What It Means to Be a ‘Responsible Franchise’ 

Published On: June 12th, 2024Categories: Featured, Floor Coverings International Franchise, Franchise Information

‘Responsible Franchising’ is nothing new at Floor Coverings International– in fact, being a responsible franchise has been our standard practice since our inception. For those unfamiliar with the term, responsible franchising means having a clear business objective aimed at sustainable growth and brand longevity. Instead of focusing solely on profit potential, successful franchise brands prioritize creating a thriving environment where franchisees and franchisors work together harmoniously. This approach shifts the emphasis from immediate financial gains to long-term sustainability. 

“From our perspective– franchising for over 30 years and developing some of the largest brands in franchising – what is being labeled as ‘responsible franchising’ should really be a standard expectation,” said Albert Hermans, VP of Franchise Development at Floor Coverings International. 

A Foundation of Excellence

Floor Coverings International was founded in 1989 under the umbrella of FirstService Brands, a family of essential property service providers, including CertaPro Painters, Paul Davis Restoration, and California Closets. FCI has been practicing the idea of “responsible franchising” from the outset. This approach isn’t just about opening franchise units– it’s about creating a sustainable, supportive, and successful environment for franchisees. Our services will always be in demand, and many franchisees gravitate towards Floor Coverings International for the consistent, long-term business development opportunities we have cultivated.

We like to think that we have become a safe harbor for franchisees with a resilient model that has successfully weathered all kinds of storms over the last 35 years. Being part of a publicly traded company (FSV), our franchisees enjoy financial stability backed by a large, established conglomerate. Franchisees mentor new franchise owners, and our dedicated support team lets new business owners with Floor Coverings International know they have a huge network advocating for their success. With this, we have built a team of engaged franchisees invested in moving our franchise as a whole forward. In 2023, 97% of franchise owners attended our annual conference– a true testament to their willingness to connect, grow, and invest back into the Floor Coverings International brand.

Responsible Practices that Define FCI

  •       Efficient Franchise Openings: When a new franchisee signs a deal with Floor Coverings International, we do everything we can to get their business up and running as soon as possible. Every year, an impressive 92% of our new franchisees are operational within six months of signing, at which point they can hit the ground running. In 2023 alone, our average franchise operator achieved over $1 million in revenue, with the top 50% surpassing $1.5 million.
  •       Prioritization Sustainable Growth: At FCI, we believe in quality over quantity. We strategically award only two or three territories at a time to ensure each franchisee gets the support they deserve and won’t have to compete with other owners in our system. Rather than offering massive multi-unit deals, we encourage franchise owners to master our business model first and corner a market first.
  •       Innovative Support Systems: Franchisees have access to our team of franchise professionals who constantly refine our training processes and create new systems to facilitate sales. We have created 10 marketing co-ops across North America, aligned with our mission to become the most well-known flooring company in our communities. While our franchise support systems will change to keep up with the latest technology, support for franchisees is unwavering and always accessible.
  •       Extensive Operator Screening: We believe transparency is essential when connecting with potential franchise owners. There are certain qualities candidates will need to have to find success in our model, and we screen for those during our discovery process. Our selection process is tough, but it ensures that only candidates with proper expectations of success will join our team.
  •       Ambitious but Achievable Goal Setting: Over the last few years, we focused on building a franchise development system that could support growth. With vetted support systems now in place, we are ready to support substantial growth without sacrificing the quality of support or growth potential for current and future franchise owners.

More Than a Trend, It’s Our Standard

As a blue-chip franchisor, our core mission has remained steadfast. It has enabled us to build a network of engaged, enthusiastic franchise owners who benefit from the highly profitable system we have built. Everything we do as a franchisor is strategically designed to support long-term growth and further our goal of providing customers with high-quality flooring and impeccable service. It’s how we earned the honor of being North America’s No. 1 flooring franchise.

Floor Coverings International has opened over 250 locations across North America and has positioned each one to start generating revenue within its first week. The practices we put in place over 30 years ago have continually evolved to support our franchise owners better and entice new entrepreneurs to invest in the profitable potential of our flooring franchise.

“To us, these practices are standard—not extraordinary,” said Hermans. “We’re proud to stand by the principles we’ve had in place for decades. The responsible franchising movement is not new to us, but we are proud to be an example of the success that it can lead to.”

Discover how Floor Coverings International has championed responsible franchising for over 30 years and explore the franchise opportunities we offer. Visit our website or contact us today to learn more and take the first step towards joining our thriving network.