Services
Franchise Operations Consulting
Franchising is a dynamic industry. Independent entrepreneurs from around the world open up their businesses and allow new franchisees to share in their business experience and enjoy the benefits of a combined community of similar-minded entrepreneurs.
While there are some franchise associations and various franchise groups sprinkled throughout the country, parent franchisors often feel isolated without any true peers to share ideas. And unfortunately, there is little to no formal franchise education available for the burgeoning franchisors. That’s where experienced consultants come in to fill the gap. At Upside Group, we have run and operated our own franchise companies as well as shepherded our clients’ brands to tremendous success.
Upside’s franchise consulting services are customized to allow franchisors at any level of development to enjoy support and success. In addition to our more standard franchise consulting services, we offer many other services for any needs your franchise company may have:
Phone and email support including but not limited to
- Competitive analysis and positioning
- Strategic growth planning
- Marketing strategy for developing top franchise candidates
- Introduction to key franchise vendors
- Crisis management for franchisee issues
- Franchise Disclosure Document review and guidance for synergy with your operating systems
- Franchise operations consulting
- Software review and recommendations
- Sales and franchise development and ongoing coaching
- Franchise education
- Staffing recommendations and reviews
- Franchisee local, regional, and national marketing consulting
- Sales screening of initial prospects
- Sales troubleshooting and coaching
- Other proprietary needs
Onsite meeting and convention consulting
- Speaking engagements at national and regional conventions
- Onsite crisis consulting and franchisee mediation
- Onsite franchise operations, reviews, and guidance
- Onsite staffing interviews, reviews, and guidance
- Budgeting, planning, and strategic guidance for franchise growth
- Franchise sales and development oversight, creation, review, and coaching
- Discovery day creation, review, and implementation
- Development of franchise sales materials
- Development of franchise operations manuals and materials
Whether you are a large franchisor looking to rebrand, update, or review your current franchise systems or a younger franchisor looking to accelerate growth, create high-quality franchise systems, or just need a franchise expert to provide feedback on your pending decisions, Upside can offer franchising expertise. Our custom franchise consulting systems will be tailored to your needs to ensure you receive expert advice at the highest value.
At Upside Group, we build custom solutions for our franchise clients. While each client has specific needs, most clients require the key components of all successful franchise systems such as franchise operations documentation, franchise development processes, and a quality Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). While most quality franchises require these items, it is essential each item is tailored to the specific client to reach the brand’s fullest potential. Below is a list of some of the most common categories of franchise services we provide to our clients along with a reasonable flow of the creation process.
Testimonials
Franchise Consulting Services
At Upside Group, we build custom solutions for our franchise clients. While each client has specific needs, most clients require the key components of all successful franchise systems such as franchise operations documentation, franchise development processes, and a quality Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). While most quality franchises require these items, it is essential each item is tailored to the specific client to reach the brand’s fullest potential. Below is a list of some of the most common categories of franchise services we provide to our clients along with a reasonable flow of the creation process.
Franchise Feasibility Consulting:
Is your business franchisable? While many businesses are franchisable—meaning there are not particular encumbrances that would prevent a particular business from being converted into a franchise—there are very specific decisions and adjustments that are likely necessary to convert the parent business into a full, functioning, successful franchise brand. Upside spends considerable time with our clients understanding your brand and how it functions day to day and considers franchisee training, franchise regulations, industry licensing, competition, and staffing to make certain the business is both franchisable and structured for success.
Industry Evaluation and Data Report:
Upside’s experienced staff researches historical trends, current health, and future projections of your business’s industry to inform the model structure and to help position the new franchise brand for the future. We also utilize positive data for marketing materials, website copy, and adjusting the system as needed for the modern marketplace.
Competitive Analysis:
Upside’s competitive analysis report allows us to understand the landscape and be aware of how other brands are positioning themselves in the market. While we want to be aware of what your competitors are charging, promoting, and their growth rate, we do not fall into the common industry trap of creating a copycat brand. In turnarounds we have participated in, we have often found brands simply copied other franchises’ FDD terms and models, only to find those models were also copies, and there is no rhyme or reason to the chosen terms and fees. We use competitive data along with proprietary metrics to guide you to the proper decisions.
Strategic Decision Making:
At Upside, we combine our industry knowledge, industry reports, client expertise, and competitive analyses to make informed decisions regarding the franchise model, terms, and fees. We use proprietary metrics, compare revenues against fees, and factor in cash flow to make certain your franchise brand is healthy from launch, from initial sales to more aggressive expansion. Whether you are looking to build your brand rapidly and sell or to hold the brand to pass on to your children, we keep your goals in mind while making all strategic decisions.
10-Year Fiscal Projection:
Upside uses a propriety tool to provide financial projections based on your chosen fees and growth goals to create a picture of your revenue going forward. This exercise creates confidence, excitement, and achievable goals for your franchise brand. By utilizing this important tool, you can manage cash flow and make the proper adjustments based on your year-over-year results.
Tools:
After the strategic decisions are complete, we turn to creating the tools necessary to execute on the chosen decisions. Tools include an abundance of operations items, sales materials, legal documentation created along with the chosen attorney, and other custom items.
Franchise Software:
There are many useful software systems that may be beneficial to your franchise company. Upside will work with you to evaluate operations, sales software, apps, and the creation of custom software to see if any apply and would be beneficial for your franchise brand.
Training:
Creating a dynamic, comprehensive initial training program is a key factor in your franchisee’s success, which leads directly to the success of your franchise system. But the initial training is only one of the tools used to ensure your franchisees are capable and educated on your business model. Upside will help you develop an initial training program, ongoing training modules, and support services to keep franchisees educated and in compliance.
Support Services:
Franchise Development/Sales:
Franchise development, often referred to as franchise sales, is more complex than just selling new franchise units. The franchise development process sets the path for the entire franchise relationship. Having a detailed, step-by-step process focused as much on setting expectations with new franchisees as screening prospects to find the most qualified, compatible individuals is paramount to long-term franchise success. Upside has developed industry-leading custom franchise development processes for our clients, leading to increased growth while maintaining the lowest cost per sale in the industry. Upside prides itself on franchise sales systems that create a seamless transition from sales to operations, leading to lower costs, higher royalties, and greater overall franchise success and satisfaction. Upside knows initial sales for any franchise system can be daunting, so our expert franchise development staff manage initial sales to make certain your initial franchisees are managed professionally and you can garner initial franchise fees to fuel your success.
Organic Lead Generation:
Our proprietary Early Interest Program combined with our proprietary Ongoing Interest Program has resulted in the fastest, lowest cost per sale in the franchise industry. We pride ourselves in our clients getting off the ground between 250 and 300 percent faster than other franchise start-ups. By utilizing our proprietary programs, you will generate tremendous buzz around your franchise launch and drive early franchise sales, leading to additional sales that will dovetail into eventual paid advertising. By creating the leads organically with virtually no lead generation expense, you will be able to fund your franchise system and put funds aside for future lead generation.
Creation of the Sales Process:
Upside creates custom franchise sales processes based on your lead volume, the type of business, competition, personnel, and your growth goals. While developing the franchise sales process, we make certain all key aspects of the business are represented and presented comprehensively to your prospective franchisees so they can move seamlessly into being productive members of your franchise system. Upside’s process includes items such as custom scripts, emails, brochures, presentations, discovery days, and electronic disclosures. While presenting your brand to interested parties, just as much effort is put into screening through the volume of interested parties using intake forms, profiles, applications, interviews, and financial reviews. The development of a step-by-step process allows for duplicatable, predictable sales and a smooth, effective franchise development process. Upside was the proud recipient of three coveted Davey Awards for marketing, which informs all the marketing materials we create and use in the franchise development process.
Ongoing Franchise Coaching:
As your franchise grows, there will be key decisions to make and proactive steps to take to ensure you effectively stay ahead of your growth. Upside stays with you to make certain all decisions are working as desired, the tools we created are functioning well, and you are prepared as your brand grows. Upside understands surprise charges are worrisome, so we include standard consulting services and revising of the materials we created at no additional cost. So, you will have a predictable fee schedule from launch through your initial franchise sales. By creating your systems, managing your initial sales, and staying with you to support your initial franchisee’s launch, we know you will be solidly on your feet and striving before the end of our agreement. With our customized systems and support, you will have everything you need to be successful. We offer our successful clients ongoing support services such as outsourced franchise development services, franchise lead screening, day-to-day consulting, competitive positioning, and many more services you may need as you continue your franchise expansion.
