We’ve got answers to the most frequently asked questions

The short answer: Yes. The longer answer: HerdingCats was originally built to meet the stringent privacy and security requirements set by one of our bank customers. You set the level of user permission and control who is invited into your organisation. No one can access your files unless you let them. Our servers are based in the UK with a leading enterprise grade supplier. We follow industry best practice with regards to security, privacy, business continuity and we constantly review our policies.

All of your data and content belongs to you, but the HerdingCats platform remains ours, even if we fine tune some elements to suit your specific needs.

If you decide to stop using HerdingCats, we will support you to export your data and files if required. This may involve some specific formats or decisions, so it is not an automatic function and may involve some additional cost. Once you stop using HerdingCats, you will of course lose access to our platform, and the efficiencies that our platform provides. We find that once franchisors adopt HerdingCats they never want to go back!

Our proven platform and many years of experience working with franchisors allows for a relatively short “go live” lead time. This depends on the modules you decide to implement initially, as part of the roll out phase, as well as the level of customisation you require.

Competitive monthly fees per site (not per user) makes the HerdingCats solution an affordable option for just about every franchisor. Our fees work on a sliding scale depending on the number of sites. The standard HerdingCats offering does not require a huge initial capital expenditure/outlay. A scope of the client needs is undertaken, and the initial site set up and deployment costs are based on this scope. Franchisors have the option to recover the monthly costs from franchisees or cover these costs at a head office level (out of ongoing management service fees).

We offer scalable options to suit your business. We work with organisations at the beginning of their franchising journey through to established franchisors with a large networks. We work best with a franchise network where the management controls have been defined to some degree and already have a minimum of 15 sites.

HerdingCats is cloud based and you do not need to install or download any additional software.

We often work with franchisors with a number of franchise brands. Although technically possible, we generally don’t recommend combining your brands on one platform – this could be confusing and undermine the value of the platform. Speak to us about getting all your brands online – we will endeavour to find efficiencies and economies of scale.

This is a key part of our approach to simplifying franchise management. We work with you to make HerdingCats a true reflection of your brand while tailoring the platform to your unique business needs. But this is not fully bespoke custom-software which is expensive and time-consuming to build, nor is it a one size fits all generic solution that inhibits flexibility.

No. We generally agree on a single flat fee for your head office. We will assess the size of the team and the number of head office staff who will need access to the system and provide a fair monthly fee for this. After all, it’s your franchisees we want on board and we understand that in order to ensure seamless communication and consistency across the network, that head office people need access to the platform as well.

The platform does allow some offline functionality – typically for store visit checklists and audits. We would however prefer to discuss your needs with you and determine your requirements. This way the system addresses your specific business needs.

No. We aim to keep it clear and simple. Once we’ve agreed your business needs with you, we will draft a proposal detailing the specific modules and costing. If you accept the proposal we enter into a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with you. The purpose of the SLA is to define the relationship between the parties and clearly set out the roles and responsibilities of each party.

HerdingCats is a fully hosted offering – we do not currently offer self-hosting options. But we brand the platform for you, including custom URLs, so the whole experience is consistent with your brand identity.