Some 2,000 networks, a twenty sectors : in the face of such an offer, the prospective franchisees are sometimes lost and confused.

Pizzeria or supermarket ? Between the two, the heart of Stone Palis, 41 years old, has long balanced. This cordiste (mountaineer of the building), dreamed of leaving Amiens, to return to his basque Country home, with his girlfriend and her two children. “A Bayonne, there was no perspective in my profession. So I decided to create my employment, and, if possible, free not to from a white sheet of paper”, explains this entrepreneur in the fiber green. He asks, looking at the side of the convenience stores and high street pizza bio, study their prospects, contacts several. And… changed his mind.

“The competition was keen, the potential seemed to me to be insufficient.” It starts from scratch, and discovers Isocomble, a brand that offers the advantage of making it-even the insulation that is environmentally friendly. Echaudé by his first research, the creator in the grass going at a fine-toothed comb. He examines the figures of the Insee on the habitat and the purchasing power in the region, peels the investigations conducted by the Ademe* and realize a market study, which completes the convince. He moved to Anglet, near Bayonne, where it launches its unit Isocomble in September 2017.

Avoid head shots

The choices made by the designers are sometimes more rushed, and even more haphazard. “In my opinion, the candidates too often forget to ask the essential question : “Am I really made to be an entrepreneur ? succession Olivier Mignot, consultant partner of the law firm Franchise Management. The model of the franchise, even if it limits the setbacks, is not an all-risk insurance. It requires to manage a business, manage employees, and be able to manage to respond to a request or to solve a technical problem.”

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The temptation is often great also to be seduced by an original concept, or the mode, in which the long-term relevance is not proven. Some of the, frankly, wacky, make laugh in the corner of the specialists. Others, more numerous, seem to be interesting, but sin by lack of experience or market share. Among these concepts in vogue (yoghurt icy, waterbike, pancakes…), failures are sometimes related to a lower demand than expected, sometimes to the developments of the taxation (such as the installation of photovoltaic panels, a few years ago) or the regulations.

“The franchise is a race to the bottom, recalls Olivier Mignot. It is not necessary to get carried away on a whim, but on the contrary, you ask whether the concept in which you invest will always be meaning in ten or twenty years, when you want to sell your business.”

It’s not enough just to love a sector or a region of implantation : it is necessary to experience the reality of the business. And understand that a florist spends his time hands in cold water or in a service activity to the person is primarily to manage the staff. A training course in immersion, or better yet a fixed term contract in a point-of-sale, can help to become aware of it.

Compare three signs minimum

once the sector is validated, it needs to be put in competition with at least three brands of the sector (candidates may not contact an average of two or three networks, according to the annual survey of the franchise (people’s Bank). Young concepts are not necessarily to be avoided : all, even the giants today, started with a handful of candidates, ready to meet the challenge ! However, even in the established networks, it is indispensable to carry his little investigation. It is necessary to go to interview franchisees in place (at the head of units comparable to those that you want to launch), ask about their (in)satisfaction day-to-day, their profitability, the quality of the support, the mutual support within the network…

If some of these contacts are critical, look to see if this is an isolated case or if the dissatisfaction is general. In the same vein, take the time to learn about the founder of the network : what are his experiences, his successes or his failures entrepreneurial ? It is necessary to try to identify her personality : the profiles are self-centered or stubborn may not be able to change course in the event of a crisis. Ask, in addition, to visit the seat : the atmosphere that reigns there, the home that you will be booked and the number of employees are indicative of the quality of the support in the future.

A selection reciprocal

This is for you ! But the peculiarity of the franchise, it is that the selection is mutual. Franchisors also have their word to say and they do not hesitate to scan and hold the profile of the candidate. “We take a lot of time before choosing a partner,” stresses Sébastien Guinoiseau, director of the network of shops Dammann Frères (importation and sale of tea), which develops into a trademark license from 2014. “He or she must love the tea, have the desire to discover and to learn…”

To avoid errors in casting, some of the formats require to meet the spouse(s), pass personality tests, require of the balance sheets of heritage… All of them, in any case, draw up profiles of franchisees and (or) skills. “We expect new recruits that they are both competent on the execution of the work, the administrative management and the sale of services and produits,” confirms Christophe Weck, director general of Isocomble.

regardless of the brand, the two sides have an interest in agreeing on “the score” that will be played throughout the contract. A distribution franchise expect from its partners that they are disciplined, while a network is more informal (such as Attila, a specialist in the renovation of roofs) will accept more flexibility and initiatives on the part of the franchisees. A selection criterion additional to the weigh in function, this time, from your personality!

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*Agency for environment and mastery of energy.