy.

Furthermore, the VIP income guarantee is never a limit. We don’t manage your work level, so when you are ready for more, you just say "yes” to more of your inquiries! The only limit to your income is how much you feel like doing.

You mean, apart from winning the "Home Services Franchise System of the Year" for 3 years in a row?
Let’s see…first there’s our unique sell-back system whereby you are able to sell back excess work to VIP, to help compact your round and boost your profitability.

Next, there’s our income guarantee that actually guarantees you income. Not just more work sometime later on when you are already too busy, and which is a long distance from the centre of your round. Our guarantee is simple – if you don’t get enough work from your customers, we pay you the balance, in real money.

Then there are the 4 weeks paid training. We actually pay you to be trained.

You'll be trained to quote your own work, so you will work for fees you are happy with. You are also paid directly by the customer for the work you do. Right from day one.

The VIP trailer is not only the most practical vehicle for our Lawn & Garden franchisees; it is also a mobile billboard that customers recognise all over the country.

VIP is the original home services franchise system. Because of that, you know that we know the business best. Our systems are proven.

Most full-time VIP franchisees turn over $1,400 - $2,200 per week as a single operator and can take on as much or as little work as they want. We disclose all relevant information prior to you signing the franchise agreement, so there are no surprise costs or fees later on.