• Our Process
• The Steps to Success in Franchising

"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link". It has been our experience that this is particularly true when building a sound franchising system.

Depending on the unique requirements of each client, we follow a proven process comprised of four major steps which help insure that any possible "weak links" in your systems have been identified and strengthened.

Our first step varies depending on whether you are considering franchising as a growth strategy, or are already franchising. In the case of the former, we work with the client to determine if the organization is ready to commence a franchising program. For the latter, we survey the existing and past franchisees and the internal staff of the organization. We also review the organization's current business model.

Our second step looks into the future to determine the market potential for the brand and what the growth strategy might be.

For example, will the company designate certain markets for company only growth and franchise company locations in other markets as part of a "seed market program"? Will the company go international, and if so, will it do so with a local joint venture partner, or with a franchise developer for part or all of the country? How many outlets will each market support? What does the competitive landscape look like? These and many more questions will be explored.

In our third step, we look at two distinct but deeply interrelated areas: franchise development and the franchise support system. In an effective franchising organization, all the gears must mesh perfectly.

For development, we look at how the franchise is marketed. Even the legally required FDD document can be used as a marketing tool. We also follow the entire sales process to insure that there are no gaps, and that legal compliance "checkpoints" are appropriately in place.

For franchise system support, we explore with you the difficult issue of site approval. Since site selection is fundamental to the sales of the outlet, it cannot be left to chance. On the other hand, there are no guarantees that any particular site will be successful. How does the franchisor handle this with the franchisee?

Having well constructed systems for design and construction, training, new store openings, and on-going support also contributes to removing the element of chance. We have proven techniques for developing these systems.

In our fourth step, we insure that systems are in place for timely communication and feedback. Successful organizations have franchisees participating regularly in the decision making process. We recommend on-going satisfaction measures of consumers, franchisees and employees to drive fine tuning of the organization's systems.

For more detail concerning our process, please contact us.

The Steps to Success in Franchising

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