Existing competitors are easy to identify, but it is vital to know whether the mother brand intends selling additional franchises in the area. Equally importantly, the franchisee's level of control needs to be established. Some degree of lassitude is essential, particularly where the Gulf's religious and cultural climate demands a slightly different approach. Sufficient training and marketing support is also of paramount importance. The Franchise Doctor, a US consultancy service offered via the Internet, points out that franchises which fail to provide support in these two areas will inevitably fail their franchisees in other areas too.
Good location is another key attribute.
The Hard Rock Cafe in Dubai may enjoy one of the best theme restaurant identities in the world, but its out of town position on the Sheikh Zayed Road put off many customers at first. Only when the franchisees started providing a free bus service, an unexpected extra cost, did it start to reach its true potential. Add Value Last but certainly not least, the actual value of the brand needs to be assessed. This is a large part of what most franchisees are actually paying for, and while well-known fast food outlets offer obvious commercial cachet, others are less predictable. An example would be tanning salons, which during the 1980s became one of the fastest growing franchise sectors in the United States and United Kingdom.