Growth of franchise continues despite pandemic.
TaxAssist Accountants continued its successful recruitment of new franchisees virtually throughout 2020, with 17 new joiners, including two new partners to existing practices and one franchise resale, bringing the total number of franchise areas up to 244 in the UK. It also redesigned and hosted three virtual Initial Training Courses despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
AAT-qualified Calum Williamson, Livingston East and Edinburgh South West, joined TaxAssist on its first virtual course in June 2020 and is opening his shop shortly.
On his reasons for joining TaxAssist, he said: “The appeal of TaxAssist is the ability to have my own accountancy practice with a network of support available should it be required. Providing a quality service is something I’m very much looking forward to while simultaneously influencing my own future.
“Small businesses need the services of a good accountant more than ever before right now, and I’m pleased to be open and ready to assist businesses in my local area to recover and rebuild as the year progresses.”
ACCA-qualified Abdur Chowdhary, Croydon, joined TaxAssist on its November course. He started his career in a Big 4 firm before gaining experience working in independent firms. He joined as a TaxAssist staff member in 2017, and what he saw and experienced was enough to convince him that he needed to invest in a franchise himself.
“Having worked in a TaxAssist Accountants practice for more than two years, I was really impressed by the work culture and the assistance we received from the Support Centre,” he said. “The leads generated were far more than any other firm I had previously worked for due to the efficient marketing, strong brand name and online optimisation. I am very excited to be a part of the network and I’m looking forward to building a substantial practice.”
Seth Brown, Senior Manager, UK Franchise Recruitment, said: “Enquiries about the franchise opportunity in the second half of 2020 increased by 51% in comparison to the same period in 2019, as people are actively reconsidering their future because of the pandemic. What I found of particular interest for prospective franchisees is their wish to work closer to home, take control of their own destiny and to build an asset for their future.
“Our Franchise Discovery Days have moved to online presentations and we have hosted 10 via this format now. While we miss not being able to host prospective franchisees in Norwich, the virtual format has worked brilliantly, and allowed those interested in the franchise to continue to fully explore the TaxAssist opportunity.
“With the Initial Training Course also fully adapted for online delivery, we now have a seamless online journey to becoming a franchisee. We will continue to offer a £4,000 cashback on our franchise fee to reflect the change of setting and this offering will be available for as long as we choose to run the course virtually.”
TaxAssist Accountants is running monthly Virtual Discovery Days and the next TaxAssist Accountants training course will start on 8th February 2021, with three more planned for 2021.