With Australia’s aging population on the rise, quality aged care services are in great demand. The Franchise Review (TFR) sat down with MSI Taylor client Martin Warner, Australian owner and franchisor for Home Instead Senior Care, to talk about his passion for working with people. An extract of the article follows or you can read the full interview here.
What motivated you to become the Australian franchisor for Home Instead Senior Care?
My wife and I were running our own franchise consultancy businesses, but we wanted to move away from consultancy. When Home Instead advertised, the spoke about franchising experience and understanding the aged care market, which we could relate to because we were caring for our parents. When we met up with Home Instead, I think what really clicked for us was that our values coincided with the founder’s values, which were very much about compassion for older people, respect for seniors and their families, and working together as a team.
How important are people to Home Instead Senior Care, and what are you looking for in a franchisee?
The nature of what we do is all about people. We aren’t producing a product; everything is about a service, so what’s particularly important from the starting point is trying to get the right person who fits our culture, which is very much about compassion and quality of service. We want owners to take the lead, and to share their hearts and build trust. We’re looking for people who can understand what it’s like to be looking after an older person, and the challenges they and their families face; someone who wants to make a difference in people’s lives, who wants to get involved in a business that is very stimulating and very challenging, but that has great meaning.
What is the process for meeting or hiring franchisees?
It starts with an enquiry over phone or email, and I respond with initial information to help people understand what we do. We have a conversation – simple as that. It’s about trying to help franchisees understand what this is about, because we’re not in a retail environment where you’re just servicing over a counter. Initially, it’s about helping franchisees understand that we need to establish an office and eventually employ a large number of people, and that franchisees need to be part of their community.
What is the future for Home Instead Senior Care?
One of the things that’s happening for Home Instead is that we’re becoming very much a global organisation. When we started, we were more like an American organisation, which had different, locally owned networks around the world. We’re working much harder now to become a truly global organisation by working closely with our partners. We share a lot of information so that we can provide the kind of quality care at the local level that’s required around the world. I think we’re quite unique as an organisation in doing that – I’m not aware of any others that have the same kind of global stretch, and that’s actually very stimulating, enjoyable and unique.
Read more about what’s involved in becoming a Home Instead franchisee by reading the full article.
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