With all franchise opportunities there are a few questions that all potential franchisees should ask of the franchisor. Bear in mind that this relationship could last many years and your business potential and your future happiness rests on the answer received. Money whilst important in the decision making process is by no means the only important consideration in business.
First and foremost it is important to ask about the franchisors background. Their experience in business and their knowledge of the field that you are about to enter in should be comprehensive. Not only will this give you a chance to inquire about their knowledge but will also help you understand the people behind the business opportunity that you are about to enter.
How does the franchisor evaluate new franchisees? If this has not been as well developed as it should be then surely it questions the value of the franchise as well. All franchisors should have a clear understanding of the types of people they are searching for and clear guidelines as to how evaluate and score them. Bear in mind that a chain is as strong as its weakest link.
How well do they communicate with you? What methods do they use do communicate? Are they in touch with the latest technology? Technology is changing rapidly and in the future only the business men with their fingers on the pulse will survive.
How fast do they respond to requests for further information? If the franchisor can not be bothered with answering your questions before you they have your money how will they react once the monies have changed hands? When you find a franchise where the lines of communication are not only open but they are also professionally conducted then you can almost be sure that you are backing a winning team.
How many franchises have they sold and how well are the other franchisees faring? Are the franchisees generally happy with their business? Is it what they expected? The moral of each part of the network will be a major factor in the growth potential of the group as a whole. Getting a grip on the profitability of their systems and understanding your chances of succeeding with their business ideas are very useful bits of information to have.
If possible get a full list of their franchisees names and contact details so that you can ascertain for yourself if the facts and figures quoted are reliable and trustworthy. Speaking to other franchisees will also help you to discover the pros and cons of the franchise business.
Finally it is important that you see eye to eye both with the franchisors and their long term plans for the business. Knowing what they hope to achieve and how they plan to do it will affect you and your business plans for many years. Are they receptive to ideas from other franchisees? Do they have a system of logging all the ideas received from their franchisees? Most of the best ideas invariably come from the people who are at the front end and dealing directly with the consumer.
Once you can get a feel for their long term plans and possibly approve of their way of thinking then you stand a better chance of not only living within their requirements and systems but also growing within them.
If you are ready to buy into the dream that the franchisor is selling then you have to be sure that not only the systems are in place to handle your growth but also that this strategic partnership will also develop further due to common ideas shared.
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