Independent Article

Buying an existing centre - you're buying more than just a building

- Educational Experience

By Louise Hamilton, New Centre Supervisor

When buying an existing, operating centre, you’re not just buying bricks and mortar. Like it or not, you’re also buying a culture and a pre-existing customer-base with a lot of questions, anticipations and high expectations.

The enrolled families will be concerned about the type of service you will offer.

Will the service offered be different to that of the previous owner(s)?
They may be happy with the previous philosophies or may be happy to see a change… a fresh beginning even.
Will the fees increase?
Will their favourite staff member stay in the centre?

The staff in the centre will be concerned about similar things.
Will their wages change?
Will they still have a job?
Will your educational philosophies be compatible with theirs?
Like the families, they too might be excited about the possibility of change. It may be their opportunity to voice opinions that weren’t accepted by the previous owner(s). Change can sometimes promote inspiration within people who may not have considered their ideas worthy in the minds of the previous centre’s owners.

Experience tells us that it’s very easy to be ‘consumed’ by the many logistical challenges facing you as a new centre owner. What’s harder is finding the time to understand the often more complex ‘cultural climate’ that you are inheriting… and what steps you need to take to incorporate the climate into your overall vision for the centre and your business.

This is where partnerships and collaboration become critical. You can have the best business plan and the most creative vision for your new centre, but your ability to achieve your goals and sleep at night will ultimately depend on the success of other people, working for and with you.

When everything is working seamlessly behind the scenes, you have more time to think about the less tangible, yet more complex, challenges and opportunities that your new centre is presenting you.

With that in mind, it’s a valuable exercise to think about the people and organisations you are depending on to make your business a success… for you, your staff, the parents and their children in your care.

From a resource point of view, are you working with a supplier who understands your vision? Perhaps they did a good job providing you with an impressive quote at a price within your budget… but are you confident that they are positioned as your ‘trusted business advisor’? After the initial fit-out of your centre, are you convinced that they will maintain a high-level of visibility and support? As your needs change over time, how quick will your supplier respond?

If you’re not sure, then the ultimate question is does your supplier deserve your business? If your time could potentially be eaten up by supplier and resource issues, due to the supplier being a poor ‘fit’ with your overall vision, how much time will you have left to proactively manage the cultural and climate issues you may be inheriting?

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and the interaction you have with the children in your care.