Essentials Of Franchise Communcation

Alibaba News Channel:

The franchisee/franchisor relationship is a unique one. It differs significantly from the average “employee/employer” dynamic in various ways.

Over the course of 16 years, I’ve been both a franchisor and a franchisee at different times and at various levels of organizations. Ensuring an optimal relationship between the two will not only improve your bottom line, but perhaps your emotional well-being as well.

When you’re new to an organization, you quickly understand the larger purpose of having two ears and one mouth. There is much to listen to and many to learn from before you should start making changes. As the youngest of seven kids, I’ve been used to people around me thinking they know more than I do (often times, this is true), but I also learned to speak up or you’ll be left out.

Now, I try to listen–even moreso than when I was a “newbie.” Surround yourself with great talent. To maximize this talent, have your team take ownership of a task as quickly as possible and get their input before investing valuable time and energy in one idea. A successful leader gives targets to achieve. It is vital to know what the ultimate goal is, but don’t micromanage the process or the steps to get there. Here are three suggestions on maintaining a great relationship with your franchisee or franchisor.

1. Always Give the Benefit of the Doubt
As a franchisee: Let your franchisor know you will give them the benefit of the doubt when there are changes occurring within the organization. You know that the franchisor needs to make decisions for the present, as well as the future of the organization, and this can be the most critical aspect of your relationship in franchising. By giving the benefit of the doubt, the first thought that comes to mind should be: “There is a good reason this decision or issue has been addressed this way, and I should find out more before having an emotional reaction.”

This self-talk is important, because a franchisor will make decisions not only with information they have today, but also based on things they know or believe to be true in the future. Remember, the top two assets to a franchisor are their franchisees, and their brand. If a decision damages either one (or both), they are hurting themselves just as much as their franchisees.

Continue reading this post.