How to avoid being ripped off when buying a franchise
Of the roughly 1,000 business format franchises in the UK, many are excellent opportunities for building your own business. Unfortunately, some should be avoided at all costs. The best franchises are managed by professionals who carefully screen franchisee...
Why Minimum Monthly Fees Should Be Outlawed in Franchising
From a franchisee’s perspective, one of the most detrimental aspects of investing in a franchise is the obligation to pay a minimum monthly fee (MMF). Not all franchises use this system, but most do. And in those cases, it is non-negotiable. We strongly believe...
Elite Franchise Magazine Article – The importance of the pilot branch
Head over to Elite Franchise Magazine to read my latest published article about The importance of the pilot branch....
Don’t sign a franchise agreement without having a face-to-face meeting.
The lockdowns during the pandemic greatly increased the use of video conferencing. This has made it easier for franchisors and prospective franchisees to engage in discovery meetings, but we are now seeing that this is causing problems. Over the past year, the...
A horror story of franchisor fraudsters.
Some decades ago, while attending the National Franchise Expo in Washington DC, your correspondent was enjoying dinner one evening with a group of friends. With the party was a senior member of staff of the Canadian Franchise Association who made a comment that has...
Minimum franchise performance clauses are bad for franchising.
Minimum monthly charges have been a feature of the franchisee business model for many years. Franchisors see them as justifiable. The guaranteed income can make budgeting easier, and they are a useful way of incentivising underperforming franchisees. Prospective...
The Franchising Haven
The October edition of Elite Franchise Magazine features Tony Bowman, founder of Franchising Problem Solutions. Tony writes about the franchising umbrella that can assist franchisors through what is likely to be a difficult economic period. Read the full article...
How to prevent the comfort zone from causing franchise disputes.
Many franchised businesses suffer from the comfort zone phenomena, which can adversely affect both franchisees and franchisors. It is the cause of many franchise disputes. Many franchisees decide to join to achieve a better work-life balance. Franchisors realise...
Franchise disputes – The reasons they occur and how to avoid or resolve them.
Conflict and franchise disputes can be a problem in relationships between franchisees and franchisors. This is hardly surprising because business partnerships are often fraught with difficulties, and a franchise is, in many respects, a partnership. The most common...
Is Mandatory Mediation the Future for Resolving Franchise Disputes?
Mediation is by far the best way to resolve a franchise dispute that cannot be settled by negotiation. It is far less expensive and time-consuming and it offers both parties other benefits that are specific to their respective positions. For a franchisor, a trial...