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Fish Window Cleaning Services Inc.

Window cleaning

Background

Founded: 1978 Franchising since: 1998
S. Michael Merrick had lost his job as a bank manager when the window washer for the branch said he was interested in selling his business. Merrick looked at the company's books and was impressed with what he saw--low overhead and virtually no inventory. In 1978 Merrick and his wife, Linda, purchased the company, renamed it, and Fish Window Cleaning was born.

After 20 years of cleaning windows, screens, gutters, skylights and chandeliers in the St. Louis, Missouri, area, the Merricks began franchising.

200 Enchanted Pkwy.
Manchester, Missouri 63021
Phone:
(877)707-3474


Franchisor is a privately-held company with 23 employee(s); 15 employee(s) in franchise department.

Franchise Growth
Year U.S. Franchises Canadian Franchises Foreign Franchises Company Owned
2009 234 0 0 2
2008 223 0 0 2
2007 214 0 0 1
2006 211 0 0 1
2005 189 0 0 1

Where Seeking Franchisees
In the U.S. Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North carolina, North dakota, New hampshire, New jersey, New mexico, Nevada, New york, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode island, South carolina, South dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West virginia, Wyoming

Exclusive territories available.
Territory size: 40,000-400,000 population

Costs and Fees

Total investment: $57.5K-131.5K
Franchise fee: $19.9K-49.9K
Ongoing royalty fee: 8-6%
Term of agreement: 10 years, renewable


Type of Financing Available
In-House Third Party
Franchise Fee No Yes
Startup Costs No Yes
Equipment No Yes
Inventory No Yes
Accounts Receivable No Yes
Payroll No Yes

Third-party financing source(s): The Business Resource Store

Qualifications
Net worth requirement: $150K-500K
Cash liquidity requirement: $60K-120K
Business Experience:
  • Marketing skills
  • Management skills

Operations
  • 25% of all franchisees own more than one unit
  • Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 5
  • Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

Training and Support

Training
  • Available at headquarters: 10 days
  • At franchisee's location: 2 days

Ongoing Support
  • Newsletter
  • Meetings
  • Toll-free phone line
  • Grand opening
  • Internet
  • Security/safety procedures
  • Field operations/evaluations
  • Purchasing cooperatives

Marketing Support
  • Co-op advertising
  • Ad slicks
  • National media
  • Regional advertising

Other marketing support
  • Sales brochures, training videos, national accounts referrals

Rankings

Franchise 500® rank:
#238 (2009); #247 (2008); #161 (2007); #137 (2006); #322 (2005);

Ranked #1 in category in:
2009; 2006;

Fastest-Growing Franchises:
#70 (2006);

America's Top Global Franchises:
#184 (2009);


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