Page 133 - Entrepreneur - USA (January - February 2020)

perceptions of the job we are doing and how people feel about us. In won’t do in return.
reality, franchisees may be guarded when talking with franchisors To truly build that kind of loyalty, two-way communication can’t
or their representatives; perhaps they believe candid comments just be frequent. It needs to be honest. Trust starts with trans-
will not yield positive results. They may prefer to avoid confronta- parency. Get caught in a single half-truth, and trust is destroyed
tion. Whatever the reason, franchisors may sometimes be surprised forever.
at how their franchisees truly view them. Just as technological advances and the con-
That’s why communication has to be consis- veniences of the internet have made it easier,
tent. Franchisors need to hear what franchi- faster, and more affordable to communicate
When franchisees
sees really think! So in order to get that real, within a franchise system, they’ve also made it
see franchisors
valuable insight, franchisors should be actively easier to embrace transparency. Intranet sites,
breaking their
soliciting feedback on a regular basis. Conduct blogs, chat rooms, emails, e-newsletters, real-
back to help them
formal surveys. Mystery shop to hear what your time reporting, and online training have all
succeed, there is
franchisees are saying. Listen for the stuff fran- unquestionably improved a franchisor’s ability
almost nothing they
chisees won’t say to a franchisor’s face! And if to reach, train, and coach franchisees.
won’t do in return.
there’s a genuine problem or a consistent com- But the ubiquitous (and sometimes intrusive)
plaint, both sides need to pause and fix it. nature of the internet can all too easily trans-
form a franchisor from the friendly beat cop
SO, WE’VE ESTABLISHED the importance of the relationship. We see into a menacing Big Brother in the eyes of a franchisee. Real-time
that communication is the key to maintaining that relationship. access to the franchisee’s POS system, remote video, and form-
And now it’s time to back up all that talk—because a franchisor’s letter emails can substitute for dialogue—and in the process create
commitment to their franchisees should be obvious at every level an us-versus-them environment.
of the organization. When franchisees see franchisors breaking Franchisors need to display trust—trust that their franchisees
their back to help them succeed, there is almost nothing they are paying all required royalties, that they’re properly reporting