Anyone who has followed the OpsAnalitica blog knows that I worked at Quiznos right before their implosion in 08, 09. I had two jobs at Quiznos: I was the manager of the Franchise Assistance Program and then I was promoted to be the RSC Ops Leader when Franchise Assistance went away.
During my time as the Franchise Assistance Program manager, I was working with failing franchisees who wanted relief, usually financial, from Quiznos. I was not authorized to grant that relief.
That was an incredibly hard position to work in because my team and I heard heart-wrenching stories every day on how these people were losing money and their dreams of owning a successful business.
I just heard a podcast entitled Debating the Risks and Rewards of Franchising by Jonathan Maze.
I listened to the entire episode and it is dead on. It is an interview with Matthew Haller SVP of Government Relations for the International Franchise Association and Keith Miller Director of Public Affairs for the American Association of Franchisees & Dealers.
I highly recommend that you click this link and listen to the podcast from their website.