Maison & Services: A franchiser and a franchisee meet in Marseille

This franchise employs 3,000 people in France

As a national key player in the personal services sector, the Maison & Services franchise has been present in Marseille since May 2017. This chain covers 80% of France but Marseille was notably absent from its network. In 2016, the franchiser decided to expand, and to advertise his concept at the Top Franchise show held at Marseille Provence’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The company today proposes local cleaning, ironing and gardening services for private customers in the city’s eastern districts. This came about thanks to a meeting between the franchiser, Patrice Deniau, and the franchisee Joris Tort.

Founded in Laval in 1999 by Patrice Deniau, Maison & Services today includes 130 independent companies in France and recently opened its first branch in Marseille. A specialist in the provision of home cleaning and gardening services, the franchiser met the future franchisee at the 2016 Top Franchise Méditerranée show organized at Marseille Provence’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"During the Top Franchise Méditerranée show I met a number of franchise networks, including Maison & Services with whom I immediately struck up a good rapport."

Joris Tort, the former manager of the Go Sport store at La Valentine, discovered this show as a visitor. “At the age of 46, I wanted to set up my own business and I left Go Sport in 2016, with 21 years’ experience behind me. I noticed that there was a very promising niche waiting to be filled for the provision of cleaning services, proposing highly professional and well-trained staff. During the Top Franchise Méditerranée show I met a number of franchise networks, including Maison & Services with whom I immediately struck up a good rapport. For this cleaning chain, each customer is unique, and detailed specifications are drawn up for the housekeeping service,” explains Joris Tort, manager of ERT Service which markets Maison & Services.

130 franchisees and 3,000 employees

After three weeks’ training in the chain’s activities and procedures in Laval, he turned his attention to recruitment. He hired his first team members with the help of Pôle Emploi and the economic development agency Provence Promotion, which provided him with advice on the best way to gain access to business networks. This young business creator has already hired three people and aims to hire ten employees during his first year. Maison & Services Marseille is based in Marseille’s 12th district, an area which Joris Tort knows well. “We operate in Marseille’s 11th, 12th and 13th districts, and also in Allauch and Plan de Cuques. I am targeting an upmarket clientele, providing them with trusted staff,” explains this native of Normandy. A month after opening his business, he’s delighted with the support he has received from his franchiser. 

“I am self-taught and I know what it’s like to work alone, so our franchisees receive our full support,” explains Patrice Deniau. The founding CEO, who is also the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Mayenne, adds that a franchise generally employs between 70 and 100 people three years after its launch. 

Maison & Services currently employs 3,000 staff (20% of whom are managers) and achieved turnover of €40 million in 2016.