Getting into a franchise business is not a matter of bread and butter. The way you enter into the business determines whether you will be successful or not.
If you are a franchisee considering a franchise opportunity, it’s vital to conduct due diligence.
The main concern in your due diligence is to learn your prospective franchisor as much as possible. This is the only best way to ensure you are in a better position to make the right decisions for your franchise business. Again, such ensures that you will have a solid relationship with your franchisor.
This article highlights some of the critical considerations for anyone performing due diligence.
What Are The Key Considerations When Performing Due Diligence?
In any due diligence, any franchisee must be concerned with the quantitative and qualitative aspects of what they are about to enter into.
You have to understand the critical business elements of your franchise business, which may include what kind of fees to pay, your right to a franchisee license, or the use of your franchisor’s terms.
Anyone in search of a worth franchise business must perform meaningful due diligence. This can be done with the help of an attorney for franchise business. While such a lawyer may assist, most of the work is done by the franchisee. A lawyer is only to guide on what kind of research and investigation is to be conducted.
Below are the key considerations:
- The financial investment: Anyone considering starting a business must have questions of how much financial investment is needed for the business. Also, one has to think of how much they can derive from such a business in terms of profits. Therefore, it would be critical to take a deeper look at what your franchisor has to offer for the relationship.
After all, it is a business, and everyone has to be concerned with what to take home. You will be paying to use your franchisor’s brand name, reputations among other services. This will be for a long time, depending on the terms of your relationship. And any mistake may leave you in challenging situations.
Typically what you need to consider is.
- What are the startup fees
- What is the length time of the business
- What about the growth of the business
- Talk to your prospective franchisor: Having information on what is expected of you and what your franchisor will provide will cement your relationship. Communication with your franchisor is a critical element of your franchise opportunity. If you get accurate information, you will be good to go for the business. You can ask some of the below questions:
- How long have you been in the franchise market?
- What training do you offer, and are there operating manuals?
- What kind of failures have you encountered since you started?
- Review the Franchise Disclosure Document: Such document contains your rights and responsibilities. Also, you learn of how the franchiser carries out their business, which may be positive or negative.
- Information from former and current franchisees: One of the best ways to understand your franchisor is to consult former and current franchisees. You are free to ask anything related to the financial aspect of your prospective franchisor.
Unfortunately, some current franchisees may sometimes feel you are a threat to the business and may not give all the information you need. The best thing to do would be to look for franchisees both locally and geographically. Once you meet such franchisees, you can discuss n the below questions:
- What kind of training they received?
- How is the business relationship?
- At what time did they break even?
- Is there enough support?
- Are there challenges?
You can also visit your franchisor’s company-owner location or their headquarters. Here, you can meet with the key personnel and be keen on how the businesses operate. You can also get online to seek information from third parties.
You may get most of the valuable information from franchise industry publications or franchise websites. Such information can show how a particular franchise has thrived over time or its failures.
With the above, you can decide whether to engage in the long term business.
Due diligence ensures you analyze your opportunity in full. As you start up your business, you will be sure of what you are getting into. Lawyers play a huge role in franchisee due diligence. So it would be vital to consult an experienced franchise lawyer.
Work Out your Due Diligence With The Help Of A Lawyer
If you are to start up a franchise business, you should not underestimate the power of performing due diligence. A franchise lawyer can help you overcome common and uncommon hurdles that may lead to your business failure.
A franchise lawyer ensures that you don’t rush into a business without knowing its risks and opportunities. He/she can ensure that your franchise business is positioned for success and have the right resources to ensure you don’t get to the ground in case of any failure.
With an informed decision, you will be good to go.