Kenyan Companies Goes Franchising

Swift Global is rolling out a new strategy which will embrace franchising in its business strategy in a bid to boost its market footprint across the country and setting the pace in ICT technological innovations.

The internet service provider says it intends to grow its business and drive sales through franchising its regional branches which has proved successful in other market sectors. This will also spearhead the initiative of taking ICT innovations to the local communities across the region.

Swift Global's General Manager Nick Odero said the project is aimed at creating partnerships with franchisees in various parts of the country.

"Franchising as a mode of growing business has been tested over time and proven to work for various companies. Through franchising, we will be able to maximize on profits and witness expansion of the business from earned profits through increased sales within the region while using the capital and resources of the franchises," said Odero.

The company which will, as a result of franchising, see its presence grow by 40 percent has recently kicked off the franchise in Malindi and plans are underway to identify franchise partners to sell Swift Global products and services in different regions in the country.

Odero added that his organization expects the new move to help in cutting down operational costs by about 20%.

"The burden of capital and operational costs is passed on to the franchisee, relieving the organization the pressure of closely scrutinizing the day-to-day operations of directly owned branches," said Odero.

Swift Global is a privately owned Kenyan company that began providing Value Added Fax Services in 1995 and was among the first private network operators in Kenya . Its core business is to provide dedicated Internet Access to mainly corporate and high-end domestic markets.

They have a suite of dedicated Internet Access products geared to servicing the demanding niche such as Wireless Broadband Access, Fiber Optic Solutions, Corporate VPN (MPLS) Solutions, and VSAT Solutions.