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Updated RecentlyBlind Man of America vs AWC Commercial Window Coverings Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Blind Man of America vs AWC Commercial Window Coverings including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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| Investment | $45,500 - $69,100 | $110,000 - $120,000 |
| Franchise Fee | $15,000 | $25,000 |
| Royalty Fee | 4.3% | 5-12.5% |
| Advertising Fee | - | - |
| Year Founded | 1991 | 1963 |
| Year Franchised | 1996 | 1992 |
| Term Of Agreement | 5 years | 10 years |
| Term Of Agreement | 5 years | 10 years |
| Renewal Fee | $1K | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
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| Experience | - | |
Financing Options |
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| In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
| Franchise Fees | No/No | No/Yes |
| Start-up Costs | No/No | No/No |
| Equipment | No/No | No/Yes |
| Inventory | No/No | No/Yes |
| Receivables | No/No | No/Yes |
| Payroll | No/No | No/No |
Training & Support |
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| Training | - | Ongoing training available |
| Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line | Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives |
| Marketing | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks | - |
| Operations |
Franchise can be run from home. 0% of all franchisees own more than one unit
Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Franchise can be run from home. International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 16.6% of all franchisees own more than one unit
Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | Yes | Yes |
| Canada Expansion | No | No |
| International Expansion | No | Yes |
Company Overviews
About Blind Man of America
The Blind Man of America is a home-based business providing customers with in-home selection of custom-made blinds, shades, shutters and more. We work from home and travel in the "blind mobile", our full-service vans containing everything we need to provide our customers with an unsurpassed selection of products with professional installation.
Our concept is framed in its simplicity. The idea is this - most of today's home owners know what they want in window coverings, but they want someone else to do the critical measuring and installation. That's where Blind Man of America comes in. We provide a huge selection of quality products, provide expert measuring and installation, and guarantee it all!
We provide this service to our customers in the comfort of their own home and all with unmatched customer service. It's a concept that consumers love and a system that's easy to implement for our franchisees. But, does it work? Judge for yourself. As a whole, our company averaged a 59% closing ratio in 2004 which means 6 out of every 10 estimates we've converted to sales. Our franchisees in business three years or more averaged a 55% repeat and referral business as well.
About AWC Commercial Window Coverings
We offer a mobile one stop shop for all new window coverings and commercial dry cleaning services.
Our objective is to offer our customers quality products and superior service at competitive prices.
"Almost 40 years in business has taught us that each property is individual and unique, and that our success as a company is in direct proportion to our ability to meet the individual needs of you, our customers."
For all your dry cleaning and window covering needs.