Choosing to become a franchisee should be compared to finding your soul mate.

It's a long-term partnership where both franchisee and franchisor can win. But just like any long-term relationship, it may have a rocky start as both partners try to find their place in the union.

Finding 'Mr (or Mrs) Right'

Just like franchisees want to find the perfect franchise to match their own skills and passions, the franchisor needs to assess franchisees for their fitness to run a business before embarking on a life-long journey of give and take.

Respecting the boundaries

There are many important aspects that contribute to a perfect partnership.

One of those aspects is setting boundaries right up front and sticking to them. Successful franchises are built on consistency. Customers learn to trust that consistency. It is so important for all franchisees to know the boundaries and respect them.

Just a small example is a chicken franchisee who decides to buy his chicken at a different supplier may still be producing delicious chicken, but it won't taste the same — from a customer's perspective — as the chicken sold at the other franchises. It breaks brand consistency and affects customer loyalty.

Respecting the individual as well as the whole

The franchise owner needs to be respected as an individual by the franchisor, while the franchisee also needs to see the whole brand as one big picture that he or she fits into. In relationships and in business, this is where most of the challenges start.

It's a fine balance to find individuality within a partnership. It is important for franchise owners to be strong enough to succeed on their own but within the processes and policies of the bigger brand.

It truly affects the greater whole if one goes rogue. A few years back, there was a fast-food outlet that took a major dip in revenue because one rogue franchisee decided to clean chickens in the public eye instead of following the brand's procedures.

Not being an overly needy partner

The franchisor's role is to support, guide and consult. They are not meant to 'take the wheel'.

In this relationship, the franchise owner should be the driver and the franchisor the co-pilot, giving directions to get to the desired destination: success. This definitely works both ways. It is incredibly crippling when franchisees expect too much from franchisors. It is just as crippling if the franchisor wants more than a franchisee can give.

Both parties need to focus on their roles and responsibilities so they can complement each other. The franchisee is in charge of the individual business, the franchisor must take care of the brand — the collective.

Respecting each other's opinions

As the two partners go about their own business, there will come a time when opinions clash. It's old advice but still stands today: Have an open-door policy.

Respectful communication is key. See it as an opportunity to grow both sides of the partnership. It is so important for franchisees to remember that franchises are not a democracy — they are a business with a core leadership team.

It is equally for franchisors to listen to franchisees who have picked up ways to improve business operations. Franchisees can't dictate and franchisors can't be rigid.

Treating each other like equals 

The franchisee must respect the whole and understand his or her role in the bigger picture.

Similarly, franchisors need to understand that each franchise owner will be unique and will have different needs and wants. This truly is a fine balancing act of people who are, at best, vastly different.

Franchise owners can't go off on a tangent. They will be going against a winning formula that has been proven to work. They need to take an internal view and see themselves as one cog in a finely tuned machine. Bucking the system can cause untold damage to the bigger picture. If each entity sees the other as different but equally important, the formula will thrive.

For more information, visit www.infinitybrands.co.za. You can also follow Infinity Brands on Facebook.