International franchise consultancy and publications group Franchise Development Services (FDS) has a strong track record over the past quarter century advising and assisting some of the world's major franchise brands with their national and international strategies - including some of the more go-ahead global franchisors such as Subway, Burger King, Domino's Pizza and Jani-King. This has earned FDS an unparalleled reputation among the international franchise community, one which is recognised by the warm reception the group receives at every international franchise exhibition worldwide.

Specialising in providing advice and guidance to national and international franchisors and franchisees in the best practices of business format franchising, FDS has built its operations since its establishment in 1981 to stay at the forefront of cultivating and promoting franchising around the world. "Franchisors that can best be described as global entrepreneurs," reflects founding managing director Roy Seaman. "They will continue to have a serious impact in this world because they all help other people to establish and grow businesses to the best of their combined abilities. Franchising is today a very powerful method and doing business and in a world where a company is often excited to grow three, four or five per cent, franchisors are achieving 10, 15 or 20 per cent growth per annum every year."

FDS has built a network of franchised offices globally through agreements with like-minded franchise professionals. In the UK the company has established three franchised regional offices, while internationally Master Franchisees in the Middle East have led and sub-franchised the company's establishment across Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman and Dubai. FDS's European growth has continued under the leadership of its UK head office, and Master Franchisees have built national networks of offices in Spain and Italy.

"Our Master Franchisees recognise the FDS service as an opportunity to lead the franchise industry to success in their countries," Roy Seaman adds. "Franchising is a professional and ethical method of creating jobs and wealth, and strengthening national economies. In fact, our offices in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Singapore and Malaysia have all worked extensively with their respective governments, who quickly recognised the value of franchising for boosting their national economies."

There are seven divisions of FDS, and new FDS offices build their operations around this framework over a period of time. The first step is often to become an FDS Associate, taking on responsibility to explain and sell the appropriate advertising package programmes to the established national franchise companies in a specific country. The Associate can also represent those contracted brands that are willing to grant master franchise right into the country. "At present," reveals Roy Seaman, "40 famous brand franchisors have commission agreements with the international network of FDS offices."

After an initial training period an FDS Associate will be well prepared for representing these brands at franchise exhibitions, and recommending promotional packages in franchise publications such as Franchise International (worldwide), franquicias y Negocios (Spain) and The Franchise Magazine (UK). The FDS Associate may be able to take on the rights to launch and operate a BeTheBoss.com website covering their country, a format that has become a premier recruitment tool for franchisors in the US, UK, Spain, Mexico and Canada, with new sites launching in Ireland and Germany.

Well established on three continents as its first quarter century nears completion, FDS is using this landmark to look forward and develop its expansion strategy for the next 25 years. "Franchising has charted a 15% per annum growth since 1981, and is destined to continue at this pace," Roy Seaman points out. "As markets build franchising momentum, the importance of introducing a high standard and solid infrastructure becomes even more important. By engaging an internationally-established methodology, structure and philosophy, FDS offices are leading the evolution of these markets and becoming vital players in the development of national and international franchising. The best is yet to come."

FDS Master Franchisees also develop a major involvement in the exhibitions and events taking place in their countries with the assistance of FDS head office, using these major platforms to introduce themselves and develop relationships with the franchise industry. At the recent British Franchise Association awards, all three winners were FDS clients. Domino's Pizza won the top award - in 1985 FDS carried out the original feasibility study to establish the UK operation by visiting Ann Arbor, Michigan, and worked with Tom Monaghan, the CEO and founder. Today, Domino's Pizza has 350 outlets trading throughout the UK. The other winners were Cartridge World and Swisher.

FDS seeks mature management consultants or young entrepreneurs with a relevant business degree to become franchise Associates and then progress to become Master Franchisees. FDS has identified a number of key franchise markets still available, including France, Portugal, Greece, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, India, Australia, Japan and South Africa. "Master Franchisee candidates must have the desire to participate in the international evolution and growth of franchising," Roy Seaman reflects. "They must be networkers with a realistic expectation of their own career path and a willingness to follow our proven methods and formulas."