Due to the over regulation in the Franchising Industry and the litigation it is important to keep impeccable records. From the first phone call, email to the signing of the franchise agreement everything should be documented. Below is a checklist we created for our franchise company and one I wish you would consider when creating your own. I recommend you copy this article and then modify it to fit your business model.
You must understand that without proper documentation you might find your company entangled in meaningless and wasteful litigation instead of spending the time on expanding your market share and brand name. Below is our sample checklist we use at the Car Wash Guys, you may have this and modify it at will, I dismiss any copyrights to you. Now remember our Franchise is a specialty type business, mobile car wash and the franchisee must be in excellent physical condition, where as your business model may wish to screen for other things.
1. Telephone Interview with Founder or Designated Person. (Minimum 30 min.) Friendly conversation; Lots of listening. Notes will be taken on "Pre-Screening Phone Worksheet". This worksheet will be kept in a file if prospective franchisee is qualified. A resume will be asked for at this point. It should be faxed or mailed to headquarters. If none is available, one will be created from the phone interview.
2. Resume Is Reviewed and compared to notes from phone interview for consistency. If it is acceptable, then we proceed. If it is not, process ends here. If, during the phone interview we created a resume for the prospective franchisee, it will be mailed to them so they can use it in their next interview. We will also send a copy to A Contract Employment Agency, a company with whom we network. They in turn will send us qualified prospects.
3. Timed Run is performed by prospective franchisee. Designated Person will time prospective franchisee on a running track. He or she must run one mile in under 7:30 minutes. "Timed Run Form" will be signed and dated by both prospective franchisee and Designated Person. If , He or she fails test, they will be given a workout schedule based on their actual time. They may try again in two weeks, or when they feel ready.
4. Ride Along with a crew. Two crews will be assigned to a new prospective franchisee. After the run, on the same day, prospective franchisee will spend all day helping a crew.
Second Ride Along will occur the following day with a different crew to assure that the prospective franchisee understands how much work there is.
5. File Is Created in prospective franchisee's name. Included are: Pre-Screening Phone Worksheet, Resume, Timed Run Form, Ride Along with Summaries from Crews. This checklist will be paper clipped to front of file.
6. Letter Of Intent is asked for from prospective franchisee. When received it is put in file and "Request to Join Team" form is sent out.
7. Request To Join Team Form is mailed to prospective franchisee. It must be mailed back in 15 days or prospective franchisee must go back and work on a third crew for one day. Hesitation means they are not quite sure yet or they falsified information.
8. Reviewing Of Request To Join Team Form will be screened by two Ride Along Crew managers and three other franchisees or independent contractors, a woman not associated with our company, a Quality Control consultant, a customer or the founder. All people Involved get one vote except Founder; he gets three. (Unless there is a third Ride Along Crew, then he gets only two). Prospective Franchisee must have 2/3rds. (12 Total, 8 to win!)
9. Request To Join Team Form Is Faxed to our favorite leasing company if they will be borrowing to buy the franchise or Wells Fargo Bank where the credit card processing will be done. Leasing company will notify us if prospective franchisee is credit worthy and fax us a TRW print out. Wells Fargo will do a background check and see if prospective franchisee qualifies for a merchant account.
10. Extensive Background Check will be done by a contracted private investigation firm. Check will include: FBI Report, Court Records, etc. He/she must pass or other arrangements must be made.
11. Meet With Prospective Franchisee - This will be the first official one on one meeting. Present at this meeting will be prospective franchisee, and his advisors, spouse, parents, investors, etc. Also present: Founder or Designated Person and eight other associates, members of the Executive Committee and franchisees or independent contractors.
12. Vote On Prospective Franchisee to determine if prospective franchisee is good enough. All information will be on the table, literally. On the table will be: Credit Report, Wells Fargo Approval Application, Leasing Company Tentative Approval, FBI Report, Court Records, Letter of Intent, Etc. He/she will be able to defend themselves against hearsay or false information on collected documents. Other items on table will be Pre-Screening Phone Worksheet, Resume, Timed Run Form, Ride Along Summaries and of course, The Request To Join Our Team Document. All nine people vote; Anyone absent will have their vote replaced by Founder or Designated Person. (2/3rds to win)
13. Approval will initiate a distribution of agreements for the prospective franchisee to sign:
Franchise Agreement
Franchise Offering Circular
Leasing Application for Equipment
Cellular Agreement
Supply Ordering Agreement
Non-Disclosure Agreement
Bank Account Forms & Merchant Account Agreement
Non-Competition Of Other Franchisees Promise
Fictious Name Statement
Document Receipt Form.
14. Returning of Forms - The prospective franchisee will return signed forms. No payment may be taken for 10 business days. We will use fifteen days to be safe. He/she may be placed in training until then.
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.worldthinktank.net/wttbbs
bathroom cleaning service Northbrook ..One of the biggest excuses franchisees of home based and... Read More
More sales and more profit. Isn't that what you want... Read More
Mobile detailers will find themselves with lots of competition even... Read More
Costs of over regulation and over disclosure end up hurting... Read More
Manufactured and Mobile Home owners know that the weather this... Read More
When is the Chamber ideal for your business?Joining a Chamber... Read More
Did you know that satisfaction is the number one emotion... Read More
What makes a business relationship?What really makes a business relationship?... Read More
Q: Is the online world the best place to sell... Read More
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a... Read More
Until the day I learned to play chess I loved... Read More
In general, all of us know how to accomplish the... Read More
There are countless ways to save your business money. Unfortunately,... Read More
Have you been searching for the perfect home-based business? I... Read More
Writing a business plan for a mobile car wash is... Read More
Is this you?You dreamed of owning your own business, doing... Read More
Having a successful business means also having a good working... Read More
Many of us have noticed how some nearby communities seem... Read More
As a practise gets larger & larger the associated problems... Read More
Sometimes when you run a business you feel as lonely... Read More
Ask anyone trapped in a cubical about their entrepreneurial dream... Read More
Lance Armstrong this week won an unprecedented 7th Tour de... Read More
The difference between rates and wages is not always clear... Read More
When you go into business for yourself, there are many... Read More
We all know how glorious those first warm days of... Read More
insured cleaning company Wilmette ..Debt collection letters--an overview"Debt collection letter" in the singular may... Read More
Many pressure washing companies will be glad to take on... Read More
If you are a small business and qualify to participate... Read More
"If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't... Read More
Many job applicants want a job but often do not... Read More
Many years ago, I had warned the carwash industry of... Read More
Summer is a time for the outdoors, for that well-deserved... Read More
When deciding to host a fundraiser for your company or... Read More
One of the greatest pitfalls in e-commerce is Field of... Read More
Do you have all the customers your business can use?The... Read More
Here's why 'WHY' is such a profit-making marketing trigger."Stop taking... Read More
No matter type of business you operate you've got to... Read More
If you don't know what a Virtual Assistant (or VA)... Read More
Why should you describe your business to others in 5... Read More
Microfiber cleaning towels have been around for about ten years... Read More
Many small businesses do quite well due to the blood,... Read More
As small business owners we're in business to make money... Read More
I believe the number one reason why a business will... Read More
Many investors and business ethics professionals are calling for more... Read More
Approximately 200,000 new businesses are started each year. More people... Read More
It is imperative to have your business legally prepared. How... Read More
Business consulting opportunities might be just what your are looking... Read More
We have all seen the mobile washing units cruising our... Read More
Did you know that satisfaction is the number one emotion... Read More
TACTIC #1 -- Never simply slash your prices, unless you're... Read More
Small Business |