2018/07/02(Sender: FC Owners Operations Office)
Franchise events are an excellent opportunity to meet the owners and management of the franchisor. You can ask questions that might be difficult to ask directly via email or phone, in a more informal setting.
Furthermore, it's an opportunity to discover the strengths and weaknesses of the business model of the industry or brand you are currently considering, to grasp the latest information, industry trends, and even the realities of other business types you are comparing.
Therefore, this time, let's look at how to effectively utilize events to compare different franchise industries.
Even within the broad category of franchises, there are various types of businesses. Below, we have listed some of the current types of businesses, quoted from specialized books.
*This is just one example.
Furthermore, the "voluntary chain" model has recently become popular, and franchises are becoming increasingly diverse.A voluntary chain is a cooperative organization operated by the decision-making of franchisees, mainly focusing on joint purchasing, joint sales promotion, and joint education and training. Experts believe that this characteristic "allows for a significant incorporation of the will of franchisees and avoids the autocratic nature of the headquarters." Some headquarters are also adopting a strong voluntary chain model to dispel the image of highly controlled franchises.
As such, franchise industries and models are diverse, so it is important to gather information on each and carefully compare and consider them.
The main benefit of attending a franchise event is the opportunity to gather firsthand information about franchise industries and models.
However, at franchise events, don't get so caught up in "gathering" information that you should also focus on "discarding" it.
This is because most people have already made efforts to gather information before attending a franchise event.
At franchise events, comparing the information you've gathered so far with the answers from the headquarters' owners and management will improve the quality of your information and be helpful when comparing different industries later on.
To enjoy the benefits mentioned above, we recommend attending with a relaxed and calm attitude, with the mindset of "I'll take a look at everything." This will allow you to deepen your knowledge of franchises, which will also be useful when comparing different industries.
In Japan, large-scale events such as the "Tokyo Franchise Show (Tokyo Big Sight)" and medium-sized events are held in various locations. We encourage you to actively attend these events and listen to detailed information.
If you already have a brand in mind, we also recommend attending individual information sessions hosted by the headquarters.When there are many participants, it's often difficult to discuss details on the spot, which can be intimidating. However, with individual information sessions, you don't have to worry about that. Some sessions even include tours of facilities and stores, providing a great opportunity to learn about the actual operations.
My personal belief is that "regardless of the industry or business type, as long as it's a service industry, it can be franchised, except for particularly person-dependent aspects." In fact, a recent example is the debut of a community-based babysitting service franchise. New franchises are constantly emerging. Your ideal franchise might already exist in Japan, and you simply don't know about it. Don't neglect gathering information, and carefully compare different industries by utilizing franchise events and other resources.
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中西 理翔
Franchise Advisor
Born in Osaka Prefecture. Graduated from Osaka Shoin Women's University. After working for a car accessories manufacturer, she held various positions including executive assistant to the president of a translation company and receptionist at an English conversation school. Subsequently, she worked as a freelance planner. In 1990, she opened "Ajifuku," a concept-based Japanese kappo restaurant, and served as its proprietress for a year, leading it to become a famous establishment. In 1991, she started her second business. After working as a marketing planner, she moved into her current IT-related business management. Currently, the company is in its 23rd year of operation. At Franchise Station, the franchise solutions division established six years ago, she collaborates with various consultants, focuses on establishing franchise headquarters, and holds franchise schools in a training format. She is dedicated to spreading Japanese franchise packages overseas, mainly in Asia.
HP "FC Station"