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Two points about franchising: Even franchisors appear not to like the idea at times. And Bill Marriott got it right when he said you can’t build a great company without paying attention to every little detail.
And yet, how difficult that is for a franchisor to accomplish.
This rambling was generated by a phone call that I placed last night to Dairy Queen International. First I’ll remind you (if you’ve read my earlier blogs) that I love Dairy Queen. I have been a raving fan since growing up in Dover, Ohio in the 1950s. My three sisters and I, along with mom and dad, and our pet dog, looked forward to weekly trips to the DQ in the summer months. Back then the DQ wasn’t open in the winter months. Today, no matter where I live or travel, I find the local DQs.
Until now!
Got Dairy Queen in Kuwait?
I’m moving to Kuwait in September and so last night, when I had little else to do, I got to thinking about whether or not I’ll find a DQ in Kuwait. I have the DQ iPhone app and use it regularly, but it’s limited to the USA. So I called DQ International, got a very friendly young man on the line, and I asked if DQ has an international app for the iPhone. He didn’t know. Hmmm. Little detail. He put me on hold to see if he could find out.
When he came back he told me what I didn’t want to hear – no, DQ doesn’t have an international iPhone app. But he suggested that I use Yowza.
“Will that help me find Dairy Queens in other countries?” I asked, and he said, “It should.”
Well, it doesn’t.
So much for another little detail.
Then I asked him if DQ has locations in the Middle East, and he said, “As in Iraq?” and I said, “As in Kuwait.”
“If they do, they’d be franchises,” he said.
Something wrong with franchises?
Just the way he said the word almost turned my stomach against ever enjoying another DQ. It was as though he was telling me the product would not be very good if it’s a franchise. I didn’t think to ask him, “What’s wrong with franchises?” but I wish I had. I was caught off guard by his apparent dislike for franchises when, in fact, DQ is a major franchisor! Another little detail – making sure that everyone who works for the franchisor understands and appreciates the value of franchises!
He put me on hold to check on Kuwait and when he came back he gave me more bad news (none of which he could help). No DQs in Kuwait. They’re in Qatar and Bahrain, however, and while neither country is close enough to where I’ll be living, at least I know where I have to go to get a DQ. I’m going to teach a franchise conference in Bahrain and I’ll be sure to visit the DQ then.
Geez, do you think I should find out first if it’s a franchise?
I’m not picking on DQ. I don’t want any harm to come to DQ. Truth is, every franchisor struggles with these same issues of paying attention to little details. And there are so many of them! Who would have anticipated that some guy would call and ask about an international iPhone app, or want to know if there were DQs in the Middle East? You can’t cover every little detail and yet some little details are too important to overlook.
Like the value that franchises deliver for a brand that’s franchised! Everyone who works for the franchisor should tout the value of franchising. Imagine how I would have felt had that young man had said, “If you find an international location, sir, you will be happy to know that it’s a franchise of Dairy Queen!” Just a little detail.
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