As a potential new business owner, knowledge is the single greatest tool at your disposal.  From the very first moment you decide that you would like to look into franchise ownership, the more information you have, the better your chance of ultimate success.  With all of the available data out there, the task of research can seem daunting at first.  Just where do you begin your search for your ideal franchise?

Your greatest tool for initial research is the internet.  There is a vast storehouse of information at your fingertips, just waiting for you to pull it up.  It’s quick and it’s convenient.  After all, you’re already here reading this article.

Associations

It pays to start by looking at the big picture, then narrowing down your research.  Checking out the websites for the American Franchisee Association, the International Franchise Association and the American Association of Franchisees and Dealers will help get you started in the right direction.  These resources will not only help you get started in your search for the right franchisor, but offer a great deal of practical know-how to help you succeed in your business.

Research and Publications

A great deal of data has already been collected by knowledgeable and diligent professionals.  There is no need to devote an excessive amount of time tracking down the information that others have already assembled.  Most major financial publications (e.g. USA Today, Entrepreneur, Inc., etc.) offer an online presence.  These provide an excellent starting point.  Beyond those broad sweeping publication, there are a number of journals dedicated specifically to the area of franchising.  Such publications include Franchise World, and Franchise Times, Multi-Unit Franchisee, and Franchise UPDATE.

There are also a number of independent research companies out there.  These can provide invaluable insight into the franchising market.  Research tools such as FRANdata and FranSurvey can provide you with detailed and comprehensive overviews that can help guide your decision making process.

Government Sites

Government agencies also offer varying degrees of insight into franchising.  The Federal Trade Commission offers a great deal of information regarding franchising and how to protect yourself and your new business.  The Small Business Administration is also an excellent resource.  The SBA site provide practical and invaluable information regarding the intricacies of franchise ownership.  The SBA’s Franchise Registry is also an great tool when searching for a franchise and offers listings of businesses that are backed by the SBA’s loan guarantees.

Further Research

Once you have a good general view of the scope of the franchising landscape it is time to dig deeper.  The amount of information that you can glean using a good old-fashioned Boolean search engine is almost limitless.  Start with broad searches and work your way towards more refined searches as you hone in on a few select franchise.

Excellent sources for narrowing your search include franchise consultants and brokers , though be advised many (if not all) have their own agendas and may not have your best interest at heart.  Nevertheless, they can be valuable tools in selecting your franchise.  Researching specific franchisor websites can also provide you with some valuable information.  Also look into business association in your area and read up on franchise related blogs for more information.

It pays to be informed.  This is your business and its fate rests in your hands.  Leave no stone unturned and you vastly increase your chances for success.

According to a recent study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics work-related burns account for 20%- 25% of all serious burns. 6% of all work-related thermal burns occurred among adolescent workers aged 16-19 years. Shown in investigations in Colorado and Minnesota, restaurant-related burns, especially those associated with use of deep fryers, still represent a major and preventable source of occupational burn morbidity, particularly among teenage employees. These findings are consistent with the findings in other studies that emphasize the risk for burns associated with hot grease. Yet another recent study showed that of a group of 11 work related hospitalizations within the study group, 36 percent were burn related. More often than not, the source of burn injury happening in fast-food restaurants was hot grease- over half of the injuries sustained.

Looking over these facts, it’s easy to see that a new option needs to be used in food service industries- businesses need to be adopting a better way to handle their fryers and one such way that actually has been around for quite some time- is hiring outside help. Balancing the costs of these injuries, to say nothing of the pain that these teens have to endure as a result, it becomes clearer and clearer that hiring outside help in not only maintaining adequately working fryers is key. Remember that guy with the van you turned away last week who wanted to show you an hour demonstration of what he could do? You may want to call him back. Being able to bring on someone who knows fryers inside and out, but also exclusively deals with them, and has plenty of safety training backing them- this is definitely something you’ll want to at least look into.

Considering the level of insurance related costs, as well as the overall safety, it is clear that actually what many have considered a budget excess- one they felt they could not afford balances out. Hiring a Filtafry tech to do the work which would ordinarily take a staff member hours and hours, gets the job done in one hour. As well, this increases the life of the oil itself, which again, saves money on the budget. Then, factoring in the costs of these injuries- you don’t have to sacrifice the safety of your crew to make sure you have great working fryers, as well as being able to dispose of your waste oil at the end of its cycle. Compare the costs of a one hour visit from your Filtafry technician verses all of those other costs and you’ve got a clear balance- however, also consider that it is impossible to accurately figure into the budget potential injuries sustained. Some accidents may happen with very little injury at all, while others may result in long term hospitalizations and even plastic surgery. This is not an area you want to be rolling the dice when it comes to safety and simply having an outside source can improve the safety of your crew, which is something all responsible food service owners wish for.