There are several stages involved in the franchising journey, but arguably, one of the most significant occurs near the beginning—determining which franchise business to pursue. Making your decision can take some time, especially since Canada’s franchising industry is the second largest in the world. A great way to approach this stage is to first identify which industry you are interested in and then find franchise businesses that fall within it. From there, you can create a “franchise checklist” with key points you want a franchise business to check off.
If you’re reading this, chances are that The UPS Store may already be one of your potential franchise options. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve outlined some top ways we stand out from other franchise brands.
An Industry Leader
The UPS Store network in Canada is the largest chain of print and copy centers in the country, with 390+ operating locations. It is also the largest franchised chain of print & business service centers in Canada. As a nationally renowned company, our franchisees benefit from brand recognition, including the global branding power of UPS, as soon as they open the doors to their location. Because UPS is a globally recognized brand, customer loyalty and trust are inherently embedded in that recognition, which is highly valued and maintained.
One of the advantages of franchising with The UPS Store is also one of our differentiators: our established business model. With over 40 years of franchising experience in the US and over 30 years in Canada, a franchising opportunity with The UPS Store is backed by a long-standing track record of success.
A Store-in-Store Experience at Walmart
Partnering with Walmart Canada, a retail titan with more than 1.5 million customers who shop daily, has been an incredible way to reach more customers. As of September 2024, The UPS Store has 37 Walmart locations in operation across the country, offering printing, shipping, mailbox services, and more. The convenience factor that this store-in-store concept offers is significant, as we have made it even easier for customers to run errands under one roof. Plus, these locations are open 7 days a week, making room for even greater profit opportunities for our franchisees.
Other non-traditional franchise locations include hotels, universities, pharmacies, and more. These opportunities offer a unique way of bringing The UPS Store services to locations already frequented by large numbers of people, allowing us to expand our reach.
World-Class Training and Support
As you search for various franchise opportunities, you will find a range of how much franchisor-provided training and support is offered to franchisees. Whether you have no experience franchising or have a bustling franchise portfolio, sufficient training is necessary to understand how to follow each franchise system’s business model.
At The UPS Store, our training helps us to differentiate ourselves from others, as our team is dedicated to your success as a franchisee. We offer support in sales, operations, marketing, and more, while our robust initial training is separated into four parts, which you can learn more about here.
First, our Director of Operations will lead a virtual introduction about the training program, which allows you to tune in from anywhere. Next, franchisees are assigned a variety of eLearning modules that consist of technology and operations training followed by three days at The UPS Store with a Certified Trainer, allowing franchisees to gain hands-on learning from the jump.
The third portion of our training, which is the lengthiest and is what helps our training stand out, is a two-week interactive workshop at The UPS Store University to learn about the multiple facets of franchising with a variety of speakers. We conclude with five additional days spent at The UPS Store with a Certified Trainer as well as additional eLearning modules.
Some franchise systems tend to lessen learning opportunities and support once training is provided, but The UPS Store is committed to providing ongoing support. We schedule area meetings, hold webinars, organize bi-annual conferences, and more. Our support is ongoing because we want our franchisees to continue improving their skills so they can have the best chance at success.
We Handle Corporate Relationship Opportunities
While franchising allows franchisees to bypass much of the heavy lifting involved in creating a successful business, franchisees still need to nurture certain elements—building a customer base being a prime example. Although attracting customers can be much easier as a franchisee thanks to our brand recognition, it still takes some time for customers to trust the franchisee’s location.
At The UPS Store, we help our franchisees build relationships with corporate clients across the nation by providing Corporate Retail Solutions. This allows our franchised locations access to business from large companies in the country. While building strong relationships with local customers will be one of the main avenues that franchisees have to build a successful franchise business, our relationships with corporate clients and large corporations, which are managed at the Head Office, help create multiple revenue streams for our franchisees, which can create long-term profit opportunities. Learn more about how this benefits our franchisees here.
Online Opportunities for Customer Convenience
Our Online Print portal is a tool that our franchisees can offer their customers. It provides a convenient way for them to upload, customize, or create documents and then have them printed at a specific location.
Convenience is extremely valuable to customers. Research has found that 75% would switch companies if a competitor was more convenient, and 68% say a convenient experience would make them return. A recent report also found that convenience is considered extremely or very important to 82% of shoppers, including 87% of Millennials.
Offering this digital solution to customers not only meets convenient expectations but also helps streamline business operations, positioning our franchisees for long-term success in an increasingly digital marketplace.
Franchising with The UPS Store
While The UPS Store is known for shipping services, we also offer other great products and services, including printing, shredding, mailbox rentals, and more. Multiple revenue opportunities allow our franchisees to reach a broader audience with varying needs, setting them up for success.
If you are interested in pursuing a franchise opportunity with The UPS Store, check out our upcoming franchise events to register for a franchise opportunity webinar, as well as our FAQ page, which is chock-full of important details.
If you are ready to take the next step, please fill out our convenient online request form.
