Expert advises on franchise business pitfalls

Giving a presentation at the Franchise Expo Botswana held in Gaborone last week, Kurt Illetschko of the Franchise Association of South Africa (FASA), said although franchising is regarded as a safe and potentially profitable business, it also has its own downsides.

Franchising is described as a long-term cooperative relationship between two entities, a franchisor and one or more franchisees, that is based on an agreement in which the franchisor provides a licensed privilege to the franchisee to do business.