How to Choose a Franchise Consultant

By Aveek Pal Chaudhuri Thursday, 13 February 2020

Entrepreneurship is at peak at the moment. The 21st century is the time when everyone is looking for something to start with. Some are making an investment to get a faster return. It surely a good idea but without proper statistical analysis it can prove to be self bombarding.

So, to select a franchise system from over thousands, most entrepreneurs face huge difficulties. This is where the intervention of a professional consultant happens and it directs the entrepreneur towards selecting the right franchise.

If you worry about paying the consultant with big remunerations, then stop it. It is paid by the franchisor you select.

What to look into for Selecting a Franchise Consultant?

  • Select a franchise that is more interested in your business than its own profit-making. A well-experienced franchise consultant will initiate the conversation to know about your career and what is important to you and your family. Franchise consultant would ask you about the financial resources available and your business experience. Tell your short and long term goals to the consultant and make the consultant’s work easier. This way the consultant would get to know you better and would provide you with a plethora of suggestions.
  • Frankly, a franchise consultant should know A-Z about you as the consultant is the one who would build on the company culture. A reputed franchise consultant would talk about the business for hours in order to get a good understanding of what you are looking for.
  • Explain your budget details. Franchise consultants should learn about your financial perspective and would definitely not promote ‘All in”.
  • You should look for a consultant to whom you feel a genuine connection. Franchise investment is one of the biggest investments of your life so you should make it on the suggestions of someone you feel a connection. Mutual trust is very important.
  • You should not feel pressurized by your franchise consultant at any point of time. If you do, then do not move ahead. With a good franchise comes thoughts and power. Not the actualization. Good franchises will never induce you to invest in any particular business.
  • Keeping an open mind is essential while selecting a franchise consultant.
  • Make sure you know the franchise consultant’s industry experience well and out because the better experienced the consultant is the best services it would provide to you. Search for someone who has been a part of franchisor’s executive team.
  • A consultant’s work is not limited to any particular area. It has opportunities to work in almost every vertical with full attention and focus. So, select someone who has done franchise consulting for a longer period of time on a fulltime basis.
  • Reputation in the industry of a good franchise consultant should be incomparable. Don’t get fooled by a consultant who is trying to sell you a company just by mentioning a few names without getting your professional or personal goals in its copy.

Processes Involved in Selecting

  • Starting of initial conversation
  • It is followed by follow-up conversations
  • Then comes recommendations
  • After that talking to the franchisors step is involved
  • Last one before taking decisions – receiving franchisor’s financial disclosure document
  • Decision

So, if you are going for a franchise consultant’s advice, keep these things in mind.

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