More and more individuals interested in franchising are incredibly self-motivated and know what they’re seeking in a franchise. Data available through the Prospective Franchisee Survey published by Franchise Direct earlier this year reveals that 50.9% of respondents consider franchise investment because they want the support franchise systems provide, to avoid having to start from scratch, and they’d like more freedom to better manage their own life, to be their own boss.
Franchising fosters this kind of freedom, with franchisees able to decide the kind of business concept most suited to their lifestyle and coexisting responsibilities. They can invest in a brand they feel connected with and choose how they’d like to live out their career goals without having the guesswork of starting an independent business.
In deciding which franchise to choose, there are two primary categories that most all businesses fall into: business to business services and business to consumer services. Either type of business may provide products or services, or both, though each type offers franchisees a different working scenario to consider in greater detail.
Joining the ranks of B2B versus B2C businesses usually requires very different things from franchisees. Motivated potential franchisees can note that B2B and B2C usually require different hours of operation and different talents.
Five versus seven hours a week in operation can mean a great deal to a franchisee interested in keeping weekends open for other demands. The “almost always open” culture of most direct-to-consumer operations involves a greater dedication of time that may suit only certain lifestyles and personalities. Food franchises are one of the most popular B2C segments with the vast majority of potential franchisees showing an interest in food service.
Whether products or services may be offered online or only on-site can also differ between B2B and B2C franchises. Additionally, serving primarily commercial and business based consumers can mean steady return clients for those interested in working with small to large businesses, government agencies, and organizations that have an ongoing need for specific services throughout each year. Franchise systems working with such clients can offer a diverse range of services from drug test consultancy and background screening to concierge support.
Another key difference between both franchise segments is the demographic being served. Though franchisees of both B2B and B2C require people skills to communicate and create a lasting impact in communities, it can be argued that B2C requires even greater direct interaction with the public at large and therefore a unique set of skills to best handle customers of all sorts in various situations.