1851

<p>It’s always good to have someone in your corner. Particularly when you’re opening a business.</p><p>That’s exactly why people turn to the franchise model. They get to be their own boss, but they also have some support and guidance with the business from a corporate office.</p><p>But exactly how much support — and what kind of support — should you, as a potential franchisee, expect from the home office?</p><p>1851 Franchise asked <a href="https://www.msaworldwide.com/about-us/msa-senior-team/kay-ainsley/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=what-kind-of-support-should-franchisees-expect-from-franchisors-2714723" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u>Kay Ainsley</u></a>, the managing director of <a href="https://www.msaworldwide.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=what-kind-of-support-should-franchisees-expect-from-franchisors-2714723" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u>MSA Worldwide</u></a>, a firm that advises franchise businesses, to help us understand what franchisees should expect from their franchisor’s corporate headquarters.</p><h4>1851 Franchise: What is the franchisor’s role and responsibility for a new franchisee?</h4><p>Kay Ainsley: I think that the franchisor’s primary responsibility is to protect the brand. Therefore, they need to provide their franchisees with the tools necessary for the franchisee to operate the business to the standard set by the franchisor.&nbsp;</p><h4>1851: And the franchisee?</h4><p>Ainsley: The franchisee is ultimately responsible for the day to day decisions, who to hire, who to have on their staff and financial management. The franchisee is ultimately responsible to manage that business’s bottom line.</p><h4>1851: Should a franchisee expect to have an on-site visit with the corporate office before they start?</h4><p>Ainsley: I think that bringing trainees into a corporate location is beneficial because the trainee gets to see the corporate culture as well as the nuts and bolts of managing the business. I think good training programs incorporate classroom as well as on-the-job training. It's one thing to have somebody explain to you how to do something, and it's another thing to get your hands dirty doing it.</p><h4>1851: Is the training usually enough to get ready to open?</h4><p>Ainsley: When a franchisee goes to training, in some cases, it's like drinking from a firehose. There's a ton of information that’s provided in a short period of time, then when they actually go to open their business, it's like, “What do I do next?”</p><h4>1851: What is a typical opening-day concern?</h4><p>Ainsley: I always say, a franchisee’s first panic, is “What if I, what if I open my doors and nobody comes?” The second one is, “What if I open my doors and <i>everybody</i> comes!” Franchisors will often send somebody to help with those first few days of getting open and settled. And I think that's a good thing for a franchise to do.</p><h4>1851: What sort of marketing support is typical at first?</h4><p>Ainsley: I think the franchisor should provide the initial plan. In our firm, we call it “a market introduction,” rather than a “grand opening.”&nbsp; We try to make sure the franchisee has thought about advertising plans and budgeted enough money to get them through the first several months of getting their business open, rather than just the week of the grand opening.</p><h4>1851: After that first week, that first month, should franchisees expect to have somebody to call if something goes awry?</h4><p>Ainsley: It may depend on what goes awry, but I think in most cases franchisors want to get somebody off to a good start. If you ignore somebody or their questions in the early stages, it's not gonna get any better. It's easier to train them well to give them opening support to get them not only walking but running by themselves. It eliminates headaches down the road.</p><h4>1851: What about having business coaches available to work with franchisees? Is that a reasonable expectation to have?</h4><p>Ainsley: I think that's a competitive advantage in some systems. Certainly, if a franchisor were going to provide that, you would highlight it during the franchise sales process. And again, all of this depends on the concept and the industry.</p><p>I wouldn't say there's ever a one size fits all</p><h4>1851: What’s a reasonable level of training?</h4><p>Ainsley: If you were franchising a pharmacy, you're not going to teach somebody to be a pharmacist or a chiropractor. You're going to give them the brand to operate under, the marketing plan and maybe some business guidance, but they have to have those skills.</p><h4>1851: What should a franchisee <i>not</i> expect from the corporate office?</h4><p>Ainsley: They can't make you successful. They can give you the tools they can show you how to use the tools, but they cannot manage your business for you. They give you the tools, but you've got to work the business and you've got to take responsibility for it.</p>

What Kind of Support Should Franchisees Expect From Franchisors?

1851 Franchise

Before you invest in a franchise business, find out how the brand will invest in you.

what-kind-of-support-should-franchisees-expect-from-franchisors

Right at Home

Leading In-Home Care Franchise Looks to Expand in Springfield, Illinois

leading-in-home-care-franchise-looks-to-expand-in-springfield-illinois

Woodhouse Spas

Woodhouse Spas Franchise Drives Profitability for Owners with Diverse Revenue Streams

woodhouse-spas-franchise-drives-profitability-for-owners-with-diverse-revenue-streams

Beansquad

Beansquad: Counting, Connecting, Transforming Franchisee Financial Success Through Bookkeeping Data

beansquad-counting-connecting-transforming-franchisee-financial-success-through-bookkeeping-data

BeanSquad and BoeFly: Transforming Franchise Support with Financial and Lending Expertise

beansquad-and-boefly-transforming-franchise-support-with-financial-and-lending-expertise

How Beansquad Is Revolutionizing Franchise Bookkeeping for Seamless Financial Management

how-beansquad-is-revolutionizing-franchise-bookkeeping-for-seamless-financial-management

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

Login

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Subway CEO John Chidsey Announces Retirement After Five-Year Tenure

subway-ceo-john-chidsey-announces-retirement-after-five-year-tenure

Black Friday Goes Digital: How Restaurant Franchisees Can Adapt

black-friday-goes-digital-how-restaurant-franchisees-can-adapt

PopUp Bagels Launches National Franchise Expansion with New CEO Tory Bartlett Leading the Charge

popup-bagels-launches-national-franchise-expansion-with-new-ceo-tory-bartlett-leading-the-charge

CPK Franchising - California Pizza Kitchen - 1851 Franchise

California Pizza Kitchen Is Now Franchising in the U.S.

cpk-franchising-california-pizza-kitchen-united-states

California Voters Reject $18 Minimum Wage Increase

california-voters-reject-18-minimum-wage-increase

Paris Baguette Franchise Deep Dive - 1851 Franchise

Franchise Deep Dive: Paris Baguette’s Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data

franchise-deep-dive-paris-baguettes-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

1851 Franchise Top Franchise Suppliers Deep Dive: Beansquad

franchise-supplier-deep-dive-beansquad

The Crucial Role of Social Media in Franchise Success

the-crucial-role-of-social-media-in-franchising

Coffee News - Franchise Deep Dive - 1851 Franchise

Franchise Deep Dive: Coffee News Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data

coffee-news-franchise-deep-dive

Joe Caradonna - ProShred Arizona - How Franchising Helps You Spend More Time with Your Family

How Franchising Helps You Spend More Time With Your Family 

how-franchising-helps-you-spend-more-time-with-your-family

Bobby Mascia - Green Ridge Wealth Planning - Succession Plan for Family Franchise - 1851 Franchise

How To Create a Succession Plan for Your Family Franchise

how-to-create-a-succession-plan-for-your-family-franchise

What Kind of Support Should Franchisees Expect From Franchisors?

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS