Discover the hybrid skills of the perfect franchisor

Good franchisors don’t leave their franchisees’ success to chance, they invest in it

When it comes to franchisee recruitment, having high expectations of the person opposite you at the interview table is very much a two-way street. Franchisors can spend so much time drawing up a huge list of things that their future franchisees MUST have or be, that they forget that a well prepared prospective franchisee always has a big list of their own.

Keep up to date with the latest What Franchise News sent straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

We are in conversation with candidates from the time they first start considering the idea of a franchise, right through to signing up to one - so we know what attributes they consider make for a good franchisor.

The most important thing you need to understand from the start is that your former role as the owner of a successful business has changed, and you now have a multitude of new job titles. Here’s what your prospective franchisee is looking for.

The investor in people

You had an idea, built a successful business and now you’re expanding. Your success as a franchisor however, now depends on the ongoing success of your franchisees – and that is something you need to be properly invested in. Training, support, ongoing development, providing the best tools for the job, marketing, future proofing… good franchisors don’t leave their franchisees’ success to chance, they invest in it.

Head of product development

Think of the most successful hamburger franchise. I guarantee we’re all thinking of the same one. That continued success is in large part due to having the foresight to move with the times. Customers have demanded healthier options, more variety, more certainty over food providence, a more engaging dining/ordering experience. If they had stuck to the belief that the original model was too perfect to change, then, with so many competitors in the market, people really would have moved on. Remember, no franchisor is too big not to look ahead.

Director of long-term commitment

In franchising, the opposite of longterm commitment tends to be the franchisor who is solely interested in selling franchises. A good franchisor, however, is all about the long game. Only quality franchisees are accepted into the network; initial training is thorough and comprehensive; ongoing support is provided by an effective support staff; the financial rewards of the franchisor depend on building a network of highly successful, happy franchisees who wish to grow their businesses and support the big picture ambitions of the brand.

Chief quality officer

The best franchisors are obsessed with quality, right across the board. Within most business sectors you can see which franchise brands are intent on becoming the biggest, or the loudest or the cheapest, and then you can see which ones are intent on truly becoming the best. Surprisingly, being the best is not always what clinches the deal for a prospective franchisee. For my money, I’d choose the Franchisor who is dedicated to quality. Then I’d know that everything from my training, my fellow franchisees, and yes, my long-term prospects will likely be best.

So, if you want to be a great franchisor, with a future-proofed business and a top-performing network, interview yourself for these four roles - did you get the job?

The author

Suzie McCafferty is CEO of franchise consultancy Platinum Wave.

Keep up to date with the latest What Franchise News sent straight to your inbox. Sign up here.