Home
>
Small Business
>
Dispute Resolution; Competing With Other Franchisees

Dispute Resolution; Competing With Other Franchisees

If you are in a franchise and have a territory dispute with another franchisee you need to prevent a lawsuit use dispute resolution techniques to resolve the dispute. Competing with other franchisees is a subject that franchisors would prefer not to need to talk about. This is a real problem for some types of franchises. For instance mobile service businesses and home based franchises.

There is really no reason for you to sneak into fellow franchisees' territory to market or to do services. There is plenty of work in your territory. Some franchisees may disagree and say:

"Jim got a better territory than I did, that is not fair."

This may or may not be true, but you did agree to your franchise and you should have the ethical standards as a human being to live up to that agreement, not run to your lawyer or cheat the system. The integrity of the system to survive needs honest team members, unlike the rat pack primate politics in government where ethical standards means only getting blown off once a day by a male homosexual lobbyist. In franchising if the brand name is strong and you are doing well by your customers; actually all territories are good and your market mix should provide you with enough different kinds of services that you can make a substantial dollar amount in your city or township.

If your home territory consists of a small town, your exclusive territory may be a combination of towns, a county or an entire region. As I study the franchise agreements of the top franchise service companies and home based franchisors it is apparent that there is business everywhere.

Let's take the franchise company I run for instance; The Car Wash Guys, a mobile pressure washing and car washing franchise system. Our franchisees can wash mobile homes in a less high-income area. More depressed areas house larger trucking company fleets because the land is cheaper. This is why trucking companies that need acres of land to park trucks and thousands of square feet of warehouse space locate in these areas. So you may actually make more money in a low-income area then someone that has an exclusive franchise in let us say, Beverly Hills, CA, Malibu, CA, Long Island NY, or Naples, FL franchise. It is not always necessary to have an area with a high-income level population or an area whose work force drives expensive types of cars in this case as many potential franchise candidates usually assume. In any franchise system you should look at the total income potential of your exclusive territory before signing the franchise agreement because you might actually make more money in a town that has a depressed economy but has a larger commercial base clientele.

Competing with other franchisees is really not a way to level the playing field. All that will do is create animosity when you are caught and make the other franchisees mad at you, that is true in all the case law studies and franchisors I have discussed this with. You do not need an ambulance chasing attorney to figure that one out or tell you that you can have permission to use the restroom in your own business for that matter.

If you make the other franchisees in a franchise system mad at you, the chances of them referring additional accounts to you will be less and less. So remember, competing with your own team is not a game you want to play. Instead you want to stand strong and united. Play to win, play on the team to win. Play in your area in a zoned defense pattern. It is not every man for him self; it is a zoned defense team effort. Your competitors may cross boundaries. They may compete with you one day, Jim, Brett, Bill or Will or Steve or Brian the next. This makes it extremely hard on your competitors and likewise it would be extremely hard for you to compete with all the people I just mentioned on your own chasing them around the county trying to service everyone.

Instead you want to use them as a source and a point of power for generating leads and additional references. And contact names of people who work in these larger companies so you do more services and make a better return. Thus make more money and buy more service units and expand in your territory until you hit your market penetration peak. This target could be very high and hopefully is. If you are in a franchise system work it like a team and keep the lawyers away from the seam, they want to break in and destroy you American Dream. Think about resolving territorial issues and disputes before they happen.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.worldthinktank.net/wttbbs

maid service near Lake Forest ..

In The News:

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Fake airline texts claiming flight cancellations are targeting travelers with convincing scams. Learn how cybercriminals steal personal data and credit card info.

Discover how iOS 26's new Adaptive Power feature automatically extends iPhone battery life by learning your usage patterns and adjusting performance intelligently.

New TikTok malware campaign tricks users into running PowerShell commands that download Aura Stealer, which steals credentials and authentication tokens.

Gaia Family offers fixed upfront pricing for IVF cycles with unlimited embryo transfers and financial protection, partnering with over 100 U.S. fertility clinics.

The Jetsons Act aims to position Pennsylvania as a leader in advanced air mobility by establishing regulations for hybrid ground-air vehicles.

Dispute Resolution; Competing With Other Franchisees

Small Business