Franchise Business Opportunity

Event: : "Franchise Entrepreneurship During Economic Hard times”
Date : 19th May 2009 (Tuesday)
Time : 9.00 a.m. till 3.00 p.m.
Venue : 3rd Floor, Auditorium, Wisma MCA, KL
Organizers : MCA National Youth Economic Task Force & Asiawide Franchise
Participation : Free admission
Enquiry : Kindly call MCA Youth Secretariat 03-21618044 or email youth@mca.org.my



Bright prospect seen for franchise business
By EDY SARIF


KUALA LUMPUR: Asiawide Franchise Consultants Ptd Ltd is optimistic that the franchise business will flourish during this economic slowdown as people seek secure jobs.

Chairman Albert Khong said the current job instability had led people to search for opportunities that offer a more certain future, including running their own businesses.

“The uniqueness of a franchise operation is that whoever wants to be an entrepreneur is not required to have a deep knowledge of that business, as there is an existing system on how to do it.

“The only things that you need are passion and commitment,” he told StarBiz after a media briefing.
Dr Jeffrey Goh Sim Ik (left) and Albert Khong at the media briefing

Asiawide is one of the most experienced franchise consulting companies in Asia with strategic partners in about 15 countries.

Citing McDonald’s as an example, Khong said anyone wanting to be a franchisee needed only to adhere to its business system as the franchisor would take care of other aspects such as branding, research and development and training.

“Apart from that, the franchise business enjoys economies of scale as big players like McDonald’s can get better pricing because of their strong brand and big volume of supply needed,” he said.

However, Khong said, like other businesses, franchise too had its own risks.

“But based on our experience in handling the franchise business, there are more positive results compared with the bad ones,” he said.

Kong said food and beverage franchise was popular in developing countries as people wanted to try new type of food, especially those that carry international brand.

“The changes can be seen once the countries are developed. For example, in the United States and Europe, people look for service type of franchise business such as education, healthcare and retail,” he said.

MCA National Youth Economic Task Force chief coordinator Dr Jeffrey Goh Sim Ik said this was the best time to venture into franchise business as locations were more selectable, rental rates more negotiable and construction costs were lower.

“With support from the Government and banks, the franchise business is one of the opportunities for those who are unemployed or have been retrenched, not forgetting the youth who are eager to start their own businesses,” he said.

Jeffrey urged those interested to attend a seminar on Entrepreneurship Through Franchising During Economic Hard Times on May 19.

The MCA National Youth Economic Task Force and Asiawide Franchise are co-organisers of the event, to be held at Wisma MCA in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

The speakers include Khong, Asiawide Franchise Sdn Bhd executive director Jamaluddin Ghani and Ho Yean from Action International.

About 17 Malaysian franchisors as well as representatives from Malaysia Franchise Association and banks have confirmed their attendance, some of whom will set up booths.

As admission is free, the organisers hope to attract 1,000 participants.

(Source: Thestar Online , 14 May 2009)

Seminar & Franchise Opportunities sessions

Event: : "Franchise Entreneurship During Economic Hard times”
Date : 19th May 2009 (Tuesday)
Time : 9.00 a.m. till 3.00 p.m.
Venue : 3rd Floor, Auditorium, Wisma MCA, KL
Organizers : MCA National Youth Economic Task Force & Asiawide Franchise
Participation : Free admission
Enquiry : Kindly call MCA Youth Secretariat 03-21618044 or email youth@mca.org.my

Panel of Speakers:

1) Mr. Albert Kong
Asiawide Franchise Consultants Pte Ltd (Singapore)
Topic : Franchising Trends in Asia

2) Encik Jamaluddin Ghani
Asiawide Franchise Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)
Topic : Franchising in Challenging Times - Types of Franchise to look for

3) Puan Hasmah Ahmad
Malaysian Franchise Association
Topic : Franchising, Franchise Concepts and Benefits of Franchising

4) Ms. Ho Yean
Action International
Topic : How to find opportunities despite Challenging Times!

5) Mr. Albert Kong
Asiawide Franchise Consultants Pte Ltd (Singapore)
Topic : How to select a franchise? (in mandarin)

Franchise Participants:

Malaysia Franchisor:
1) Marrybrown Fried Chicken (F&B)
2) A'Funtee (F&B)
3) Cup Bon (F&B)
4) Action International (Business Coaching)
5) Balloons and Bouquets (souvenir/services)
6) Cambridge English for Life (Education/language)
7) MEB Berhad (Education)
8) Q-dees Worldwide Education (Education)
9) The Living Classroom (Education)
10) Leno (Retail)
11) Red Modani (Retail)
12) Reliance Travel (Travel)
13) Camps & Apparel - My Outpost (Apparels)
14) Crestar (Education)
15) Rockwills (Services)
16) Nelson's Corn (F&B)
17) K Box Karaoke (Entertainment)

Singapore Franchisor:
1) Body Contours (Beauty)
2) EMC Learning (Education)
3) Loy Kee Chicken Rice (F&B)

Australian Franchisor:
1) Pack N Send (Services)

Others:
1) Malaysian Franchise Association
2) Hong Leong Bank Berhad
3) AM Bank Berhad
4) KFH Malaysia Berhad
5) Public Bank Berhad
6) Asiawide Franchise Consultant Pte Ltd (Singapore)
C-3 Car Care Centre (Indonesia)
WSI (IT) (Canada)
7) Asiawide Franchise Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)
Su Chan Restaurant

Some good news during recession ( we are heading to the right direction)

The G20 meeting held on April 2, 2009 concluded and declared that they will:

1. Strengthen the financial system.
(a) By taking and continue to take action to strengthen regulation & supervision to reform the financial sector.
(b) Strengthening transparency & accountability, enhancing regulation, promoting integrity in financial markets & reinforcing international cooperation.

2. Deliver resources through international financial institutions to:
(a) Ensure that capital continues to flow to emerging market and developing countries.
(b) Increase the resources available through the international financial institutions (IMF).
(c) Ensure that the institutions have the facilities needed to address the crisis.


Global efforts to counter global slowdown (including Malaysia)

1. Coordinated efforts to inject stimulus packages to pump prime flagging economies.
2. Interest rates cuts.
3. Manage currency value.
4. Assistance to ailing industries.

Petronas petrol dealers and operators -> 90% of them are Bumiputeras

PETROLIAM Nasional Bhd's network of close to 950 service stations nationwide now control 44 per cent of the total retail market share, company officials said yesterday.

"As at end 2008, there were 750 Petrol kiosk dealers and operators, with 90 per cent of them Bumiputeras," Petronas president and chief executive officer Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican said at the second day of the 3rd Islamic Economic Congress in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

His working paper was presented by Petronas corporate services vice-president Ahmad Nizam Salleh.

Mohd Hassan said although Petronas is relatively a "young" oil company, having just only started its business in 1974, Petronas is now a brand name that is well known globally.

"It is now considered on par with or even better than other international companies, especially when it was ranked among the top 100 of the Global Fortune 500 companies," he said. Petronas was ranked 95 last year, up from 121 the previous year.

During the question-and-answer session, Ahmad Nizam said Bumiputera dealers have benefited from Petronas' debut in retail petrol business, especially when Petronas Dagangan Bhd was set up in 1981.

"They (dealers) should be praised and congratulated as they were not given any preferential treatment when Petronas Dagangan was established.

"They have to compete with dealers from other companies such as Esso and Shell who have been in the business for more than 100 years," he said.

Adapted from BT.