Market Focus
population is growing at a much faster rate than the rest of the population, and in the next 25 years the number of people aged over 75 is expected to increase by 76 per cent. As a result of the demographic changes, there has been an increasing demand for health and social care providers. Many prospective franchisees are choosing to go into the care sector, not only because of the growing demand for services but also for the intrinsic rewards working in care brings. Here four franchisees explain how they provide a valuable service and help make a difference to people’s lives.
T
he UK care industry is estimated to be worth in excess of £27 billion and is currently going through a series of groundbreaking changes. Britain’s elderly
wanted to run. We wanted to help improve people’s lives and figured this was one of the best ways to do it.
How quickly did your franchise become a success?
The first one I set up was in Reading in 2007 and I remember the first few weeks of it opening being quite slow. We were determined to drive ahead with our business and focus on quality care and good customer service. A year on we were doing great and haven’t looked back since. We then went on to open another franchise in Windsor and we now provide home care to 120 older people and people with learning difficulties, and employ 100 members of staff, across both offices.
Bluebird Care
Tushar Shah, 35, joined Bluebird Care in 2007 after he witnessed a surge in demand for healthcare providers as a result of an ageing population. He now runs two successful franchises in Reading and Windsor with his business partner Mehul Shah, providing home care to older people and those with learning difficulties.
Why did Bluebird Care appeal to you? Well, I saw a big opportunity in the healthcare sector as a result of an ageing population. I’d run a few other businesses in the past and thought why not try running a franchise in the healthcare sector? I looked around at various franchises, but Bluebird Care appealed to me because its business model focused on delivering a quality customer service – this was exactly the kind of business I
What’s the best part about running your own franchise? We wanted to grow a business that would help make a difference to people’s lives and this is exactly what we did. This makes it all incredibly rewarding. It’s great to hear positive feedback from the people we care for and from our staff. One of our greatest achievements was winning a National Dementia Care award, as a result of one of our carers looking after someone with dementia. Making that kind of difference is one of the best parts about running our own Bluebird Care franchise.
“Be sure that you are able to give 100 per cent, never ever cut corners and always work within the rules and guidelines. Honesty is key”
Have you experienced any obstacles along the way? One of the big problems in the care industry is that there’s often a high turnover of staff. Last year we lost 30 per cent of our staff and as a result of this we began to focus more on training as an incentive for our staff to stay and to develop their skills. This year that figure has dropped to eight per cent.
February 2012 |
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