For Allison and Adam French, the decision to become a Quest Franchisee can be largely summarised in one word: CHOICE.

The Quest Ipswich Franchisees and parents of three children were at the point of their lives where they felt comfortable about both working full time, with all of their offspring at school age.  Both Allison and Adam had worked together in hospitality earlier in their careers, and later progressed to roles in the corporate world.  However, the tolls of a hectic corporate schedule were certainly becoming evident, impacting their family life.  Business ownership had been a long-held goal for this ambitious couple, and when the Quest Ipswich franchise business became available for purchase in 2017, it was a case of the right place at the right time for the French family.  

From the outset, Allison and Adam have had confidence in their business.  “Purchasing an established Quest business meant we inherited a wealth of loyal Quest guests; their feedback ensured we felt confident in delivering a wonderful product and service experience,” comments Adam.

However, it was not only their guests and property offering that filled them with confidence.   The Quest franchisee network and corporate office team provided another layer of support to the Frenchs explains Allison: “The support from the network is fantastic; we have built a great camaraderie with other franchisees and our Franchise Relationship Managers, we can pick up the phone and call a number of people for advice.  Everyone’s got a different story and has unique perspectives that can help you navigate your own circumstances.” 

“We manage our business within the parameters that Quest recommends, however we have never felt suffocated by the way in which they oversee our operations – I don’t think I would have stayed on as long as I have if the franchisor was overbearing.  As a franchisee, you can really seek as much or as little assistance from the corporate office team as you want.  Over the years, the advice and support I have received from Quest has aided us in creating and maintaining a business that we are both extremely proud of,” adds Adam.

“There’s no doubt - we work hard in our business, but we feel we are more master of our own destinies now compared to when we were just employees in the corporate world.   We can work on the business, not just in it.   Being a Quest franchisee has provided us with lifestyle choices – with the right people in the right roles, it means we can enjoy more flexibility with family time and watch our kids at their sports events.”  

Advice for anyone considering becoming a Quest franchisee?

“You have to be committed to working hard in your Quest business, willing to learn and appreciate that knowledge is king.  We have learnt so much in our time with Quest- there are so many intricate parts of running an apartment hotel business, but we have taken a great deal of comfort from the various subject matter experts we can access through Quest’s corporate support structure,” explains Allison.