HomeTeam Inspection Service, the over-200-unit home inspection franchise that leverages a team-based approach for more thorough, efficient inspections, has built a robust franchise support model to ensure owners at all stages can succeed.

“We support our owners throughout every stage of business,” said Director of Business Development Matt Cook. “Each stage of business has different needs and our staff are willing and able to support owners both proactively and reactively. Even when our owners are relatively self-sufficient, we’re still communicating with our owners and assisting when needed.”

Thorough Onboarding Helps Owners Start Strong

While there are varying requirements for home inspectors nationwide, HomeTeam follows a single onboarding protocol to ensure all franchisees start from the same baseline and are prepared for a long, stable future.

The first phase includes home inspector training, the creation of a business entity and bank accounts, in-person training in Cincinnati, and field training with an existing HomeTeam owner. Most notably, the leadership team has a unique perspective on home inspector training and licensing.

“There are some states that don’t require any official training, but that does not exempt our owners from being educated as inspectors. We intentionally push our owners to train above and beyond what their state requires,” said Cook. “We find the best inspection training company in the state and pay them to train our owners. Our opinion is that the people that are best in the state are the best for a reason. So, even if the training is more expensive, we prefer to do what works best for our franchisees.”

While this speaks to the leadership team’s commitment to qualified inspectors and a great customer experience that will support business growth, it also serves as a protective measure for franchisees, their teams and their customers.

“Most states only require a cursory understanding of home inspections, and there are approximately 15 states that don’t require any licensing at all,” said Cook. 

Regardless of local requirements, HomeTeam requires its owners to take the National Home Inspector Examination® if their state does not already require it. This ensures that all HomeTeam owners have a strong understanding of the industry they plan to grow in before even launching their business.

A Diverse, Connected System Offers Varied Ongoing Support

Cook explained that once franchisees are trained and able to begin operating, they have access to ongoing support from both the HomeTeam staff and other members of the franchise system who are consistently willing to offer support. There are business coaches on staff, national partnerships that support owners in building local relationships, a national conference that allows the entire system to reconnect and re-energize, and support calls from the team.

“We’re still checking in and tracking in the background, making sure that if something is coming up — if an owner is about to hit a certain amount of inspections per week, for example — we can call them and say, ‘I know you’re not in this coaching program, but you’re about to hit this hurdle, and if you don’t hit it running, you’re going to trip,’” he said. “We try to give people a heads up that an upcoming threshold may present a hurdle so that they’re not surprised or unprepared.”

The team has also built an internal platform where HomeTeam owners can collaborate and learn. Cook explained that these conversations span from unexpected findings during inspections (and what to do about them) to innovative sales strategies when an owner needs to pivot.

“As you start, all of this stuff is brand new, and HomeTeam fulfills whatever need we might have. And as we gain more experience, we get better at our craft,” said David Tewell, a HomeTeam franchisee in Tucson. “I need less help after my first year in business, but I’m always emailing my operations group to see what they think. ‘Here’s where I’m at. What do you think? What do you think my next steps are?’ And it’s customized. If I need to talk to them three times a week, I can, and if I only need it one time a month, I can do that, too.”

Tewell emphasized the fact that the entire support structure is collaborative and customizable. For example, when he was starting to launch his business — during the pandemic no less — a member of the support team threw out an idea: What if Tewell went to local open houses with gift bags for the agents? Home inspectors’ relationships with local real estate agents can be some of the most important business builders, and offering this kind gesture during a challenging time would help him stand out. Through this advice, he was able to build a relationship with an agent who, to this day, is still one of his most valuable partners.

“That was an idea from operations that came from, ‘Hey, why don’t you try this?’ Every franchise is different, but these guys have done this long enough that they know the tricks of the trade,” said Tewell. “Not everything works, but for me, it’s the customization. They get to know us, and we get to know them.”

As local owners become more established in their markets, they can connect with other owners and maintain a connection with the corporate team to receive full-circle support from people who truly know them.

“These guys set us up for success. They know what’s going on in our lives and businesses,” explained Tewell. “I recently got a call from Matt making sure that everything was okay because I had to cancel my trip to the convention. I’m not just ‘that guy from Tucson,’ and the fact that the leadership team in Ohio cares to know how I’m doing in Tucson means a great deal to me.”

The Future of Franchise Support at HomeTeam

HomeTeam continues to develop its support structures to create the most inclusive and robust platform possible to set franchisees up for success. Most recently, the team has launched an internal podcast to provide yet another opportunity for franchisees to learn.

“There are hot topics that people want to know about, and this is an opportunity for myself and our business coaches to get together, sip coffee and talk business for 30 or 40 minutes,” said Cook. “That allows the owners to get to the content even if they’re unable to be on a coaching call with our staff. They’re still getting that good information that helps them grow to be the best they can be.”

The HomeTeam system continues to develop and expand, welcoming even more expertise and perspectives to the team. This growth only empowers the system further, bringing even more passionate owners into the fold and strengthening a truly unmatched franchise culture.

“Our franchise culture is one of the best things about HomeTeam, and part of that is because of the people who have been here throughout the years,” said Cook. “We’ve always treated people fairly and taken care of our owners, and that helps to encourage that culture of support. Business ownership is hard, and you might regret it at some points, and that’s when we’ll be here to pick you up. On the flip side, it’s very rewarding, and we’ll be here to celebrate with you in those moments, too.”

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/hometeaminspectionservice