The Interview with Questionnaires and The Answers

The below questions are I had asked during interview with Ms. Stefanie Ho at Each A Cup outlets, Wangsa Walk Mall.

Product 

1.     Is the potential market for the product or service adequate to support your franchise? Will the prices you charge be in line with the market? 

      Yes, our product have high quality, pure and tasty, natural, hygienic, healthy, low fat, freshest    and trendy drinks. Therefore our price is reasonable and affordable.

2.     Is the market's population growing, remaining static, or shrinking? Is the demand for your product or service growing, remaining static, or shrinking?

      Nowadays in the citizen of the city, people like to enjoy quality of life, so they are willing to   spend on high quality product.

3.     Is the product or service safe reputable?

     We get the Taiwan consumer association Golden Medal Award winning materials, and we are imported top grade finest chocolate from France & coffee from South America, and we are also using hotel grade juice concentrate and high-grade tea sprout tealeaf.

4.     Is the product service a passing "fad", or is it a durable business idea?

      As strong as the product is good quality, good service and do some promotion activities, it can durable business.

5.     Do you think your product can sustain in the future?

     Yes.

6.     Does your product safe enough to be use in any other places?

     Yes, of course.

7.     How many choices in your product?

     Yes, it has many flavours that customers can choose; you can refer to our menu tables.

8.     How many cups you can sell in a day?

      Normally we sell 300 - 400 cups in a day, but in public holiday we can sell 500 - 600 cups per day.

Profitability 

1.     How much do you get (%) for selling a product?

      Sorry, this question contained the privacy and secrecy of our brand regulations.

2.     How much the royalty fee (%) you need to pay?

      Our Each A Cup is 1% - 7% that we need to pay for royalty fee, I think other brand franchise is 15% pay for their brand royalty fee.

3.     What are the costs need to pay for the advertisements?

      All is including in the franchise agreements when they make full payment is about RM250K to RM 300K.

4.     How much is your franchises?

      There are different prices for standard concept and premium concept, for kiosk outlets the price is about RM100-250K.

5.     How do your franchisees typically finance the startup costs? Do you as the franchisor offer financing? 

      No, The franchisor did not offer financing for franchisees.

6.     For the advertisement, do you come out your own idea / way to use or follow the other franchises? 

      I am following the other franchises, but if you have your own idea also can.

7.     How much have to pay if want to open another outlet?

     You can go to our website there for viewing more information.

8.     How much for each a cup of bubble tea?

      From RM3.90 - RM6.90, extra pearls is RM0.60.

9.     What will the competition, direct or indirect, be in your sales territory? Do any other franchisees operate in this general area?

      There are few bubble tea in this area, but that is a not of issue. We still have our royal customers and market.

Process 

1.     Is the franchise international, national, regional, or local in scope? Does it involve full or part time involvement?

      This is an international franchise is origin oversea from Singapore, since 1999.

2.     How do you build brand recognition nationally? In your local market? 

      By exhibition, local magazine, outlet, etc.

3.     What type of marketing strategy you are? 

      Sorry, I can’t provide this answer, I think only main outlets can answer this question.

4.     What type of sales promotion you applied? 

      We have a lot of promotion, example: buy 10 free 1, 10stamp = 1free, voucher.

5.     How many franchises are there in charge? 

      It is unnecessarily.

6.     When procedures change, does the franchisor offer further training? 

      Yes.

7.     What kind of advertising you implemented in your business?

      We have bunting, banner, website, facebook, blog and etc.

8.     Do you provide training for your employees before you place them to work / hire them?

      Yes.

9.     How many hours, on average, do you work a week?

      12 hours of 1 week.

10.  How long is the term of the franchise agreement? Can the agreement be renewed? 

      3-5 years. Yes, it can be renewed.

11.  Do you provide any special / unique services for the audiences?

      Yes, teaching and etc.

12.  How many franchise outlets now exist? How many will there be a year from now? How many outlets are company-owned?

       Not sure. I think approximately 100 outlets in Malaysia.

13.  What are the risks associated with this franchise? With this industry? 

       Every franchise has risks, but Each A Cup has lower risks because their system provide location, recipe, and etc. for the franchisees by experienced franchisor.

People 

1.     What the people involved in the franchise?

      For my outlets just only got 4 staffs.

2.     Why you just hire 4 staffs? 

      Yes, we are having shifts time so that we no need to hire many staff, not liked Chatime too many staff, earn not much of sales.

3.     What services will they provide?

      Brewing bubble tea, which are new concept, new product and new look and provide good service to our customers.

4.     Who is your target?

      Normally we will target the students and family. We also target our customers based on the place area segmentations.

5.     How do you organize your sale and finance? 

      Sorry, this question contained the privacy and secrecy of our brand regulations.

6.     How do you train and mentor your franchisees? 

      We will provide training for them first then give them a test.

7.     How do you solve the conflicts between your customers? 

      We will give the free coupons or free gifts.

8.     Do you have your own rules set for your franchises that different with others? 

      Actually, all of Each A Cup outlets have their working system rules but still have the main company rules regulation that franchises need to follow.

9.     Do you have an update for your services to be same as other franchises / outlets? 

      Yes, of course.

10.  How do you manage your stocks? 

      Sorry, this question contained the privacy and secrecy of our brand regulations. I know some of franchisees of Each A Cup they may cut cost for the ingredient of products and sometimes it depends on our sales too.

11.  Does your franchisor provide ongoing training and support to you?

      Yes, because sometimes Each A Cup got released new products and we need to do ongoing training too.