Beyond Food Franchises: Exploring Non-Food Opportunities

Beyond Food Franchises: Exploring Non-Food Opportunities While food franchises are undeniably our most popular category, franchising extends far beyond the realm of food. Over the years, we’ve featured numerous exceptional franchises in the service industry. These businesses, though often highly profitable, present unique marketing challenges. Our podcast begins with a discussion inspired by Dr. Martin J. McDermott’s LinkedIn article, "You Had Me at Hello: The Power of the Follow-Up." This piece highlights the critical role of post-service communication in fostering customer loyalty. Using compelling anecdotes—like a dentist’s thoughtful follow-up call or a repairman’s check-in after servicing a refrigerator—Dr. McDermott underscores how small gestures can leave a lasting impact. He also introduces the RATER model (Reliability, Assurance, Tangibles, Empathy, Responsiveness) as a framework for assessing service quality, emphasizing how even brief interactions can strengthen customer relationships. Drawing from his expertise as a marketing professor and franchising authority, he concludes by celebrating the often-overlooked importance of a simple greeting and timely follow-up. Next, we sit down with Jon Ostenson, a consultant, entrepreneur, and author specializing in non-food franchising. As a former Inc. 500 Franchise President and multi-brand franchisee, Jon offers invaluable perspectives on this sector. We explore insights from his latest book, Non-Food Franchising: The Better Path to Franchise Ownership. Finally, in the second segment of the episode, we feature an excerpt from our celebrated podcast series, Great Quotes in Franchising.