World's Largest Detailing Operation

David Fermani said:
FYI: In this months Entrepreneur's issue, mentions this info about Ziebart's franchises:



2009 = 264 locations

2010 = 349

2010 = 360



Startup Costs = $167K-326K

Franchise Fee = $25K

Franchise Royalty = $5-8%

Financing is offered



Seems like they are still growing by adding more locations. Especially in these last couple of years with such a bad economy. Seeing that they are local to me, I might one day stop in @ their world headquarters in Troy, MI to check them out.



I forgot to mention that I heard a big part of the reason a lot of these franchises are getting purchased is because of the Uniglass component and their glass prices are supposed to be CHEAP. A lot of glass shops are buying the franchise because they make the money back on the glass discounts...or so I was told.
 
Greg Nichols said:
I wonder if they will be creating the "test" to measure a detailers credibility for the IDA...........



Cheers,

Greg



They already have.... and it's a joke:



Certification and Education - The International Detailing Association



The application states that the exams will be emailed/mailed/faxed, and then can be mailed or faxed back in for grading. It's not proctored, so any Joe Blow idiot could sit and Google all the answers or otherwise call around to get help, and become certified without truly knowing or honestly learning a thing. If the idea was to increase credibility of the organization and its members, that's not cutting it.
 
I found that info on the Ziebart lawsuit



05/18/2006 - After years of legal battles with Troy-based Ziebart Corporation, 27 of the company's current and former franchisees won a significant binding arbitration award, including nearly $2 million in damages.



After years of legal battles with Troy-based Ziebart Corporation, 27 of the company's current and former franchisees won a significant binding arbitration award, including nearly $2 million in damages for breach of contract and product liability as well as declaratory relief to guide the future actions of the parties. Norman Yatooma & Associates in Birmingham represented the Ziebart franchise owners covering nine states. This month, Ziebart made good on the final payment from the arbitration award.



In a lawsuit originally filed in Wayne County Circuit Court in August of 2001, the franchisees alleged that Ziebart violated its franchise agreements through overpricing of chemicals and other products. In particular, the suit alleged that Ziebart violated its contracts by not providing products to franchisees “at or below competitive market prices.” In addition, the franchisees alleged that Ziebart provided defective Formula Q, a rustproofing sealant, among other issues. Ultimately both parties agreed to submit the case to binding arbitration before the Honorable Barry L. Howard, former Chief Judge of the Oakland County Circuit Court.



Judge Howard’s award declared that the “at or below competitive market prices” term was ambiguous and therefore construed against Ziebart. The award declares that Ziebart may define the term but only if it is consistent with the license agreements between Ziebart and its franchisees. Judge Howard also declared that Ziebart breached its contracts from late 1998 through 2003 by charging the franchisees prices for Formula Q that were not “at or below competitive market prices.”



After initial failure to willingly pay off the Judgment, NYA secured a writ of execution against Ziebart and seized the company's property at its Troy, Mich. headquarters. Along with five court officers, three movers and two moving trucks, Yatooma entered Ziebart's headquarters to empty the facility. To stave off the closing of its headquarters, Ziebart's CEO Tom Wolfe remained over night with the court officers at the headquarters and accompanied them to his bank the next morning where he withdrew $200,000 of his funds.



Accordingly, Ziebart agreed to make monthly payments ranging between $50,000 to $70,000 plus interest, with such payment automatically doubling if Ziebart is one day late.



"The receipt of the final payment of this judgment and the judgment itself is a significant victory for the Ziebart franchisees as well as consumers who will enjoy lower prices," stated Yatooma.
 
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