“Everyone can access Franks hot dog. “Benjamin Attal and Jonathan Sellam have built their franchise on this idea. From the product to the ordering process, they have “put everything in place to make life easier for future franchisees”. With the help of artificial intelligence.
Benjamin Attal and Jonathan Sellam wanted “everyone to be able to become a franchisee, with or without restaurant experience”. They have been working in this sector for years. Benjamin Attal co-founded Sushi Gourmet. “In the world of sushi, you already need a sushiman. In other words, hire employees with specific skills. With this peculiarity: “a fish fillet of the same weight can be cut into 20, 30 or 35 pieces, depending on the man”. A headache when it comes to purchasing raw materials.
We needed a product that was easy to work with. They chose hot dogs “because the production process is simple. One bun, one sausage. There’s no deviation, no loss of merchandise. We know that to achieve a given turnover, we have to order and sell so many buns and so many sausages. It’s very calibrated.
Another advantage of the hot dog is that its design does not require the installation of an extractor in the kitchen. “Basically, the franchisee can set up anywhere”, including in a commercial premises that had been designed as a ready-to-wear boutique, for example. Finding a location can be a snap. What’s more, franchisors are on hand to provide advice and assistance.
Software calculates the quantity of raw materials to order
To make life as easy as possible for their future franchisees, the two entrepreneurs have also opted for technology. They have invested in several state-of-the-art tools. “An automated control system that uses artificial intelligence”, in particular. When the franchisee orders raw materials, the software suggests the optimum quantities. “It will suggest forecasts based on past sales and future events, a soccer match, the Rugby World Cup, the Olympic Games, the weather…” describes Benjamin Attal.
As a result, he assures us, you don’t need a background in catering to succeed. Nor in marketing and communication: here too, support and tools are provided to assist franchisees.
Franchisees with very different profiles
There’s no need to be a recruitment specialist either: “staff don’t have to be qualified. Technically, anyone can assemble bread and sausages, even without kitchen experience.”
As for the sales staff, they are assisted by order terminals in the dining room, as in many fast-food restaurants. They are there to make proposals to customers “in a natural way”. “The advantage is that we optimize the presence of the salesperson, who will have more time to accompany and serve the customer.”
Franks hot dog’s founders had their customers in mind, of course, when they opted for the affordable hot dog. “It’s a win-win situation: that’s the recipe for a good deal,” Benjamin Attal emphasizes. Thanks to their professional experience, he and his partner seem to have succeeded in making their franchise accessible to as many people as possible.
In three years, despite the health crisis, they have developed a network of sixteen outlets run by people with very different profiles. Franchisees include an entrepreneur from the beauty sector and, soon, a couple of doctors.
