Time and again, prospective franchisors say that the only thing holding them back from franchising their business is the fear that franchisees won’t sustain the quality standards they’ve established. A typical lament is, “I’ve worked too long and too hard building this brand to let someone else screw it up.”
Frankly, I’m always heartened when I hear these words, because that tells me the prospective franchisor is focusing on the right things. Maintaining quality in your franchise system should be a key focus for a franchisor. This is what differentiates great franchise brands from those that don’t succeed.
What’s more, if done correctly, franchising can improve quality.
That’s right: Franchising, done right, can be responsible for increased quality.
The problem is that many people who contemplate franchising associate franchised operations with fast food. In doing so, they confuse the ultimate quality of the product (which can be judged as low) with the quality of the operation.
The fact of the matter is, McDonald’s is among the world’s most quality-oriented brands, but the value proposition and price point aren’t appropriate for steak and lobster. There are, however, high-end franchise brands known for detailed attention to quality. Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse is a franchise. So is The Ritz-Carlton.
Quality is not about what’s on the menu; it’s about consistency of the operation.
The Hen and the Pig… read on.