Instead, would-be franchise owners need to ask questions. Here are 10 tough questions to ask to make sure you've got a realistic picture of what life as a franchise … A lot of questions. The questions a franchisor asks you in the initial phone interview reveal a lot about their motives and values. Now it's time for that first phone call with the franchisor, where the communication goes from one-way emails to a two-way conversation with questions and, you hope, answers.