6 Reasons for Going with Jim’s Mowing Franchise

The outdoor life is an Australian tradition, from mountain cattlemen to growing up in a suburban back yard. So for many Australians, nothing beats a job involving work in the open air. The smell of cut grass and turned over earth, the satisfaction of turning a jungle into a garden, the pride in a job well done. Every day is different as our Franchisees learn and apply new skills: pruning, landscaping, fertilising, mulching, and feel strength and fitness increase as they work off those surplus kilos.

Many people would prefer to spend their days in an air conditioned office. Jim’s Mowing is a business for those who don’t.

Being outside also means independence, working the hours you want. These can be long and hard, especially when the grass is shooting. But it can also mean taking the afternoon off to attend a son’s football match or even to play golf, taking a holiday when it suits you rather than the boss. This kind of freedom requires self-discipline and a sense of responsibility. We are looking for people who are self-motivated, who take responsibility for their mistakes and want to be rewarded for their efforts.

Backing this up is an intense, week-long training course which covers not only practical subjects such as pruning, fertilisers and plant identification, but sessions on quoting, up-selling, book-keeping, computer systems, health and safety, and customer service.

It is well known that most business fail in their first year, especially in the service industry. By contrast, 88% of our Franchisees are still in business at the end of their first year, with most of the rest selling for a good price. And many of those who leave do so for family or personal reasons, rather than poor income. One reason is that we are, on the whole, very good at finding work. In fact, during 2009 our Mowing Division knocked back 17,770 leads because all local operators were flat out. Many Franchisees start with an established round, and those who do not get a Work Availability Guarantee which pays up to $1500 per week for doing free promotional work. Unlike most such guarantees, this one does not cut out after a set period. In practice, most Franchisees never claim since work is plentiful from the beginning.

We recognise that success is a decision that each person makes for themselves. A Franchisee will fail, or can even be terminated, if they fail to offer excellent service to customers. One reason for our success is that more than 80% of our leads are driven by reputation and referral, rather than advertising as such. We have a careful selection process, and every Franchisee must live up to our exacting standards. What this means is that for people with high standards, this is a place to be surrounded by others who share their standards.

At Jim’s we put Franchisees first, and this is more than a slogan. Franchisees are entitled to regular meetings, fast response to their calls, and regular proactive calls to provide coaching and advice. We poll Franchisees each year to check that proper service is being provided, and Franchisees with problems are invited to go direct to our founder, Jim Penman. He regularly gives out his personal phone numbers and Email address, and typically speaks to several Franchisees a week. Jim’s is the only Franchise system in the world that allows Franchisees to change to another Franchisor or even vote them out, if not happy with the service they receive.

Support also comes from fellow Franchisees, who are normally generous with help and advice. Our people are also encouraged to attend meetings and network with Franchisees of other Divisions. Some Franchisees gain more than half of their work in this way.

One unique feature of Jim’s is that a Franchise can grow to any size. There are no restrictions on the number of workers to be employed or vehicles on the road, and Mowing Franchisees have turned over up to a million dollars a year.

If you are interested in becoming a Jim’s Mowing Franchisee please call 1300 975 430 and one of our friendly customer service staff will assist you with your enquiry. Or complete the Franchisee Information Request Online here and an information pack will be sent out. Remember, we are expanding in many areas throughout Australia, and growing demand means we are looking to increase franchisees even in “existing” areas covered by Jim’s Mowing. We have more than 30,000 unserviced leads each year we need to address, and soon.

So if you’d like to know more about what’s involved in becoming a “Jim” then please Meet our Franchisees, read some of our Jim’s Franchisee Testimonials and attend register to attend one of our free Franchisee Information Sessions.