AI and Expertise Unite to Plug Franchise Profit Leaks

LAS VEGAS, NV – February 19, 2026 – In an increasingly digital economy, franchise systems are facing a growing and often invisible threat to their bottom line: payment disputes and chargebacks. To combat this “quiet margin killer,” AI-based chargeback management leader Justt has announced a strategic partnership with Ron Feldman, CFE, a highly respected franchise industry veteran, to bring a specialized, tech-driven solution to franchisors and their franchisees.

This collaboration aims to tackle the significant revenue leakage and operational drag caused by a rising tide of disputed transactions, offering a standardized system designed for the complexities of multi-location brands.

The Multi-Billion Dollar Leak in Franchise Economics

Franchise success is built upon a foundation of repeatable unit economics and standardized processes. However, the surge in digital payments, online ordering, and card-not-present (CNP) transactions has introduced a major variable that erodes profitability after a sale is already complete. Industry data reveals a startling picture: merchants lost an estimated $117 billion globally to cardholder disputes in 2023, a figure projected to grow as chargeback volumes are expected to increase by over 25% by 2025.

The cost is not just the lost sale. For every dollar lost to a chargeback, merchants can incur more than double that amount in associated fees, operational costs, and labor. A significant portion of these disputes, estimated at over 60%, stem from “friendly fraud,” where legitimate customers dispute charges, often bypassing standard return policies. This creates a time-consuming administrative burden for business owners and their staff, who must gather evidence and navigate complex bank procedures—a distraction from their core mission of serving customers.

For a franchise system, this problem is magnified. Inconsistent handling of disputes across different locations can skew financial reporting, create compliance risks, and undermine the very consistency that makes the franchise model so powerful. What one franchisee might write off as a loss, another might spend hours fighting, leading to unpredictable financial outcomes across the brand.

An Alliance of Technology and Experience

The new partnership directly addresses this challenge by combining cutting-edge technology with deep industry knowledge. Justt brings its AI-powered platform, already trusted by major enterprises like DoorDash and BestBuy, which automates the end-to-end dispute management process. The system analyzes each dispute to recommend whether to fight or accept it based on the potential return on investment, factoring in the dispute value, associated fees, and the statistical likelihood of winning.

Crucially for franchise networks, the platform provides centralized visibility, allowing franchisors to monitor dispute activity and outcomes across their entire system from a single dashboard. This empowers brands with data-driven insights that were previously fragmented or inaccessible.

Complementing the technology is the unparalleled experience of Ron Feldman. With over 30 years in franchising, including leadership roles in finance and growth, and service on the board of the International Franchise Association (IFA), Feldman provides the strategic lens needed to tailor the solution specifically for the franchise world.

“Franchising wins when operators can focus on serving customers—not chasing paperwork and changing payments rules,” said Reagan Evans, CRO of Justt. “Ron has spent decades helping franchise brands grow efficiently, and he understands exactly where hidden costs show up at scale. Together, we’re giving franchisors and franchisees a practical way to recover profit and reduce operational burden—without adding headcount.”

Tailoring AI for a Standardized Business Model

The collaboration is centered on developing a “franchise-first approach” that recognizes the unique structure of these businesses. While other chargeback solutions exist, they often fail to address the specific franchisor-franchisee dynamic. This initiative aims to create standardized, scalable workflows that can be deployed seamlessly across both corporate-owned and franchisee-operated locations.

“Franchisee unit economics are getting pressure from many sources,” said Ron Feldman. “What’s changed is how much profit now gets quietly lost after the sale through disputes, fees, and inconsistent processes across locations. Justt is a natural fit for franchising because it’s built for scale and standardization: it helps brands protect revenue, reduce noise for local operators, and bring discipline to a part of the P&L that too often gets written off as ‘the cost of doing business.’”

By automating the evidence-gathering and submission process, the solution promises to lift a significant administrative weight from local managers and owners. This allows them to refocus on growth and customer experience while ensuring that revenue recovery efforts are handled consistently and professionally across the entire brand, protecting both the top line and the brand’s reputation with payment processors.

A Debut on the Industry’s Premier Stage

To signal its deep commitment to the sector, Justt has officially joined the International Franchise Association (IFA). The partnership with Feldman will be formally debuted at the upcoming 2026 IFA Annual Convention, taking place in Las Vegas from February 23–25.

Presenting at the industry’s largest and most important gathering provides a powerful launchpad, allowing Justt and Feldman to connect directly with the thousands of franchisors and franchisees in attendance. This strategic debut underscores the significance of the problem they aim to solve and positions their collaboration as a key development for the future of franchise financial management. As franchises continue to navigate economic pressures, this alliance of AI and expertise represents a critical new tool in the fight to protect hard-earned profitability.