The Three Cs of Communication for Franchise Success

LET'S GET SOCIAL?

Franchise businesses are on the rise because entrepreneurs or business owners recognize that achieving long-term success requires the right systems, processes, and people. To expand business operations into franchises, businesses need consumers, with demands, and employees that align with the value system of the business. The multitudes of franchise success specifically depend on the foundation of the business. Establishing the foundation requires a structure that is thought-through from end to end. Furthermore, the business structure is composed of ideas and planning. Everything boils down to having effective communication. Discussing ideas, brainstorming pitches, and marketing advertisements to gain a customer base are all ways of communication.

Let’s get to the point. Franchises are units of the same company run by different people under the administration of the franchisors or the business owners. This administration will malfunction without proper relaying.

Franchises are customer-centric and they keep it straightforward in terms of communication. In the franchise management system, right from the inception, communicating along the lines of the mission and vision of the company aids in avoiding practical failures. As a franchise owner, you need to be able to communicate effectively with your franchisees to expect the results you want.

Over a period of time, maintaining the communication rapport with the franchisees is another important aspect that most franchisors seem to overlook. From the franchisee interview to the moment your franchisee signs the final agreement and commences with the operations and establishing themselves as the franchisees, every intersection is about building trust and creating an environment for success.

The rate of success of a franchise operation is directly proportional to the understanding one has about the business. As the franchisor, it becomes your responsibility to make this understanding accessible to the franchisees. This can be done through providing the right information, drafting the FDD with no prospect of misinterpretation, and constant communication throughout the process of onboarding and furthermore association with the franchisees.

Here are a few points you can give heed to as a franchisor on the three Cs of Communication for Franchise success:

Commit

A brand, a system, and support of that system are the three pillars that a franchise system offers. The franchise company commits to protecting the brand on the behalf of the franchisee. The brand includes the name of the company, the reputation that it carries, and the services or products the franchisee sells in the market.

Franchisors commit to providing systems and training to facilitate the franchisee to operate the business in their local market. The system provided by the franchise company drives the franchisee to operate the business instead of recreating business models. The International Franchise Association states that “Franchise firms that create, maintain and even control their systems for franchisees, find more successful owners who are reaping the benefits.” An established system serves the purpose of a backbone to the business structure.

Franchisors commit to the franchisees to offer support at various levels. This can be support extended in the entirety, including materials, training, and ongoing support or support as advice and guidance. irrespective of the level of support, the franchise system must be committed to supporting. This plays a vital role in terms of the franchisees who are making their maiden ventures.

The commitments made by the franchise system and the franchisors are validated through various document forms such as Franchise Disclosure Document and the like.

Assisting Franchisees with challenges, and providing the required support in terms of operations and other business aspects are crucial to the success of the franchise and the franchisee.

Converse

Keeping franchisees in the loop for regular time intervals is an effective way of imparting continual communication. Working with the franchisees to set goals, create plans, and develop business strategies is an inclusion method, that keeps the spirits paced up.

The continual dialogue with the franchisees encourages them to be prepared for the challenging situations that might surface in concurrence with the business’s success. A planned training module for the beginning and an environment for open-ended conversations are two necessary facts that need to be highlighted to keep everything in favor of the franchise system’s success.

Understanding the pain points of the franchisees builds trust which is an integral part of communication. Recognition followed by the solution to the challenges is appreciated by the franchisees.

Connect

As a Franchisor, it becomes a necessity to connect with the franchisees. Eventually developing acquaintances, from both parties- franchisees and franchisors is another aspect of the communication. Poor communication gives rise to multitudes of complexities. If you can establish a connection and build trust, communicating will become natural. Recognizing that for the franchise system to succeed, both parties- the franchisee and the franchisor are codependent.

Franchises led by great leaders are constantly creating an environment that inspires the franchisees to work toward the common goal- the success of the franchise. By not connecting, you may lose this momentum.

A pat on the back boosts the speed of any diligent person or business entity.

To truly comprehend if the efforts are on a level with the desired results, asking for feedback and input is the way to go. Franchisees are more likely to support what they help create. The intention should be towards a ‘two-way’ communication and not monologues.

Moreover, connecting on a personal level is one of the keys to helping franchisees get to know you. You cannot get anywhere with your team if they don’t see you as a real person with a real vision for the company.

The takeaway from the above is these three Cs of Communication for Franchise Success need to be paid heed to by the franchisors and the franchise systems.