Fred Marfleet, founder and executive chairman of Expense Reduction Analysts, details this award-winning white-collar concept
Few other white-collar franchise offerings are as interconnected or as vast as Expense Reduction Analysts (ERA). ERA’s franchisees act as trusted advisors to thousands of international companies and assist with business strategy, cost optimization, and supply management. These generate significant savings for clients, allowing businesses to direct funds exactly where they’re needed.
Global Franchise got the chance to speak with Fred Marfleet, founder and executive chairman, following ERA’s win at the Global Franchise Awards for the Best White Collar Franchise.
GF: What qualities do you believe earned ERA this award?
FM: Our model and structure fit the current, fast-changing business scene and are extremely well suited to today’s economy. Our vision is to continue to innovate and unlock potential for our franchise partners, clients, and employees alike.
By remaining humble, honest, and striving to always put our clients’ needs first, we foster our business and achieve our mission to provide value through insight. This mindset is evident throughout our network, and we believe it has helped us to be recognized as an industry leader in the white-collar franchising sector.
GF: What inspired your founding of the brand?
FM: In 1992, I was looking for a low-risk business in the service sector, as the global economy at that time was in a recession. I came across the idea in the U.S. We built a small consulting business out of London and this service proved successful.
“We have a flexible business model that is recession-proof and well suited to the ever-changing economy”
GF: What has been ERA’s secret to continuous franchise success?
FM: We strongly believe that setting and maintaining a consistently high set of standards for all franchise partners, regardless of location, is the key to our international success. In addition to this, we have a flexible business model that is recession-proof and well suited to the ever-changing economy.
This high level of consistency can only be achieved when you have the right team in place. Having a professional and dedicated support team, we are able to assist and guide our carefully selected franchise partners to deliver great results time and time again, operating as a unified brand.
This has enabled us to build an enviable reputation globally as a desirable brand, with a win-win culture that allows individuals to build a successful business that balances a satisfying lifestyle with a significant income.
GF: What do you look for when opening up a new territory?
FM: We look for ambitious visionaries who are unconstrained by practicalities. They must have the ability to formulate creative solutions and possess a passion for delivering high-quality solutions to clients on a consultative basis.
GF: What’s next for the brand?
FM: Looking to the medium term, we are working on plans to further embrace the digital revolution and leverage advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence, that will enable our franchise partners to offer even more services and products to their clients.
These elements are all part of a wider long- term strategy where we continue to increase franchise partner earnings and expand our offering to even more clients and franchise partners on a global basis.
