Expert opinion
Franchising is very present in the catering sector: 8 out of 10 international brands create franchises in the world today. At least three factors explain this situation: the more recognizable the brand, the more consumers there will be, a greater part of the operating knowledge will be thought upstream, and finally the volume effect will come into play with supplier purchases. A column by Laurent Delafontaine, director and founder of Ax Réseaux.
Please note that success is not always guaranteed and to ensure its development over time, a brand must exhibit certain qualities, described below:
“Wahoo” effect
The layout of a restaurant plays a major role in the consumer’s perception: the originality of a light, the comfort of the furniture, the combination of materials, certain colors, all these points are worked out by professionals, for the benefit of the brand and its customers. Able to create wahoo effects. You can easily check this point by exploring the site during your first visit.
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Customer experience
Provide the customer with black gloves to eat their burger, order and pay in a dedicated application, take a selfie on an Instagrammable wall, leave with specific packaging… More than a place to taste, the restaurant is a special moment to teach. Brands need to constantly implement new actions to differentiate themselves from competitors, to surprise customers. It goes through partnerships, exhibitions… it must be proactive.
“Envoy” product
A “signature” dish in catering is a “must”, the customer must be able to associate the brand with a specific product, recognized for its taste qualities, its price/quality ratio, its originality and its promotion in marketing materials. It’s a Big Mac for one, a Whopper for another… This product can be rejected on a range.
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“Product” skills
Catering is a rare activity sector where the manager buys the raw materials, transforms them and sells them instantly on the spot. This feature requires full control of purchasing: the right supplier at the right price throughout the year; Reliable supply: frequency and few breaks; An attractive menu: good recipes at the right price; Good organization: A reasonable wait between order and collection.
Franchise is a mastery
The biggest brands start by launching their restaurants first, then they launch into franchises. It is therefore appropriate for the candidate to verify the presence of a specific organization, process and equipment required for the recruitment, training and animation of the franchisee. Without these basics, it is likely that the brand will develop very little or lose its good franchisees.
In conclusion, the success of a brand is never the result of chance and it is the responsibility of the franchise candidate to ensure that the franchisor, on the one hand, has perfect skills in the restaurant business, as we have seen that catering is a technical, demanding sector that does not allow unprofessionalism; On the other hand, franchising is a process to ensure its absolute mastery of the business and the success of its franchisees.
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