Is a bad franchisee the sign of a bad franchisor?

There’s an old maxim that “one bad franchisee means there’s a bad franchisee, but 20 bad franchisees means there’s a bad franchisor”. Is this true? Or do franchisees like to grumble more than they should?

I haven’t actually heard that saying before, and I don’t necessarily agree with it.

Put simply, the amount of franchisee unrest should never be treated as the sole measure of the competency or success of a franchisor.

Many people tend to complain more than they give praise. It’s a character trait that can be found pretty much everywhere, including among franchisees.

That said, if there is a group of disgruntled franchisees within any franchise model you are currently involved with, I would strongly urge you to seek-out them out and ask them why they are unhappy.

Once you have that information, I would then encourage someone to approach the franchisor to discuss those concerns in the spirit of unity and open-mindedness.

Find solutions with the franchisor and implement the remedies necessary for your business to continue to grow.