Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Franchise Business Review

Franchise Business Review plays a vital role in helping franchisors build stronger, more successful systems—by putting franchisee, employee, and customer satisfaction at the center of their strategy. Through confidential, third-party surveys and industry benchmarking, we help brands uncover critical insights about their system’s strengths and weaknesses, and use that data to drive performance. Our research-backed tools, awards programs, and educational resources not only support ongoing improvement but also celebrate the top-performing brands that are leading the way in franchise excellence.

What does Franchise Business Review do?

Franchise Business Review works with franchisors to measure franchisee satisfaction, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction, and provide actionable feedback on how your system can improve. We survey franchisees, employees, and customers, and use the responses to the standard questions we created to benchmark satisfaction and engagement within your franchise AND compare it to the rest of the franchise industry. 

You can use our reports and online analytics tool to assess perceptions of your strengths and weaknesses as a franchisor. We also encourage custom questions, which allow you to dig deeper and find ways to improve overall satisfaction. 

We offer awards programs recognizing excellence in franchisee satisfaction and employee engagement, as well as development programs for franchises looking to connect with prospective franchisees and grow their systems.

In addition, we provide industry reports, interviews, articles, and resources to franchise candidates to help them identify top franchise business opportunities based on our satisfaction research.

Why is franchisee satisfaction important?

Franchisee satisfaction may seem like a soft, subjective issue, but it’s critical for building a healthy franchise system. It has a direct and measurable impact on system profitability: When you have satisfied franchisees your overall system performance improves dramatically by: 

• Reducing costs
• Increasing operational effectiveness
• Bringing in more royalties
• Getting more recommendations
• Selling more franchises

In order to get there you need to have a clear understanding of your franchisees’ experiences and expectations. That can only be achieved by collecting detailed, objective data on your system, measuring it against comparable industry benchmarks and indexes, and making changes to produce continuous system improvements.

What are the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to franchisee satisfaction/relations?

There are several issues we see over and over that can create strain in the relationship between franchisee and franchisor, but the biggest mistake is ignoring—or not asking for—franchisee feedback.

The best way to do that is with a third-party survey. By asking franchisees for input, you establish a culture of trust. When you share the survey results back with them, you build in transparency.

While franchisees bought into your system, they’re also in the trenches every day, and often they’re the first to experience challenges with the system and see opportunities for innovation and change.

The bottom line is: Trust your franchisees. Ask for their input. Involve them in major decisions. And continue to measure the success of your efforts.

What are the most effective ways to measure franchisee satisfaction? 

The most effective way to measure franchisee satisfaction is through a structured, third-party survey that captures both quantitative scores and qualitative feedback. A standardized survey allows you to assess key areas like leadership, training and support, marketing, and overall satisfaction—while also benchmarking your results against industry standards. Ensuring confidentiality is critical to gathering honest feedback, which is why third-party administration is strongly recommended.

Equally important is what happens after the data is collected. Segmenting results by factors like tenure or region can uncover specific strengths and challenges within your system. Sharing the results transparently and taking visible action based on franchisee input builds trust and drives engagement. Regular measurement—annually or through pulse surveys—allows you to track progress over time and make more informed decisions that support franchisee success and system growth.

At Franchise Business Review, we’ve spent over 20 years developing and refining our survey methodology to help franchisors accurately measure franchisee satisfaction in their system, benchmark it against the industry standard Franchisee Satisfaction Index (FSI), and use the feedback to make continuous improvements. 

How can franchisors use satisfaction feedback to improve? 

Franchisors can use satisfaction feedback as a strategic tool to strengthen their system by identifying what’s working well and where improvements are needed. By analyzing both quantitative scores and open-ended responses, franchisors gain insight into franchisees’ real experiences across areas like training, support, leadership, and marketing. This data helps prioritize initiatives, allocate resources more effectively, and address concerns before they become larger issues. Just as importantly, sharing results transparently and involving franchisees in the improvement process fosters trust, boosts engagement, and signals that their voices matter—ultimately leading to stronger relationships and a more successful, aligned network.

More FBR Services