Make the most of an opportunity to speak with existing owners
The exploration phase of any franchise opportunity typically consists of multiple stages and milestones as you conduct your due diligence. At Expedia CruiseShipCenters, our structured franchise discovery process is completed by all prospective franchise owners with the guidance of their dedicated Franchise Development Manager and can be completed in as little as 30 days. An important step in this process is completing validation calls with existing franchise owners to hear directly from the source their experience opening and running their business and challenges as well as successes, they’ve encountered along the way.
When to complete a validation call
Once you have a full understanding of our franchise system and have completed the previous stages in our education process, your Franchise Development Manager will encourage you to participate in at least one validation call. To get the most out of these calls it’s important to have a solid knowledge base so that you fully understand the opportunity itself, the focus of your role as a franchise owner and be prepared with meaningful questions to ask to get the information you’re seeking. You may be inclined to reach out to franchise owners as soon as you begin the franchise discovery process but it’s important to understand the franchise system first.
Completing a validation call is completely optional but we highly encourage anyone considering investing in any franchise to conduct at least one. There is simply no better opportunity to hear firsthand from those who’ve been through the process themselves and can offer valuable insight into what you can expect!
How to get the most out of a validation call
The best approach to getting the most out of your validation call is simple – preparation. Expedia CruiseShipCenters franchise education process consists of a series of phases to ensure potential franchise owners have a full understanding of the system as well as the support and training new franchise owners receive.
Do your homework – when you reach the phase for a validation call you’ll be armed with a solid foundation on the industry, award-winning system, 125+ strong corporate support team, and will have reviewed our Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). You’ll be well versed in the Expedia franchise opportunity and ready to validate what you’ve learned with those who have traveled this path before you and can share their learnings.
Dedicate time in advance of the call to compile your list of questions you’d like to address as well as any areas of concern that you may want additional insight and guidance on. It’s also important to allot adequate time for the call itself so you’re not rushed, plan for at least 45-60 minutes for a call.
Franchise ownership is not one size fits all – each owner’s experience is unique and will be influenced by their previous work and life experience, local community, and of course their engagement in following the franchise system. That’s why the value of a healthy discussion is so valuable – what has the franchise owner learned along the way? What would they do differently? What would their advice be to new franchise owners? How has the system evolved since they joined?
Eliminate noise and distractions, it sounds obvious but to really maximize your time on this call you’ll want to call from a quiet place with a reliable phone connection to avoid any unnecessary disruptions. There’s nothing worse than traffic noise or a dropped call in the middle of an informative call like this.
Attending Discovery Day is the final step in your due diligence.
Franchise ownership is an incredibly rewarding endeavor and one that will challenge you in ways you may not have imagined. It’s important to take in and fully process all of the information you receive during the franchise discovery process and proceed with confidence that you’ve found the opportunity that is in line with your goals and interests. Once you’ve completed validation calls with our franchise owners, the next step is attending Discovery Day at our corporate headquarters in Vancouver, Canada. Read more about the importance of attending Discovery Day and what to expect in this blog post.
Next steps
Are you ready to begin the Expedia CruiseShipCenters discovery process? Submit the form below and receive a copy of our free franchise report. One of our Franchise Development Managers will reach out soon after to arrange a call to discuss any initial questions you may have. You can also learn more right away by reviewing this six-step overview of our retail travel agency franchise opportunity here.
