Levingers-Archived

ABOUT LEVINGERS

Levingers has been in operation in Gauteng for over seven decades. The original Levingers business was a Shoe Clinic operated by Peter Levinger, an experienced and specialised cobbler renowned for his craftsmanship. A merger with ‘The Shoe Hospital’ in the 1990s resulted in a steady growth of the network and Levingers brand. In 2012, Levingers was acquired by Hay Business Consultants under the direction of Yadhir Mooloo.

Levingers has been engaged in the franchising since 2011. During its years of operation, Levingers has created an effective and profitable business model and franchisees enjoy the support of a franchisor committed to helping its franchisees achieve significant success in their business. With 60+ stores across Gauteng, the Free State, Limpopo and Western Cape, Levingers prides itself on providing the quality of service that has made it the premier Dry Clean and Shoe Clinic in South Africa.

MEET THE CEO

Yadhir Mooloo

In addition to holding a certificate in Business Management, Yadhir’s extensive franchising experience includes training with such well-known brands as Shell SA, Total SA, Engen SA, London Pie, Cinnabon, Debonairs, Aftershock, Schltotskys, C’est si Bun, Froggie and Green Cross, Scooters Pizza, House Of Candy, Olivers Café and Royal Jewels.

Yadhir’s first encounter with the Levingers brand was as a consultant contracted by then owners Excellerate Holdings Ltd to advice on the future development of the brand. Recognizing the potential in a brand that was getting ‘lost’ within the greater Excellerate group, Yadhir eventually took ownership of the brand in October 2012.

MEET THE TEAM

Zenobia Harris

Zenobia oversees the smooth running of the two Levingers flagship stores in Hyde Park and Benmore. As a people’s person with excellent interpersonal skills, Zenobia is as efficient at dealing with customer complaints as she is attending to any tasks assigned to her as the Levingers team work together to solidify their vision of being the best dry clean and shoe clinic in the industry.

Victoria Pakoue

Victoria is responsible for conducting interviews with potential staff members, managing internal audits, overseeing general statistics for staff compliance and monitoring customer satisfaction levels. In addition to supervising the day-to-day operations to ensure that stores open and close on time, she is tasked with addressing customer queries and.

Charmaine Krishna

Charmaine is responsible for the financial management of the Levingers group. One of her main tasks is managing their debtors book in order to ensure that the company  meets its obligations. In addition to the aforementioned tasks, Charmaine has also taken on the role of PA to the CEO, Yadhir Mooloo. 

OUR CULTURE & VALUES

Levingers is a responsible corporate citizen, continuously striving to make positive contributions towards community empowerment, we recognise the dignity of individuals and respects cultural diversity. Our initiatives are based on creating an environment that empowers all employees to realise their full potential regardless of race, gender or socio-economic background. Honesty, transparency, and a high code of ethics form part of the integrity value chain by which Levingers conducts its endeavours. At Levingers we are passionate about being innovative and delivering convenient solutions that benefit our customers. 

OUR FRANCHISE OFFERING

Through the prudent selection of ethical and motivated business partners, our passion for service and our proven business model, Levingers is an acknowledged industry leader. Levingers franchisees are granted the right to operate a franchised business in accordance with our proprietary rights and systems.

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Levingers is committed to delivering world-class workmanship and superior service. In addition to their standard dry cleaning, laundry and on-site shoe repair services, Levingers outlets retail an extensive range of shoe and closet care products and provide such specialised services as mending and tailoring, tailor-made suits, professional dyeing of clothes, shoes and leather goods, and cleaning of leather and suede items. Levingers also offers large corporate businesses a tailor-made service for in-house dry cleaning, shoe repair and clothes mending. 

Levingers dry cleaning and laundry services are handled at off-site locations around Gauteng. Depending on the location of the outlet, the factory offers a same-day or 24-hour turnaround time. A custom-designed state-of-the-art POS system helps to keep outlets running smoothly.

BECOME A FRANCHISEE

Preference will be given to applicants with prior industry or business sector experience and who are comfortable dealing with people from all walks of life. The application process includes in-depth interviews, a personal assessment and reference checks. 

ESTABLISHMENT COST

Establishment cost:
R795,000 to R1-million
Joining fee:
R150,000
Working capital
R260,000
Total set-up cost:
From R1,205-million
TOTAL set-up cost = Establishment cost + Joining fee + Working capital
Own cash contribution requirement: 
90% of estimated establishment cost

TRAINING

Prior to the opening of the store all Levingers team members are required to complete a comprehensive training programme to equip them to run an effective and profitable operation. Ongoing training is provided on an ad-hoc basis to ensure that franchisees stay abreast of industry trends.

FRANCHISOR SUPPORT

Levingers provides the franchisee with a turnkey business; this includes guiding the franchisee in securing a suitable site and assisting with lease negotiations.

When stores are up and running Field Advisors conduct regular franchise visits to ensure that the business system and desired standards of operation are maintained across the franchise network and that franchisees are compliant with regards the use of Levingers intellectual property. Franchisees’ performance is reviewed on a regular basis and the franchise team will provide general advice with respect to pricing, sales and marketing or any other matters requiring attention. 

Levingers negotiates with suppliers to secure the very best prices on products, ultimately providing a competitive edge for franchisees. Levingers continuously reviews the business model to ensure that it is in keeping with consumer trends and needs, ensuring that franchisees have an opportunity to stay ahead of the competition. The franchisor employs area-specific marketing that allows franchisees to target specific growth opportunities in their area while leveraging off the wider Levingers footprint.

AVAILABLE LOCATIONS

GAUTENG:
  • Springs, Springs Mall
  • Pretoria
  • KwaZulu-Natal
  • Ballito, Ballito Junction
LIMPOPO
  • Groblersdal
WESTERN CAPE
  • Cape Town, Canal Walk
  • Cape Town, Rondebosch
  • Cape Town, V&A Waterfront
  • Stellenbosch
Opportunities are also available in the Free State, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and North West.

TERMS OF AGREEMENT

Agreement term:
5 Years
Management services / royalty fee:
R7,897.94 pm
Management services / royalty fee:
R7,897.94 pm

COMPANY INFORMATION

Registered name:
Levingers Franchising (Pty) Ltd
Registration number:
2000/013002/07
Head office address:
27 3rd Street, Wynberg, Johannesburg, 2090
Postal address:
PostNet Suite 141, Private Bag X121, Midrand, 1685
Phone:
+27 11 440 2038
Shareholding:
Hay Business Consultants (Pty) Ltd 100% - represented by Yadhir Mooloo

FAQ's

What is franchising?

Franchising is defined as an arrangement where one party (the franchiser) grants another party (the franchisee) the right to use its trademark and/or trade name as well as certain business systems and processes, to produce and market goods or service according to certain specifications. The franchisee usually pays a one-time franchise fee as well as a percentage of turnover as royalty or management services fee. For this the franchisee gains immediate name recognition, tried and tested products, standard building design and décor, detailed techniques for running and promoting the business, training of employees, and ongoing assistance in promoting and upgrading of the products.

Am I suited to franchising?

While franchises are growing in popularity, the sad reality is that many people enter into franchise agreements thinking it’s a fool-proof plan for success, but the fact is that franchises still fail. The very essence of a franchise is consistency. If you’re not happy to follow someone else’s blueprint, you may be better suited to a different type of venture.

How data-hungry is the application process?

The bandwidth required to complete the application, excluding the uploading of source documents, is less than that of a single high-resolution photograph.

FUNDING APPLICATION

The consideration of an application for funding by an individual to a financial institution, whether it is a commercial bank or a development funding institution, always pivots around two principles;
  • The profile of the applicant candidate with reference to financial position and the way in which an individual conducted his or her personal financial affairs. In certain cases, prior experience in the industry in which the franchise brand operates will be required, e.g. the restaurant and hospitality industries. The funder will also assess the current lifestyle of the applicant in order to determine if the size and profitability of the new business suits the applicant and if expectations could be met.
  • The parameters of the actual opportunity available, whether it’s a new or existing business. The business case for the repayment of a loan is always dependent on the numbers, which is a function of location, projected sales, overheads, etc.
It is therefore not possible for a funding application to be processed unless all the details of the applicant, as well as the details of a business’ plan, demonstrating that the business will be able to repay its debt, are available. The initial step will always remain an application to the franchise brand in order to introduce a candidate, after which specific opportunities would be communicated to be followed by an application for funding. Levingers will certainly be able to refer successful applicants to suitable funders once an application has been approved by the franchisor, but every funder will also have its own application and approval process. 

What could be stated is that once a prospective franchisee has completed the online 6-step application process below, the same application will be submitted to the funder, i.e. no additional forms will be required.

ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Should you wish to proceed with the application process, you will be required to register online and navigate your way through a 6-step application process. Only after completing the application process will the franchisor provide you with a detailed Disclosure Document as required by the Consumer Protection Act. 

The 6-step application process is designed with three objectives:
  1. To allow the prospective candidate an opportunity to disclose and communicate all the personal information required by the franchisor and the funder to take a view on how well-suited you are for assuming the role of franchisee.
  2. As intimidating or time consuming as the application process may seem, it exposes you to a fraction of the level of resilience required to ultimately own and manage your own franchised business. 
  3. Successful franchisees comply with the rules and procedures of the business system. Completing the five steps of the application process can be deemed your introduction to adhering to the Levingers business system.
While the application process is not intended to discourage prospective franchisees or to create barriers to entry, the process by its very nature will serve as an early deterring mechanism for candidates who should not be pursuing business ownership. The truth is that the challenges a franchisee will face in their own business is significantly more complicated and daunting than the application process. If you are intimidated by the 5-step process running a business will likely be more challenging than you are anticipating, essentially putting yourself, the franchisor, the funder, the landlord and your future staff at risk.

From a cost perspective the charges relating to the entrepreneurial assessment, application review and credit profile verifications are insignificant when measured against the cost of buying a franchise, and it could be the best money you ever spent should the outcome confirm that you should not venture into business or that you would not be able to attract funding.

APPLICATION PROCESS

STEP 1

Register
online

STEP 2

Complete 
quick application

STEP 3

Online Entrepreneurial and Franchisee Aptitude Assessment 
R345.00 VAT Incl

Upon completion of STEP 1 to 3, you will receive a 
notification from Levingers  to proceed with STEP 4

STEP 4

Complete full application plus document uploads

STEP 5

Request credit check 
and application review
R1000.00 VAT Incl

STEP 6

Franchisor introduction
meeting

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