Smart Tips To Navigate the Initial Franchisor-Franchisee Interview

In order to maintain a healthy franchise system with reliable growth, franchisors should keep people at the forefront of their franchise development efforts. One of the best ways to make sure a person-first approach is taken — and done so correctly — is to focus heavily on the initial franchisor-franchisee interview.

“This is a business where getting the right people is a critical part of our strategy,” explained Brian Pattillo, vice president at Goosehead Insurance. “It’s about finding the right fit, and it’s a two-way street.”

As a major player in the insurance franchise space, Goosehead Insurance operates in all 50 states and has about 1,500 operating franchises nationwide. Its long-term goal is to become the largest distributor of personalized insurance in the U.S. Speaking of the brand’s larger growth strategy, Pattillo recognized that the people Goosehead will bring into the system will play a crucial role in the brand’s overall success.

“When we’re going through that vetting process with the franchisee, the number one thing we’re looking for is their capability to go out and execute our go-to-market strategy,” said Pattillo. “For example, are they likable and friendly? Can they easily look for and connect with people? Do they come across as genuine and trustworthy?”

Franchisors Should Evaluate Compatibility in the First Interview

A cultural fit may not always make it into the short list of franchisee requirements that’s published on a franchisor’s website, but it can shape the franchisor-franchisee relationship in unimaginable ways.

During the first chat, a franchisor should assess whether the potential franchisee aligns with the system’s values, culture and long-term vision. Of course, the prospect’s previous experience, skills and business acumen should be considered. However, motivations, goals and level of commitment to the system should not be overlooked.

This can also be a good time for the franchisor to clarify expectations. By making the expectations of the franchisee and their future role clear, including facts about performance evaluations and any guidelines they may need to follow, franchisors can set the stage for both parties to ensure the business relationship is a good fit.

Come Prepared With the Facts

Though there are regulations surrounding making clear disclosures prior to the provision of the official Franchise Disclosure Document, it is not unlikely that the prospective franchisee will ask about details of the system.

Franchisors should familiarize themselves with the details of the business model, products or services, target markets, key differentiators, financial considerations, training resources, and legal obligations ahead of time. As is the case with many disclosure-related practices, it is a good idea to consult a franchise attorney when developing the guidelines for these initial interviews to ensure nothing discussed will violate franchise sales-related regulations.

Keep an Open Mind

Approaching the initial interview process with an open mind can unlock unexpected relationships and resources for the franchisor.

“One of the things that has been a primary driver of how we’re doing is that we’ve been going on to college campuses and recruiting top talent that probably would not be thinking about insurance otherwise,” explained Pattillo. “It’s an industry that’s really struggled to attract top talent, and we’ve been able to create a culture of an income opportunity and a recruiting strategy to really recruit top talent.”

In many cases, these recruits join the Goosehead corporate team and have the option to become franchise owners a few years into the experience. Pattillo describes the (approximately) two years of corporate employment experience as an extended interview that also prepares the hire to become an independent owner. While this is not the only “out of the box” recruiting strategy that exists in the franchise world, it is a prime example of how an open mind and more flexible understanding of the so-called initial franchisee interview can lead to great returns down the line.

“We’ve seen over the last year that agents that go through that program first produced six times the rate of the people that we recruited through another method,” said Pattillo.

Planning and strategizing for the initial franchisor-franchisee interview can begin long before the day of the chat. Remember, the first interview is an opportunity for both parties to gather information about one another and begin to evaluate whether there is potential for a good business relationship. Whatever form the interview takes, franchisors should show up prepared to provide helpful information and actively listen to the experience, goals, and even concerns for the prospective franchisee to assess their overall suitability for the system.