Leading franchise systems regularly measure franchisee satisfaction to gain a true, balanced view of network sentiment, beyond the loudest voices or surface-level feedback. Independent surveys, backed by local benchmarking data from Franchize Consultants, reveal how a system compares within the New Zealand market and highlight areas needing attention. Deeper insights come from one-on-one interviews, uncovering root issues and actionable ideas. This combined approach helps franchisors build stronger relationships, improve performance, and make more informed strategic decisions.

In any franchise system, it can be difficult for Support Office teams to get a true read on how franchisees are really feeling and what is driving that sentiment. Often, the loudest voices in the network can shape perceptions. At the same time, other franchisees may choose to stay quiet or be overly diplomatic during a conference, regional meetings or field visits, especially when speaking directly with franchisor representatives. This can make it harder to identify those who are quietly disengaged or hesitant to raise concerns, or even a silent majority who are quite content.

That is why a structured, independent franchisee satisfaction survey is so valuable.

It provides a broader and more balanced snapshot of sentiment across the entire network. At Franchize Consultants, we bring more than 35 years of New Zealand franchising expertise to this process. Our surveys are supported by valuable benchmarking drawn from many years of local data, helping franchisors understand how their system compares within the market. From there, our team can lead deeper qualitative conversations that reveal the context behind the numbers and help turn insight into action.

A snapshot that goes beyond averages

What makes our satisfaction surveys especially valuable is the benchmarking. It is not enough to know how your franchisees feel in isolation. You need to know how your system compares to others operating in the New Zealand market.

We benchmark all survey results against a proprietary dataset drawn from our decades of work with New Zealand franchise systems. That local expertise ensures relevance for the New Zealand market. It is rare for any franchise system to lead on all metrics, and that is not the expectation. Rather, benchmarking helps clarify which areas require the most attention and investment, enabling a busy Support Office to focus its limited resources in the places that will make the most difference.

Digging deeper for even richer insights

For those wanting to go further, we also offer qualitative franchisee interviews. These structured discussions, conducted by our experienced consultants, provide another layer of valuable intelligence.

Franchisees often reveal things in one-to-one conversations that they would not express in online surveys or group settings. Having a trusted third party ask the right questions can bring to light the root causes behind dissatisfaction, areas of confusion, or great ideas that have not yet been heard. It also provides an outlet for franchisees to feel genuinely listened to, which in itself can enhance overall engagement.

We draw on more than 35 years of local franchising experience to guide those conversations effectively, then work with the franchisor to interpret the findings and translate them into practical strategic improvements. That process often uncovers small but high-impact actions that can lead to stronger relationships, better performance and a more resilient network overall.

The smart path forward

For many franchise systems, a regular satisfaction survey supported by New Zealand-specific benchmarking is a valuable management tool. It provides clarity on how the network is feeling, where attention is most needed, and how performance compares to other systems in the local market.

Adding a round of structured one-to-one conversations can bring even greater depth. These interviews often uncover the reasons behind particular survey scores, identify issues that may not be widely understood, and give franchisees a safe space to speak openly. Together, the combination of quantitative and qualitative insight helps management teams make informed decisions with confidence.

In our view, understanding how your franchisees feel is not just helpful. It is critical to protecting relationships, strengthening performance and guiding your next strategic moves.

Every franchise system is different. If you are looking to get a clearer picture of your network and want to focus your next steps more effectively, we can help you explore the right approach. Read about our franchisee satisfaction survey service here.

Reach out to start a conversation.

Dr Callum Floyd – CFE

Managing Director
Phone 09 523 3858
Email callum@franchize.co.nz
Address 27 Gillies Avenue, Newmarket, Auckland.

Contact Franchize Consultants if you would like to discuss our franchisee satisfaction survey service. We’d be very happy to sit down with you to understand your business and objectives. You can also follow us via LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Google.