- Regardless of your product, service, or industry… you are in the relationship business. Never forget that people are your #1 asset, and the franchisor/franchisee relationship needs to be ‘you and me’… not ‘you vs. me.’
- Both franchisors and franchisees need to acknowledge: ‘We can’t do this without you, and you can’t do this without us.’ (We need each other for this to work!)
- Franchisors and franchisees that work together with mutual respect, that openly/honestly share ideas, and that consistently collaborate will create a distinct competitive advantage.
- Franchisors and franchisees: even the best leaders don’t have all the answers. But they have the humility to acknowledge what they don’t know and ask for help, guidance, and direction. Good leaders also know how to follow.
- The 3 most important questions that franchisors can ask franchisees (and franchisees can ask their respective teams):
- a. Who are we (what is our identity)?
- b. What do we do (what is our purpose)?
- c. How do we do it (what is our strategy)?
- Franchisors need to provide unparalleled leadership and direction to empower franchisees to reach their financial goals through customized support, creating a strong sense of community, and increasing overall brand awareness (‘create a bigger pie’).
- Franchisors: you will often have to make important decisions with imperfect information. Do the best you can with what you have. You’ll never have the time to wait for things to be perfect!
- Franchisees need to focus on executing the systems (‘the blueprint’), upholding and living out brand values, maximizing profits, and amassing a loyal customer base by developing an entrepreneurial mindset and approach.
- Franchisees: when you need help, ask for it. Franchisors: when you can provide help, offer it.
- Franchisees: trust systems/processes. They will consistently lead to the most favorable outcomes in the long term. Aim to work smarter, not harder. (Brains > Brawn)
- The most effective way to strengthen your brand’s reputation is through consistently meeting high standards of excellence at every location.
- The 3 primary issues that will cause a rift in the franchisor/franchisee relationship:
- Unrealistic expectations
- Ineffective communication
- Lack of conflict resolution skills
- Honest and *effective communication will resolve the vast majority of franchisor/franchisee conflicts andissues. The key is for both parties to be active, empathetic listeners. When someone feels heard… they feel valued, respected, and appreciated.
- *Effective communication is clear and concise (ambiguity and complexity create confusion). It also has cadence and candor (consistency and compassion increase compliance).
- As the Navy SEAL’s say, “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” Take your time, pay attention to detail, and be precise. Rushing increases mistakes.
- “If it isn’t written down, it isn’t real.” Document everything.
- Always have a plan but always expect adversity. When adversity strikes, lean into it together. Strong teams use adversity to increase cohesion. Weak teams use adversity to erode it.
Please contact me if I can ever be of service to you or your team!
