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Safety First, Growth Second: How CI Schooled an Education Franchise in Background Checks

Chris White

Commercial Investigations LLC (CI) is your go-to destination for comprehensive background investigations in the world of franchising! Keep reading for a recent case study where CI delivered unparalleled franchisee vetting, ensuring brand integrity and children safety.

Meet the Client: A Northeast Based Education Franchise

Our client needed a scalable background check solution to maintain their high standards of safety and quality across their growing network.

  • Industry: Education Franchise
  • In business since 1988
  • Focused on nurturing every child’s unique potential.
  • Revenue: $873 million (2023)
  • Over 5000 employees
  • Over 100+ new franchisee applicants per year

The Challenge – Balancing Growth and Safety

  • Comprehensive Vetting – Standard background checks were not providing the depth of information needed to thoroughly assess potential franchisees.
  • Regulatory Compliance – Varying state regulations for the industry required a more nuanced and adaptable screening process.
  • Efficient Processing – Long turnaround times and incomplete reports delayed start dates and risked losing qualified franchisees.

The Solution – Fortifying Integrity

CI’s Advanced Screening Strategies for Franchisors:

  • Confidential Databases – Leveraged our PI license to obtain access to high-security databases, unavailable to other CRA’s.
  • Compliance Champion – Developed a custom compliance matrix aligned with state and federal franchise regulations.
  • Custom Reporting – Created bespoke reporting charts to track volume updates and key franchisee vetting metrics.
  • Process Automation – Implemented automated processes and form collection in addition to real-time status updates.

The Results – Franchise Growth, Secured

Measurable Results and Tangible Benefits:

  • Added federal database and cyber investigation searches to enhance applicant information quality.
  • A robust tracking system for all checks resulted in zero compliance issues since adoption (2023).
  • Facilitated the successful vetting and onboarding of 100 new franchisees in 6 months, supporting growth.
  • Average turnaround time fell to just 5.68 days, enabling swift and efficient franchisee decisions.

Read the full case study here: CI Franchise Case Study

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