Relationships are paramount for good business. There is an obvious karmic pull of wanting to do business over and over again with people we trust and like. Much of this comes down to relationships; transparency, good communication and trust, which ultimately lead to loyalty. It’s a sad irony that so many businesses put profit above people, yet the ones who put people first are seemingly the most profitable. Franchising, as an industry, understands this better than most. And with good reason. The unique nature of the franchisor-franchisee relationship contractually requires it. But more than that, it makes good business sense.
If you’re new to franchising or you’re thinking about buying your first franchise business, there’s a number of things that are important to know and can go a long way towards creating harmonious and long-lasting relationships with your franchisor.
The British (BFA) and Canadian (CFA) Franchise Associations describe franchising as being “in business for yourself – not by yourself”. Franchisee sustainability comes from building a solid relationship with the franchisor, working together with them, and with the wider network as a whole to achieve this mutually beneficial business relationship. So, what does this look like?
Before joining a network, do your due diligence. You have a responsibility to ensure that the business you’re choosing is the right one for you – not just now, but in the long run. Next, at the training stage, work with your trainer. Ask them questions, show interest in the business and be engaged. Sometimes, it’s hard to remain focused. Some trainers are better than others and –let’s be honest– some have a voice that’s capable of rocking you to sleep. Some sections of training will be much more exciting than others (I can think of few people who would voluntarily and excitedly put themself through a day of Health & Safety training, for example). Regardless, you must stay engaged. Usually, the training is where you get to spend some time with the head office team and build relationships. They are working on getting to know you just as much as you are them. So, falling asleep, folding your arms and acting defensively like you know it all already is unlikely to get you off on the right foot.
Post-training, you’ll likely be assigned a dedicated support person or, possibly, a team of people. Again, work with them. Be respectful of their time. Attend your scheduled meetings and be on time. Respond to them swiftly and do what you can to ensure a solid professional working relationship. In addition to this, get to know the head office people that you are working with. You don’t need to share intimate details, but keeping things polite and professional, while sharing interesting things that are personal to you will help you to find common ground, shared interests and to build trust.
In your first few months or even your first year of operating your franchise, avoid acting like you know it all; don’t reinvent the wheel and don’t try to change how the brand operates. That being said, if you feel strongly that there are improvements to be made, find out the best way to put suggestions forward by respectfully raising the idea with your support person or finding out the best way to make a suggestion. Remember, you bought a franchise business for a reason: to follow someone else’s already successfully-proven business model and to save yourself the time of all that trial-and-error. So, it’s likely that your idea has already been thought of and tried. But, there’s no harm in offering suggestions, if done respectfully.
Hopefully, once you’re established, your business will be cruising. If, however, you have any concerns, you’re not hitting your targets or perhaps your expectations are not being met, then schedule a meeting with your support team person and communicate your concerns with them openly and honestly, but again, in a respectful manner. Politeness, honesty and transparency go a long way in franchising. And, as they say in the coaching world; clear is kind.
Building a sustainable franchise takes a group of focused people, working together for mutually beneficial business outcomes. New franchisees should act like a sponge in the early days of training and support, solidifying the foundations of good relationships that will carry them through the years of operating their business. It’s these bonds that will see them through both good and hard times, making those difficult conversations easier to have. But most of all, it’s the relationships that we build that move us, support us and boost our overall enjoyment of running our business, day in and day out.
