I was inspired to write this article following a recent LinkedIn post by my good friend and franchise professional Craig Brown.
He posted about an advert for the franchised optician brand Specsavers, which he found ironic and amusing, as do I. Others found it negative for the business, given the driver of a branded van should have seen what was coming: a rising bollard.
What struck me wasn’t whether the advert was funny or damaging to the brand, but how differently people reacted to it. That reminded me of one of the key lessons in franchising: no two people view the same opportunity in exactly the same way.
As we know, everyone is different, as highlighted by the fact our fingerprints are all unique. It also means that we all look at things differently, whether that’s a TV programme, film, comedian, music, food, ice hockey team and much more. To highlight this within my family, my wife hates anything science fiction but I love it. On the other hand, she loves horror films but I’m not so keen, though I obviously watch them from time to time. She also loves rollercoasters but I don’t.
No two franchisees will think, behave or be motivated in exactly the same way. The franchisors who recognise and embrace those differences are often the ones that build the strongest and most successful networks.
In the same vein, Canada’s national sport is ice hockey but I reckon not every Canadian loves it. As a Brit I love it too. I’ve actually been to many games in the UK and was a Chelmsford Chieftains fan in the 90s.
You can also look at this in a franchising context. One person will look very differently than another when assessing a franchise. Why is that? It could be for a few reasons. For example, they may need to earn money immediately and so a resale will be more attractive than a new territory where they will take time to build the business and generate the cash they need. There could be other family influences where they may not be as positive about one franchise as the next.
How smart franchisors adapt to different franchisee priorities
For me personally, my roles have meant I have rarely needed to work at weekends, except perhaps at exhibitions and at busy times. As a result, if I were to look at a franchise my preference would be one where weekend work was either absent or infrequent for the same reasons.
This may well be the same for other professional people, such as bankers, accountants and lawyers, so retail or food would not even be an option, but a service-based or weekday business would have much more appeal.
It is the same for children-based activities: you need to like or cope with children at play and not everyone will.
I have always said that a franchisee needs to consider what concepts excite them. Again, that will be different from one to the next. They not only have this same consideration I do, but they might be thinking of one that has low investment but a big return. Others will be looking at a work/life balance or giving back to the community.
Franchisees will all have a different view of risk. I am an ex-banker, so my risk level is pretty low and I would be unlikely to start a franchise with no track record. However, other people will see getting in early as an opportunity to be a pioneer and could have the ability to open multiple sites or locations that an established franchise might make impossible or challenging with limited new areas.
Once a franchisee joins your network they again will all be different. Why does one excel and another struggle? Quite simply they are different and you need to try and understand what the issue is and support them as best you can. Often this is because something has happened in their life, perhaps outside of the business, that has impacted their performance. Of course, some of these franchisees will tell you what it is but others won’t.
As a franchisor you should know that individuals normally favour a particular personality type. Using the DISC profile, they are either dominant (red), influencing (yellow), stabilising (green) or cautious (blue). These might also be described as aggressive, creative, likeable and careful. I am green and have always been, as my favoured personality, but everyone can show signs of the other traits. When you need to make a decision you might need to be dominant, or when you’re assessing a set of accounts, cautious, especially credit bankers who are looking after their organisation’s funds.
Some franchisors use profiling but if you meet a prospect often enough you will get a good gauge of their personality, and that will of course continue in their trading. By thinking about that you can mirror your personality accordingly and ensure the type of support they receive reflects their favoured style.
Ultimately, franchising is a people business. No two franchisees will think, behave or be motivated in exactly the same way. The franchisors who recognise and embrace those differences are often the ones that build the strongest and most successful networks.
Key Takeaways
- People interpret franchise opportunities differently due to unique perspectives and personal circumstances.
- Franchisees may have varying needs, priorities, and risk assessments based on their backgrounds and experiences.
- Understanding personality types, like those in the DISC profile, can help franchisors provide better support to franchisees.
- Franchising success often hinges on recognizing and embracing individual differences among franchisees.
- Ultimately, franchising thrives as a people business, driven by diverse motivations and behaviors.
