Reprinted from "THE FRANCHISE VOICE - The Official Newsletter of the Canadian Franchise Association - April 1993
IN SEARCH OF THE
PERFECT FRANCHISEE
By: Gord Green
The foundation of success in franchising is selecting the right franchisees- but the odds of finding the perfect candidate for every location are about as good as winning the lottery.
Fred Berni is helping Canadian franchisors improve the odds through the use of 'profiling' tools that provide a scientific analysis of franchisee candidates.
"The interview process alone does not provide an accurate reading of candidates," explains Fred, President and founder of Dynamic Performance Systems Inc.
"Too often chemistry gets in the way. You like the candidate, seem to have a good rapport in the interview, so you think he or she will be a good franchisee."
Even worse, says Fred, is picking a franchisee "simply because he has the money, and can fog a mirror."
The `profiling' tools offered by Dynamic Performance Systems are designed to bring a scientific approach into the process, says Fred, who notes success with several Canadian franchise systems, including Midas Canada, Color Your World and Clintar Groundskeeping.
"The interview stage is an art, and is an important part of the selection process," says Fred. "What we offer takes the process a step beyond, using validated instruments that profile a broad range of characteristics."
Here's how it works.
Candidates complete a three-page questionnaire that provides the basis of a profile.
Using a special software package, the data is entered into a computer for analysis. What you get is a 12-page report that tells you if the candidate is a good fit with your system, but more importantly, it tells you what level of training and support the candidate will need to be successful," says Fred.
"This enables a franchisor to go into the arrangement with his or her eyes open and make a decision based on the facts."
For instance, says Fred, a profile may indicate that a candidate is highly entrepreneurial with the potential of losing interest when working under a regimented business system.
"If the candidate has other skills valued by the franchisor, he may be considered to operate an outlet where new products and ideas are tried out. That way, the franchisee is happy because he is being challenged, and the franchisor is happy because he is able to try new things in the marketplace."
Dynamic follows up annually with validation surveys, to track the results of profiling over the previous year.
Costs for the service includes questionnaires, the computer software, training, unlimited telephone consultations and yearly validation surveys.