The average email response time to a franchise inquiry is 8.8 hours, according to the FranFunnel Franchise Lead Response Time Study (Q1 2025, 500+ brands, 14 franchise categories). Only 26% of brands responded within 5 minutes. 35% never responded at all.
These numbers reflect the current state of franchise lead follow-up across the industry — not a benchmark to hit. 8.8 hours is the average, but it's also the problem. Franchise candidates are in an active comparison window when they submit an inquiry. By the time most brands reply, that window has closed.
The brands that consistently convert at higher rates are the ones responding in under 5 minutes. The gap between 8.8 hours and 5 minutes isn't a technology gap. It's a process gap. And it's one of the most solvable problems in franchise development.
FranFunnel Franchise Lead Response Time Study — full findings