Anyone else dealing with franchise operations where corporate handles all the utility billing? I've got a potential client with 12 fast-casual restaurant locations across three states, but everything gets consolidated through their corporate office in Denver. Xcel, Ameren, and Duke Energy territories. The paperwork alone is giving me a headache.
Franchise billing nightmares
I've done a few franchise deals and they can be goldmines if you can get organized. The key is having one main contact at corporate who can facilitate everything. I recovered $47K across 8 locations for a pizza chain last year - mostly wrong rate classifications and missed efficiency rebates.
Bernard's right about the organization aspect. I require franchise clients to designate one person as the primary contact and they have to provide a complete spreadsheet with all locations, account numbers, and current contacts. If they can't do that upfront, I pass on the deal.
Good advice from both of you. This client seems pretty organized - they already sent me a detailed spreadsheet with 3 years of bills for all locations. Might be worth pursuing. What fee structure do you typically use for multi-location franchise deals?
I usually do 35% but with a minimum per location to make sure it's worth my time. Something like $1,500 minimum per location even if the recovery is smaller. Helps weed out the locations that aren't worth auditing.