Sami Ullah is just months into his new World Options franchise, and he’s well on his way to building a robust business.

For the former dealership boss who returned from Pakistan last year with his young family, World Options was an ideal career choice.

“I wanted to do something in my longtime field of international trade and logistics and this was a perfect fit,” Sami says.

World Options’ goal is to make logistics simple. As a large on-line shipping portal provider, it utilises a bulk buying system that ensures customers can access affordable shipping solutions.

After assessing the business against competitors, Sami was convinced that the level of support provided by World Options to franchisees was second to none.

World Options delivers comprehensive training

The strong cultural fit with the leadership team was also a compelling factor, he says.

Sami began his initial three-day training in July, and soaked up all the knowledge he could. 

“I was familiar with the theory, but had no experience. I had initial face-to-face training, and then weekly training for sales and marketing, and customer service.”

By the end of the month Sami was operating his World Options shipping solutions business – and his training didn’t end there.

World Options delivers ongoing training on services, meeting customers, and cold calling procedures, Sami explains.

A solid 20 hours is spent on cold calling techniques. In addition, Sami valued the opportunity to learn first-hand from director Andrew Stewart how best to handle face-to-face cold calls.

“We even signed up some customers from the cold calls! Confidence is key, and initially you don’t have that, so it’s good to see how it works from an experienced operator. 

“The first few solo cold calls are challenging. I was a bit hesitant, then the more I did the easier it became. You make strong local connections and get good feedback,” Sami says.

Franchisor training and support helps build franchisee confidence

Most of his time now is spent contacting potential customers, meeting them in person, or connecting on LinkedIn before calling them. 

Sami says it’s important to impress upon customers the value of the World Options platform, and it’s something that’s easily appreciated. 

“You’re solving a shipping or logistics problem for them, and you’re available if something goes wrong,” he says.

Confident in the proven model of a multi-carrier platform for medium-sized and small businesses, Sami nonetheless knew he would face challenges.

“Patience is crucial, it’s not a business where you can start earning straight away; but the more effort you put in, the more money you make,” he says.

Consistency and a proactive approach are also necessary to build a robust business. 

“It takes effort to build momentum and overcome rejections. Once you build that momentum you see rewards,” he says.

It took Sami just one week to get his first customer; now he has more than 15. Some of these have become regular users of World Options’ services.

“The key to success is that you should love talking to people, reaching out to businesses. That’s really important.

“I love working with local businesses, you learn so much and it is satisfying to solve customers’ problems,” he says.

World-class support from World Options

The much-admired support that was a key factor in Sami’s purchasing decision proved invaluable, right from the start.

The leadership team is responsive to concerns and problems, he says. He recently had queries about the US tariffs situation and was able to get advice from World Options’ directors.

“It’s reassuring to know there’s a network behind you. You just have to focus on selling, there is plenty of back-up behind you.”

Sami gets in touch with customer service for any help on customer queries. While he and other franchisees are on hand to alleviate shipping problems, the World Options platform enables customers to book and manage shipments themselves.

“This is an easy process, you give the customer a demo and train them to use the portal,” Sami says. 

The strength of the online platform and ecommerce added to the appeal of the proven system and support at World Options.

“I was looking for somewhere I could build my own customer base,” he says.

In his non-exclusive Port Melbourne territory Sami has big plans for the future. 

He intends to expand the business with support and sales staff. “It will grow much more quickly once we have more people involved,” he says.

“I love this business; it’s been challenging but I knew it would be at the beginning. Once you put in the effort, with World Options you get rewarded.”