As the owner of an original brand that you have franchised out, you need to make sure that you are able to offer top support to anyone who has decided to invest in your franchise scheme. If you can give them the tools that they need to succeed, they will be in a much better place when it comes to encouraging their business to flourish. Here are some of the things you can do to best support them.
Keep communication open
As a head office, you need to make sure that you are always open to new lines of communication that could help you offer a better service to your franchisees. Even if they have been with you for years, they might still have questions and guidance that they wish to ask about. Therefore, you need to make sure that you are available to talk to them when they need it.
Set up a separate email account and telephone number for them to use. This should be different from the general contact information that the public can use to get in touch with your service as it should help to keep lines clear that little bit better. It also means that you will get an indication as to the nature of the message as it comes in. If you know that it is coming from a franchisee, you will know that it is already going to be a different type of inquiry compared to what you might see from a customer.
You can also let your franchisees know what is happening with the business as a whole. For example, you could use these free newsletter templates to create a small catch-up email that your clients could read. It lets them know about some of the biggest developments that might be arriving with the franchise, and allows you to give them an insight into what is happening at your end of the business.
New technology
If a new piece of technology is launched that you think might be able to help your business, you should think about investing in it on behalf of your franchise. Many franchisers will craft their own set of software to make the operations of each business slightly easier to handle.
However, software can quickly become outdated, especially with the speeds that the market currently moves at. Therefore, you need to ensure that you are always on the hunt for the latest of these programs.
Doing so will allow you to create the perfect suite of programs that all of your franchisees can use. No matter what sector your franchise occupies, having the latest in software at your disposal is only going to be advantageous. Franchisees will be able to fulfil their orders and operations in a much more productive and timely manner, while you can work to push the brand as a whole ahead of some of your major competitors.
Ongoing training
You should also look to support your franchisees with ongoing support and training that can help them boost their own businesses. If you are going to be introducing a new product for them to use in their companies, it might be worth bringing all the managers together for a short training day. This means that you can be certain that they will know exactly what to do with this new product, and how it can be beneficial to them as business owners in their own right.
This doesn’t always have to be to do with new products specifically. You could also choose to give them a program of business mentorship. Often, people can opt for a franchise as they want the support that can come for the managerial aspects of running the business. You need to make sure that you have a solid training schedule in place to help your franchisees reach their goals with the business. Provide a complete training schedule, and you will be able to continue to deliver support to your franchisees throughout their ownership of their franchise.
Owning and operating a franchise business is very different from a traditional business structure. As the one at the top, it is your responsibility to ensure that those who are choosing to invest in your business model are getting their money’s worth, and the support they need to create a business that can flourish. With the right system in place, you can aid them in a variety of areas, from the software they use to make the business run smoothly to tips and tricks you can offer as a successful business yourself. Choosing to own a franchised brand will no doubt be a great move for you, but you always need to think about the people who are going to be working under you within the brand.
