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General Questions

Who is FranchiseRankings.com and what is the main mission?

Since 2009 we have been helping entrepreneurs find the right franchise for their new business.

We evaluate and rank over 12,000 franchises and continue to grow our online directory of franchises of all types and sizes. Our mission is to ensure those considering a franchised business are able to find reputable franchises thoroughly invested in future growth and quality products and services.

Who uses FranchiseRankings.com?

Our website is accessed both by those looking to invest in a franchised business and those that are looking to improve or maintain their franchise's brand image.

How does FranchiseRankings.com benefit its visitors?

Those looking to start a franchised business benefit from having a list of recommended franchises based on a transparent algorithm.

These recommendations highlight those which have gone above and beyond to create and maintain a positive brand image which is valuable to those looking to start their own franchised business. Franchisors also benefit by increased interest in their franchising options once they have proven themselves to be a reputable franchise.

Are these franchises really the best franchises out there?

Due to the nature of our service, there are a number of franchises which offer a great franchising opportunity which may not be featured in our rankings.

Our rankings consist of the franchises which we have found to achieve results on a consistent basis. As our listings can only contain a limited number of franchises, we have opted to display the best based on our internal processes for research and analysis. There certainly is a train of thought that would indicate that no single franchise fits all requirements.

These franchises simply meet their objectives, in our opinion, consistently and thus are ranked as the best in our rankings. We certainly urge those looking to start their own franchised business to perform their own research in order to determine which franchise is the best fit for their project, but to utilize FranchiseRankings.com as a resource for their own research.

Are there franchises that provide great services or products that may not be listed on your website?

There certainly can be cases where there are franchises we have yet to be introduced to, especially since the franchising market is growing.

Franchisors that believe they offer exceptional value making them worthy of being featured are welcome to introduce themselves to us.

What makes FranchiseRankings.com independent?

We use our SmartRank algorithm to create our lists of recommended franchises.

Learn more about how our SmartRank algorithm works here.

Is FranchiseRankings.com free?

Those looking for franchises can use our recommendations free of charge.

We do not charge anyone for access to view our rankings.

FranchiseRankings.com SmartRank™ Rankings Methodology

How are the rankings of the best companies computed?

Our transparent SmartRank technology enables us to use an algorithm to determine which franchising companies are the best.

The SmartRank algorithm uses multiple data sources and multiple points of comparison to propose which franchising companies have shown consistent top-level performance across the board.

What is the SmartRank™ evaluation methodology?

The algorithm bases each franchise's placement within the rankings on the combination of different facts including how a franchise is reviewed online by buyers and franchisors, sentiment analysis conducted based on how they are referred to online, information gathered through third-party information brokers, and our own research.

What are all the factors of the SmartRank™ methodology?

The SmartRank algorithm uses a large number of factors to determine placement within the rankings.

Review Factors

Number of Reviews: The total number of both text and video reviews. Franchises with a greater number of total reviews with fare better.

Average Rating: The average rating of the reviews a franchise receives. Franchises with a greater average will fare better.

Reviewer Quality: An analysis is conducted on who the reviewer is. Reviews by employees or franchisors at well known companies are given more weight by the algorithm.

Insight: Franchises with reviews that elaborate more on the experience will fare better.

Relevance: The relevance of the review to the topic of sharing their experience with the franchise will get more weight.

Type of Review: The type of review and the balance of text versus video reviews is taken into consideration. Buyers should be able to read reviews while also having the option to watch video reviews.

Age of Reviews: Newer reviews are given more weight as the value of an opinion decreases over time. franchises often change processes and can improve or deteriorate over time. franchises with more recent reviews will fare better.

Time-Related / Numerical Information: Reviews are given more weight when they provide information about time or statistics.

Category-Relevant Language: Reviews are given more weight when they provide information about time or statistics.

Organic Reviews: Reviews that have not been incentivized are given more weight in the algorithm.

Reviewer Contributions: More weight is placed on reviews written by recurring reviewers that have made additional contributions to the website.

Emotional Language: Less weight is placed on reviews that were emotionally influenced as reviews that use less emotion are looking at the service from a logical perspective.

Duplicate / Similar Reviews: The algorithm takes into consideration whether the review is unique or seems to be a copy of another review.

Sentimental Factors

Website Metrics: Third-party tools are used to determine the quality and quantity of links to the franchises website. franchises with a more established presence online will fare better.

Brand Metrics: The algorithm looks to how the brand is represented and referred to online. franchises with a stronger and more positive brand reception will fare better.

Engagement Factors

Profile Engagement: Franchises which answer questions on their profile will fare better.

Review Engagement: Franchises which respond to and interact with reviewers will fare better.

Contributor Program: Franchises which have contributed to the FranchiseRankings.com blog will fare better.

Self-Prescribed FAQs: Franchises which have created their self-prescribed questions based on what they are commonly asked will fare better.

Quarterly Profile Updates: Franchises which login and update their profile on at least a quarterly basis will fare better.

Negative Reviews Resolved: Franchises which work with negative reviews to resolve the issues they have with the product or service will fare better.

Profile Factors

Key Facts: Franchises which have submitted all of the necessary key facts for their profile will fare better.

Claimed Profile: Franchises which have claimed their profile will fare better.

Review Requirement: Franchises get an additional benefit in the algorithm if they have received at least three written and two video reviews.

Additionally there are factors that could negatively influence a franchise in our algorithm.

No Reviews: Franchises that have no reviews at all will be penalized in the algorithm.

Platform Abuse: Franchises that have been found to be exploiting the algorithm may be temporarily or permanently penalized in the algorithm.

Fake Reviews: Franchises that have been found leaving fake reviews either positively or negatively will be penalized.

How transparent is this methodology?

Our SmartRank algorithm is published on our website.

Both those seeking and those offering franchising can see the factors that influence how companies are weighted in the rankings. This provides an even playing field for all franchising companies and also provides buyers with clear insight into why one franchising company might be recommended while another is not.

User Reviews

Who can I review on FranchiseRankings.com?

Users can review any franchise they have either used for their franchising initiatives or they have worked for in the past.

We allow for both employee and customer reviews.

How can I leave a review on a company?

You can search for the company you wish to review here.

How does FranchiseRankings.com check the authenticity of the reviewer?

When leaving a review each user is required to authenticate through LinkedIn.

In addition to LinkedIns own authentication processes, each review that is written or recorded is filtered further through an algorithm to identify the possibility of the review being written either by the company being reviewed or a competitor.

If I have a bad experience can I say something negative?

Of course.

If your experience with a franchising company has been negative, you can leave a negative review. We ask that you provide details about what was specifically negative about the experience to help the franchise improve. franchises are also encouraged to response to reviews or work out issues that their buyers have had.

Can I update my review after posting it?

At this time we do not provide reviewers the opportunity to update their review directly.

You can request the removal of a review here. We do not remove reviews except in circumstances where the removal of a review is a benefit to buyers. We do not acknowledge or respond to requests for the removal of a review.

I am having trouble leaving the review, what can I do?
Are reviews posted in a particular order?

By default we display the most recent reviews received in addition to the most help and most critical reviews.

Users can filter the reviews by rating, the year they were received, or the type of review. Additionally, users can change out the reviews are sorted by either the most recent, highest reviews first, or lowest reviews first.

How can I share my review on social platforms like Facebook or Twitter?

If you would like to share the specific review simply click on the title of that review to be directed to its unique page and URL.

Copy the URL from your address bar and paste it in the social media post.

Do reviews ever get removed?

From time to time we remove reviews that are written on false pretenses or are proven to be malicious in intent.

Its not uncommon for franchising companies to write reviews for their own franchise or for competitors to obtain a competitive edge. We analyze different trends on how different franchises attempt to do this and may retroactively remove reviews if we find a pattern.

Do business owners have a voice on FranchiseRankings.com?

Of course.

On each franchise profile franchising companies are able to respond to the reviews they receive. They are also able to answer questions on their profile and offer some frequently asked questions to help buyers.

Business Listing Information / Franchise Profile

How do I create a franchise profile for my franchise?

To have a profile on FranchiseRankings.com you must first register.

To begin the registration process, click on the Register link at the top right of the screen. You will be asked for information about your franchise during this process.

How much does it cost to create a franchise profile page?

Having a profile on FranchiseRankings.com and being included in our directory is free.

To learn about marketing opportunities including an enhanced profile with additional promotional benefits, click here.

What are the different elements that can be included on the profile page?

We provide franchises on FranchiseRankings.com the ability to include key facts about their franchise, their logo, a description for the franchise, and the URL to their website.

Companies can also upload common questions and invite their customers to leave reviews.

Do you have any specific tips to keep in mind when creating a franchise profile page?

We recommend being as honest as possible.

When adding information to your profile, it should be factual and accurate as of the time youre updating your profile. Also disclose what sets your franchise apart from others in your industry.

How do I update my franchise profile page?

franchises that have registered on FranchiseRankings.com can log in using the credentials they set when registering.

Those credentials can be reset at any time from the log-in page by requesting a new password. It will be delivered to the email address that was used during the registration profile.

Alternative, franchises can also claim their profile using an email address at the same domain as their posted website.

In other cases where this cannot be achieved, a representative of the franchise can contact the support team for assistance. Additional verification may be required.

How will potential customers find my business profile on FranchiseRankings.com?

Most commonly potential investors find franchising companies through our rankings.

From our rankings the users can access the franchises website directly to contact them.

Additionally, registered franchising companies are included in our directory by default. Users looking through the directory can access the franchise profile and can be directed to the franchises website through this method.

What is an enhanced profile? What are the benefits attached to it?

Enhanced profiles have the ability to upload additional information about their franchise in the form of whitepapers, webinars, infographics, videos, case studies, and their certifications & accreditations.

Those interested in upgrading to an enhanced profile can learn more here.

How can I have my franchise included in the rankings on FranchiseRankings.com?
How can I request my franchise profile page to be removed?

You can contact our support team from an email address located on the same domain included in the profile page.

Winner Seals

How do I earn badges?

The winner seal is included in your member area after logging in if you are one of the franchises included in our rankings.

Where can I see all of the badges that I have earned?

After logging in, you can access your badges by selecting Badge & Seals under Resources in the navigation menu.

Sponsorship and Advertising

What are the sponsorship opportunities for companies highlighted on FranchiseRankings.com?

We offer different promotional tools for recommended franchising companies to make use of.

This includes being able to include their retargeting code on their profile to build their advertising audience, the ability to submit a professional article to the FranchiseRankings.com blog, and have a press release submitted highlighting their achievement in the industry.

What's the different between a free membership and a sponsorship?

Sponsored franchising companies have access to different promotional features as mentioned previously in addition to an enhanced profile.

Enhanced profiles have new elements to add to their profile including case studies, webinars, and adding a video to their profile.

How do I sign up for a paid sponsorship?

To sign up, you can log in to your profile and choose the upgrade option.

Alternative, if you do not already have a franchise profile, you can register your franchise by clicking on Register at the top right of the page and sign up for a paid sponsorship during the registration process.

Contact Information

If I have additional questions, how do I contact you?

Email Us

Our team would love to communicate with you and generally responds within 24 hours.

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