Wednesday 17 July 2013

The Franchisees

Q1: Are you pleased with your investment in this franchise?
Yes, enjoy it.

Q2: Has the franchiser lived up to its promises?
Yes. all the time, especially during the beginning of my franchise.

Q3: what was your greatest disappointment after getting into this business?
So far no disappointment, it's been smooth since start.

Q4: How effective was the training you received in helping you run the franchise?
It helped me a lot especially in the beginning, and the training program helped me a lot like to lead the team and run the business.

Q5: What are your biggest challenges and problems?
Biggest challenges and problems is to make sure everything is fine and good relation between customer and staff. And the most important, keep in good quality, good service and cleanliness.

Q6: How much money are you making on your investment?
Amount that enough to spend.

Q7: What do you like the most about being a franchisee? Least?
Like a boss? At least in my outlet.

Q8: Is there a franchisee advisory council that represents franchisees?
Yes.

Q9: Knowing what you know now, would you buy this franchise again?
Yes!

The Franchiser and The Franchise

Q1: 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. Everyone can get the reasonable price of meal in here. And for the prices are the similar with other competitor restaurant.

Q2: Is the market's population growing, remaining static, or shrinking? Is the demand for your product or service growing, remaining static, or shrinking?
As time goes by, our restaurant's population keep growing. For our service and food rate, we also will keep remain the best for our customers.

Q3: Is the product or service safe and reputable?
Yes of course, our staff are regard about safety of customer, we all do always wash our hand to remain cleanness. In years, we had get cleanest restaurant award as a prove.

Q4: Is the product or service a passing "fad", or is it a durable business idea?
Definitely is running a durable business.

Q5: What will the competition, direct or indirect, be in your sales territory? Do any other franchisees operate in this general area?
My branch and other branch distance is quite far, so it's wont effect us.

Q6: Is the franchise international, national, regional, or local in scope? Does it involve full or part-time involvement?
So far is only in Malaysia, but we will move to International sooner or later.

Q7: How many years has the franchiser been in operation? Does it have a sound reputation for honest dealings with franchisees?
Since 2005. Our reputation is keep growing.

Q8: How many franchise outlets now exist? How many will there be a year from now? How many outlet are company owned?
3 outlets under Steven's Corner, and another 6 outlets under name Steven's Tea Garden. The company is plan to have 100 outlets in next 3 years times.

Q9: How many franchises have failed? Why?
So far no.

Q10: How many franchisees have left the system within the past year? What were their reasons for leaving?
No.

Q11: What service and assistance will the franchiser provide? What kind of training program does the franchiser offer? How long does it last? What topics does it cover? Does the franchiser offer ongoing assistance and training?
Before you open your franchise, the franchisees will take part in a two-week training program, they provide floor plans for the location of the franchise with restaurant design.

Q12: Will the franchise perform a location analysis to help you find a suitable site? If so, is there an extra charge for doing so?
Yes, the franchisee want to open their outlet on the location they preferred.

Q13: Will the franchiser offer you exclusive distribution rights for the length of the agreement, or may it sell to other franchises in this area?
No.

Q14: What facilities and equipment are required for the franchise? Who pays for construction? Is there a lease agreement?
The franchisees will carry all the cost of the building fee. There is a lease agreement.

Q15: How much is the franchise fee? Exactly what does it cover? Are there any confining fee? What additional fees are there?
The franchise fee is RM 45,000. It cover maintenance fee and renewal fee.

Q16: What is the length of the franchise agreement? Under what circumstances can it be terminated? If you terminate the contract, what are the costs to you? What are the terms and costs of renewal?
The length of the franchise agreement is 20 years. If any cases that lower the reputation of the company, the agreement will be terminated.

Q17: Are you allowed to sell your franchise to a third party? Does the franchiser reserve the right to approve the buyer?
Yes, franchisees are allowed to sell their franchise to a third party, but the buyer has to be approved by the company.

A Franchise Evaluation Checklist

Q1: Are you qualified to operate a franchise successfully? Do you have adequate drive, skills, experience, education, patience, and financial capacity? Are you prepared to work hard?
Yes of course, but I don't have all the qualification that you mentioned, so work hard is definitely needed!

Q2: Are you willing to sacrifice some autonomy in operating a business to own a franchise?
Maybe. But to do this so, I think must need some backup for it.

Q3: Can you tolerate the financial risk? Would business failure wipe you out financially?
Sure I can, but I guess this not going to happen, unless everybody no need eat or some cases cause we lose the reputation.

Q4: Can you juggle multiple task simultaneously and prioritize various projects so that you can accomplish those that are most important?
Yes, the easiest way to achieve it is sacrifice your time.

Q5: Are you genuinely interested in the product or service you will be selling? Do you enjoy this kind of business? Do you like to sell?
Yes, easy job (food serve).

Q6: Do you enjoy working with and managing people? Are you a "team player"?
Working with people is a must. A restaurant can't run alone, and it is important to work together to ensure good business will continue and maintain a good relationship between me and my staffs.

Q7: Will the business generate enough profit to suit you?
Yes. 

Q8: Has the franchiser investigated your background thoroughly enough to decide if you are qualified to operate the franchise?
They required my personal information such as education background, financial information as well as some other professional references to qualifying my standard to decide whether can operate the franchise or not. However, during the contract period if anything trouble cause that lower the company reputation, they can terminated the my franchise contract as well.

Q9: What can this franchiser do for you that you cannot do for yourself?
Customer trust, since Steven's Corner now already is top restaurant in Malaysia. If I run my own shop I think it's can't reach big number of customer. But using the name Steven's Corner, just the name itself can bring more customer.

Questions to ask a Franchisor and current Franchisees

Q1: What is the background of the company and its performance record?
Steven's Corner was established by an Indian couple in year 1977 which located at Overseas Union Garden, off Old Klang Road, Kuala Lumpur. Steven's original stall is situated near a shop corner, hence the name Steven's Corner. At the beginning of his business, Steven opened a small humble stall, selling mamak fried noodles and roti canai only. As years goes by, Steven's Corner started to grow in size and number, making it one of the best mamak restaurants of all. In 1997, Steven's Corner opened its second restaurant in Pandan Indah and following in 2007, the third restaurant in Setapak. And today, Steven's Corner has become the most famous mamak restaurant in Malaysia.

Q2: What is the company's current financial status?
Hhmmm...

Q3: What are the names, addresses, and phone numbers of existing franchisees in my trade area?
Name :Steven's Corner
Address: 31 - 39, Jalan Pandan Indah 1/22, Pandan Indah, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. 
Tel :603-9274 9018

Q4: Describe how you train and mentor your franchisees.
Basically we only take 2 weeks to train a new staff and actually it's nothing much to train. We are more focus on the employee attitude, the way they serve customers. For chef, it's might take up to 1 month to train, they have to familiar with all kind of cooking receipt.

Q5: If at some point you decide to exit the franchise relationship, how does the exit process work?
I can sell the restaurants to other people after the contract is over, as long as the the company approve.

Q6: In what ways do you work with a franchisee who is struggling?
The best way is to come out a unique business model, a marketing plan that can make sure everything run in proper track.

Q7: How much does your franchise gross per year?
Starting is 270k, With the increase level of visibility, now is up to 300k.

Q8: Are the financial projections of revenues, expenses, and profits that the franchisor provided me accurate in your judgment?
Most of the time, yes.

Q9: Does the franchisor give you enough assistance in operating your business?
Not really, many things I have to settle by myself.

Q10: How many hours, on average, do you work a week?
Depends, average 7-9 hours (11am - 7pm), sometimes weekend or holiday works up to 10 hours.

Q11: How often do you get a vacation?
2 weeks 1time. It's depends, because I don't work full time in my restaurant. Once I make sure everything is ok then I free to go.

Q12: Have you been caught off-guard by any unexpected costs or expectations?
At least not yet, hope never.

Q13: Does your franchisor provide ongoing training and support to you?
Yes, something not enough staff, they will shift staff for me.

Q14: If you had to do it all over again, would you purchase a franchise in this system? Why or why not?
Why not. It is a good experience ever for me to run this restaurant, the most important part is can earn good money as well.

Winning Awards


  1. DBKL "Cleanest Restaurant Award" in 1996
  2. Malaysian Tourism Board, Mix FM and The Sun "Best Teh Tarik Award" in 1996
  3. "Best Mamak Restaurant Award" in 1998
  4. "Best Mee Goreng Award" in 1997
  5. "Best Roti Canai Award" in 1997
  6. "Noodle Award" in 1998
  7. Malaysian Tourism Board, Mix FM and The Sun "Best Teh Tarik Award" in 1999
  8. "Best Nasi Lemak Award" in 1999

Steven's Corner branches location

Steven's Corner branches
Steven's Corner OUG
18 & 18A, Jalan Hujan Rahmat Dua,
OUG, Jalan Kelang Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel/Fax: 603-7781 9762

Steven's Corner Pandan Indah
31 - 39, Jalan Pandan Indah 1/22,
Pandan Indah, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel/Fax: 603-9274 9018

Steven's Corner Setapak
Lot 9136, Jalan 2/23D, Prima Setapak,
Batu 4, Jalan Genting Klang,
53300 Kuala Lumpur.

Steven's Tea Garden branches
Sunway Pyramid Shopping Centre
OB3.G.9 & OB3.LG1.1,
Oasis Boulevard 3.
No 3, Jalan PJS 11/15,
Bandar Sunway,
46150 Petaling Jaya.

AEON Ampang AU2 Shopping Centre
Lot G31,
No 6, Jalan Taman Setiawangsa 37/56,
AU2, Bandar Baru Ampang,
Mukin Ulu Kelang,
54200 Kuala Lumpur.

Mid Valley Shopping Centre
G-022 & 023,
Mid Valley City,
Lingkaran Syed Putra,
59200 Kuala Lumpur.

Bukit Bintang
No 82 & 84,
Jalan Bukit Bintang,
52100 Kuala Lumpur.

AEON Bukit Tinggi Shopping Centre
Lot G25,
No 1, Persiaran Batu Nilam 1/KS6,
Bandar Bukit Tinggi 2,
41200 Klang, Selangor.

Semenyih Tesco Shopping Centre
G09 & G10,
Lot 23545,
Mukim Semenyih,
Daerah Ulu Langat,
43500 Selangor D.E.


This is Steven's Corner Pandan Indah Branches.


Introduce about Steven's Corner

Steven's Corner
International quality, Local Taste
Back in 1977, Steven's Corner is just a little mamak stall located at the corner of the road in Overseas Union Garden, off Old Klang Road, Kuala Lumpur. Steven is the nickname of Silan, a member of the family. The very first original stall is sit on a shop corner, hence the name as Steven's Corner, is run by an Indian couple serving basic mamak food such as roti canai and mee goreng. Today, after 37 years of hard work and dedication, Steven's Corner has grown in size and number, a generic mamak and a result of sheer hard work of its owner and the support and patronage of its loyal customers.

In 1985, Steven's Corner is officially registered as "Sri Komalah Restaurant" and extended its business hours to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, being the first of its kind of region. Due to the over whelming responds from their loyal customers in Klang Valley area, they are catered to another branch in Pandan Indah in 20 December 1997 and a special additional of a Pool club called SSC Pool Club in 20 July 2000.

Steven's Corner imports its own spices, With Secret recipes passed down from generation to generation and its own innovations, it has been able to introduce its unique, trail-blazing menu. A mamak cuisine craze that swept the land helped establish Steven's Corner as a modern, conspicuous culinary icon. Steven's Corner also is the first mamak restaurant in Malaysia to offer wireless broadband Internet connections. From time to time, they also come up with additional new dishes to add on the varieties and currently, the most sell-able dishes are the fried item such as the "Burung Puyuh", Nasi Lemak Special, Tosai Tisu, Chicken Chop and Roti Bakar.

In April 2007, they opened the third restaurant in Setapak. And now, all the catering team is operate under Steven's Corner Caterers Sdn Bhd.

Today, Steven's Corner wants to bring mamak cuisine to every corner of the country. For this purpose it has been registered as a service business with the trademark "Steven's Tea Garden". From now on Steven 's Tea Garden will launch chain restaurants throughout Malaysia, thus realizing its ambition to grow into a bigger, stronger brand that will serve the Malaysian food lovers for a long time to come.

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Welcome! A little about me

This blog is created for the purpose of my college individual assignment under subject ABDM 4223 Enterpreneurship. In this assignment, I have to choose a franchise and outlet, so I decided to choose Steven's Corner Pandan Indah Branch for my individual assignment.


About me
Tunku Abdul Rahman University College
School of Social Science and Humanities

ABDM 4223 Enterpreneurship
Individual assignment - Franchising
Tutor - Stephen Ong

Wong Tuck Soon
12WHA10197
S1AML4