The Razzor - Essential Information for Small Business

There are a lot of factors to consider when selecting the appropriate franchise opportunity. Not only do you want the franchise to be a right fit for you - you need as well to work with a franchisor that will be around for years.

How can you find out if a franchise system is sound? In the franchise book, The Educated Franchisee we believe in sharing knowledge. A little franchise education could be precious in this area.

One fundamental measure is the system’s pace of franchise growth.

Too quick: Quick franchise development may seem like a good thing at first but it is conceivable for a system to grow too fast. It is crucial to be sure the franchisor has the people and systems in place to thoroughly oversee your training and on-going support. For example, if a system of 50 franchisees brings 30 additional franchisees in a year, the rate of franchise growth may be too fast.

Too Slow: If franchise growth is slow there could also be a problem. Why isn’t the franchise attracting new people? Possibly there are concerns with the business model - problems that make it difficult for existing franchisees to succeed. When potential franchisees do ‘validation calls’ they may hear about problems and decide to look elsewhere for a business. Or perhaps the franchisor doesn’t have the right staff and has to limit franchise growth. Either way, a lack of new franchisees may be a sign of an unhealthy franchise system.

Just Right: even franchise growth over time is an indicator of effective management and a healthy system. One way to gauge steady franchise growth is to determine the pace at which the franchise grew each year both in absolute and percent terms. To find this data for the past three years you can look in the Franchise Disclosure Document under Item 20 - the List of Outlets. All the data you need regarding franchise growth will be there for you in a clear, easy to understand format.

Rule of Thumb for Most Franchises: As a guideline for medium-sized franchisors, the number of franchisees brought each year should be between 10% and 35% of the total number of franchisees. For example, a company with 100 franchisees should have the infrastructure to add up to 35 new franchisees in the coming year.

Rule of Thumb for Large and Small Franchises: This formula doesn’t work for very large or very small companies, however, so when considering behemoth or boutique franchise systems look at the ratio of operational support personnel compared to new franchisees. A ratio of one support person for every 10-20 new franchisees tells you that new franchisees are probably getting the preparation and support they need to succeed.

Talk to Franchisees: But don’t assume! It is decisive that you talk to existing franchisees. Find out about the training they had at the start and what they get in terms of on-going support. Do they find the staff to be experienced? Responsive? Does the franchisee feel at ease calling on them for help? Pay special attention to the information you glean from new franchisees. Your experience will most closely reflect theirs.

Meet the Support Staff: Generally, a serious franchise investigation finishes with a visit to the franchisor’s headquarters to get final questions answered and meet the staff face-to-face. Spend extra time with the support staff. Make sure you are comfortable with their experience, competence, style, and ability to communicate, because you will need to work well with them and trust their advice on an on-going basis.

There are a lot of things to look at when exploring a franchise business that will match your needs, but it doesn’t matter how much you like the business if the franchisor isn’t viable. Collect the franchise information you need and be sure the system you select is growing and has a good number of satisfied franchisees. Franchise growth is a key part of your due diligence. Only a healthy franchise opportunity can support your long-term growth and success.