Franchise Focus
Jane Blackwell
Community matters
McDonald’s franchisee Jane Blackwell on the importance of supporting her local area
INVESTMENT LEVEL: £85,000* S
ince its very first UK restaurant opened in 1974, McDonald’s has been focussed on serving good food made from quality ingredients and delivering an excellent customer
experience to every person that walks through the door. Over the last 40 years, McDonald’s
has become an integral part of the local communities in which it operates. From supporting grassroots football to offering all employees access to nationally recognised qualifications, this community focus would not be possible without the local businessmen and women who own and operate almost 70 per cent of McDonald’s UK restaurant estate. The company and its franchisees strongly believe that investing in communities is a key ingredient in both franchise and overall brand success. McDonald’s franchisee Jane Blackwell
bought her first McDonald’s restaurant in Banbury in 2013 and will be celebrating the end of her first year with the company this summer. Jane’s career didn’t start in the restaurant industry. In fact, after leaving university she joined the South Wales Police, working as a police constable in a variety of roles for nine years. In 2005, Jane decided to leave the police force with a view to running her own business, and for the next six years owned and operated her own Post Office in Gelligaer, South Wales.
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Businessfranchise.com | October 2014 Jane says: “After a number of years
with the Post Office, I felt ready for a new challenge. I was particularly interested in getting into a food franchise and after extensive research decided McDonald’s really was the one for me. It is an exceptionally strong brand, with an industry-leading framework of support. What really stood out for me was how community-focussed the brand is and how involved each of the franchisees are in their local areas. That was something that was really important to me.”
“Any business requires hard work and dedication but the support network in place at McDonald’s really helps”
As a franchisor, McDonald’s works
collaboratively with its franchisees to shape and grow both the individual franchises and the company as a whole, creating a modern and progressive brand. McDonald’s supports its franchisees every step of the way and franchisees go on to feed into the wider brand strategy and overall direction of the business. Because franchisees are such
an integral part of McDonald’s, they
must go through a rigorous selection process, demonstrating strong business and leadership skills and a talent for communicating with people. Once accepted, franchisees embark on an intensive nine-month training programme and, when they take on a franchise, they commit to this hands-on role for a standard 20-year term. Of the training period, Jane says:
“My training was a crucial and integral part of my business development and prepared me so that, when it came to the point of taking over the franchise, it felt like a natural transition. I went from having about six staff in my Post Office to being in charge of 50. I also relocated to Banbury from South Wales, so it was a big change, but the support offered by McDonald’s has been excellent.” Although investing in such a well-
established global brand reduces the risk for franchisees, becoming part of McDonald’s is not just about financial return. All franchisees are encouraged to be active within their communities, supporting things like neighbourhood litter events, clean-up campaigns and sponsoring local sports teams. So, one year in, how does Jane feel
about her franchising experience? “I love it, I really do. McDonald’s is a
fantastic brand and a highly respected franchisor. It has been hard work, but I always knew it was going to be a long- term venture and there have been so many benefits already. Any business requires hard work and dedication but the support network in place at McDonald’s really helps." n
*As a guide, the cost of a restaurant typically ranges from £125,000 to £325,000. You will need to provide at least 25 per cent of the value as unencumbered funds, the remaining 75 per cent can be funded through a bank loan with favourable funding terms.
MCDONALD’S WEBSITE:
www.mcdonalds.co.uk/franchising
Investment: £50k-£100k
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