COMPUTER RENAISSANCE (FRIENDLY COMPUTERS) Franchise Complaints
Computer Renaissance (acquired and rebranded by Friendly Computers in 2008) has a frighteningly high SBA franchise loan default rate of 48%. Computer Renaissance (now called Friendly Computers) is listed by the SBA among the worst franchises by SBA loan default.
Are you familiar with the Computer Renaissance or Friendly Computers franchise opportunity? Please share a comment – positive or negative – below.
Computer Renaissance (Friendly Computers) has an SBA loan default rate of 48%
According to the Small Business Administration, Computer Renaissance franchisees have received 39 SBA-guaranteed loans; nearly half of those loans have been defaulted on by Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe franchise owners.
In 2008, Friendly Computers began rebranding the Computer Renaissance stores it gained control over in its December, 2007 acquisition.
Entrepreneur magazine reported that there were 81 Friendly Computers franchises in 2008, but that the number declined to 52 U.S. franchise locations in 2012. That’s a decline of 29 locations, or 36% of the total chain.
Are you familiar with the Friendly Computers franchise opportunity?
What do you think accounts for the SBA loan failure rate of Computer Renaissance / Friendly Computers franchise owners?
What steps should Friendly Computers and the Ward brothers be taking to stop further franchise failures?
Have Friendly Computers taken serious action to address the problems that led to the 48% loan failures?
Please share a comment, opinion or insight – positive or negative – below. Company rebuttals welcome.
ARE YOU A COMPUTER RENAISSANCE OR FRIENDLY COMPUTERS FRANCHISE OWNER OR FORMER FRANCHISEE? ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH COMPUTER RENAISSANCE (FRIENDLY COMPUTERS) FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY? PLEASE SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.
Tags: Friendly Computers, Computer Renaissance, Friendly Computers franchise, Computer Renaissance franchise, Friendly Computers complaints, franchise opportunity, computer franchise, franchise failure rate, worst franchise, sba failure rates, SBA franchise loans, franchise information, Bryan Ward, Steve Ward, Verlan Ward, Michael Ward, Tim Ward
This Business should close its doors..
I worked for them 1 week, for the main store.
Then I was verbally beaten for no reason, I didn’t need the job like like most people do So I told them to shove it. A short time later one of the Wards was arrested for Child Molestation and is service many years…
He has Little many Syndrome and verbally tries to dominate you a the brothers are no better…
Here is a call that they made to a franchise.
this was a typical attitude.
http://www.elitegeeks.com/funny/WS210025.WMA
As you can see from this Youtube video this is Micheal G Ward
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP4tADnvPhs
Michael G. Ward, charged with three counts of statutory sexual seduction, one count of using a minor in production and manufacture of pornography and 20 counts of possessing visual presentation of depicting sexual conduct of a person under 16. Ward has been a registered sex offender in Nevada since 2001
Dealing with them will give you no support. when I was in the week training they wanted the techs to mention everything we did in a database to create knowledge for franchise. Needless to say I never met Steve or Bryan or Tim, they were to busy getting together planing with RC Planes and Opening a hobby store to support that habit.
The Franchise grew in the PC Boom like many did but when PCs slowed down the ones that were not good were closed soon after. Not enough new suckers to keep them in business so they franchise locations closed in droves because people who went to a class and studied for a year thought they were good enough to fix PCs and run a Business.
IF your a PC tech and know PC repairs you do not need to be part of a Franchise. Its not like you need to buy supplies like a Burger joint would. You wind up buying from the Wards at a markup AFTER they bought it from Local wholesalers so by the time you sell it you cannot mark it up more then 15% without it being o high priced.
I got a job with the local wholesaler just 3 days after I quit Friendly Computers.
They swore I would never work in this town, just like the call they made to the poor Arron Computers / Friendly Franchise in the phone call.
“Michael G. Ward, charged with three counts of statutory sexual seduction, one count of using a minor in production and manufacture of pornography and 20 counts of possessing visual presentation of depicting sexual conduct of a person under 16. Ward has been a registered sex offender in Nevada since 2001”
Is Michael Ward still associated with Friendly Computers / Computer Renaissance?
In what capacity? Is he an owner?
This is pretty scary.
Buncn of Pedophiles. I even heard they threaten the lives of families after those who choose to leave the franchise do so. They all deserve to go to jail or worse. I hope someone gets even with them.
Terribly sad to see what has become of this awesome franchise.
I ran one of the original corporate stores for Growbiz.
Back then we sourced our own hardware.
While corporate did not always see eye to eye with my assistant manager and I?
We took a small location from 35K in sales to 65K in sales per month with a 60% margin. The sale of the brand name to Hollis Technologies was a death knell for a great brand. I left soon after as my power to purchase hardware was completely removed. Had Hollis listened to our suggestions this franchise could still be one of the best. We had suggested a centralized database of hardware across all franchise and corporate stores. Allowing products to be ordered online by retail customers or traded between franchise locations. We offered to share our wholesale hardware sources with all franchises which allowed us to price systems that were so competitive.. Best Buy President and CEO Brian Dunn actually used our support services rather then geek squad in his own stores.. I will miss the great work and the challenges that were afforded to myself and my staff, I hope all of them are doing well today. My thanks to Rolf, John, Barry, John, Emma, and Josh for a few great years in the business.