As with any business, communication within a franchise is vital – and ensuring that everyone involved, from the franchisor to the franchisee, knows their role and what is required from them is key. It is therefore essential that for a franchise business to grow, open and clear means of communication are prioritised in business models – here is Cafe2U’s top tips…
- When running a successful franchise it is important to keep on top of market trends to shape your business direction, and it can often pay to ensure franchisees are made aware of overall market performance and developments. In the coffee world, trends are changing all the time – at Cafe2U we work hard to keep on top of them. For example, preference for alternative milk is on the rise, including soya, almond, coconut or oat milk – something that we are currently focusing on throughout our network.
- Keeping franchisees updated on the general direction of the business is also essential. This plays a key role in the information flow. Making sure they have an understanding of future plans will put franchisees’ minds at ease, meaning they can then concentrate on making their franchise a success. Having a common goal promotes a happier working environment too.
- Ensuring information is shared is essential to getting buy-in from everybody involved in a business and, as such, attention should be given to how this is achieved. Whether it be through phone calls or digital communication, such as emails, forums or newsletters, ensuring there is a steady and strategic flow of news and updates is paramount. Often though, nothing can beat face to face conversations between franchisor and franchisee, and this is one of the best ways for sharing tips and receiving feedback.
- To communicate successfully with our own franchisees, Cafe2U will soon hold its annual conference in London, allowing franchisees to speak to one another and select suppliers. The conference will include an array of workshops, an in-depth Q&A session with senior leaders and an awards ceremony to celebrate our successful franchise partners.
A number of practical workshops and breakout sessions, designed to share best-practice, will take place throughout the day – giving franchisees the chance to network and compare notes. With a number of key developments set to transfer Cafe2U in 2020, there will be plenty for attendees to absorb!
- However, information sharing shouldn’t just be an annual event. Building a culture of information sharing improves operations, boosts franchise relationships and saves everyone a lot of time. When sharing knowledge and information, franchisees aren’t just connected with the franchisor, they can communicate with one another to find the best solution to whatever difficulty or problem they face. Driving forward together is key to all successful franchise partnerships.
- It is also necessary to ensure that when franchisees receive this information, they put it into practice and this should be regularly checked and evaluated throughout the network. Making sure there’s transparency and clear communication across franchise locations will help to drive and reinforce this.
- Giving franchisees the ability to feedback, raise any issues and seek advice can also help to not only create a strong franchise relationship but it also allows us to continually reshape our approach to meet their needs. Communication is a two-way process and inspiring constructive discussions can unlock valuable insight something that has helped drive success and growth within Cafe2U.
Cafe2U is built on the strength of its model and its communication process – offering constant contact between the head office team and franchisees can be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful business. Disseminating knowledge through constant communication is important to strengthen and grow your business together and, importantly, improves the experience customers and end-users will have.
