Teamwork to Dream Work: Franchise Owner & Franchisee
August 27, 2022
A major factor in the success of franchise businesses and what sets them apart from the standard business model is the relationship between franchisor and franchisee. This teamwork can elevate a franchised business to another level, providing it with much-needed training and support, both in day-to-day operations and while looking at the bigger picture of running a business.
As a business owner, support can come in many forms, family and friends, professional contacts and your staff, but having a whole franchise system behind you, with decades of experience in the exact field you’re working in, brings an added dimension of help. This isn’t the case with all franchises, but we believe a strong mentoring and business relationship between franchisor and franchisee is beneficial for both parties. Here we’ll take a look at how teamwork plays such a big role in running a successful franchise.
How a Franchisor and Franchisee Relationship Should Look
1. Providing In-Depth Training
For most potential franchisees, it is normal to be entering a franchise agreement without a huge amount of experience in the particular field of business. This is possible with franchising, where it mightn’t be in normal circumstances because of the training the franchisor provides. This training is not just in the technical side of the daily work in the franchise but also the background tasks such as hiring, accounting and marketing.
At Screenmobile, for example, all our new franchisees start out with a 10-day training program at our Screen School, going through vital business skills like administration, marketing, sales and production. The training includes audio/visual classrooms as well as learning how to screen through real-life simulations. With 40 hours each in class-based and situational practical training, we try to set up all of our new franchisees with everything they need to hit the ground running in the screening business.
2. Ongoing Support
Of course, it’s great to be starting out armed with the right knowledge, but there are also going to be a vast number of new situations that happen for every franchise business owner in the first weeks, months and even years on the job. That’s why the role of the franchisor in providing always-on support and updating them on changes or trends is vital for their success. An effective franchisor and franchisee partnership are one where learning and improving is a constant.
At Screenmobile’s ‘Fast Start’ program, we aim to stand by our franchisees as much as possible as they navigate the early stages of their business. This program lasts for 13 weeks and includes weekly one-hour video calls with the franchisee’s own Support Manager along with 24-hour access to online modules so they can find the answers they need whenever they need them.
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3. Contact with Other Franchise Owners
The importance of communication between franchisor and franchisee isn’t just about the knowledge supplied by the franchisor but also how they facilitate flows of knowledge between people at the coalface of the business: other franchisees. This is a key connection, as other franchisees will know exactly what a beginner needs to know and what they’re going to be facing on the job. A successful franchisor will have nothing to hide and be happy to foster close relationships between all members of the system. At Screenmobile, we do this through annual national or local networking events as well as having an active Google Groups system to bring franchise owners in contact no matter how geographically dispersed they are.
4. Clear Contracts
In business, good contracts make good partners, and that applies between franchisor and franchisee as well. A good contract should be very clear to all parties and outline exactly what’s expected of all involved. For the franchisor, this will include what they will provide for the franchisee and what rights they will have throughout the course of the partnership. For the franchisee, it will be important to know what restrictions in terms of location and products are in place. It is also vital for them to understand how much the franchise fee and royalty fees will be so they can do their financial planning around it. At Screenmobile, we prefer to have everything freely communicated upfront, so a franchisee knows exactly what their costs will be without any hidden surprises.
5. Path to the Future
A good franchisee should be rewarded for their hard work, and that includes the opportunity to grow and expand their business. This also requires communication and support between the franchisor and franchisee. However, often even the most hard-working and diligent of business owners might fail to spot their own potential. At Screenmobile, we embrace the idea that success builds on success, so we have a special ‘Executive Management Track’ for all those who have shown they can effectively build their business and expand across multiple territories.
Conclusion
The relationship and communication between franchisor and franchisee are vital for the success of both parties. There are multiple levels on which this teamwork functions, including training and support, being clear about expectations and what the franchisee pays, and encouraging franchisees to be the best they can be.
Right from the start, when we decided we wanted to deliver guaranteed quality home improvement across the country, the honesty and integrity of the franchise family have been the primary driver of our success. The better this ‘family’ does, the better you can support and be there for your own family by being able to run a successful business while also building a flexible schedule to be there for what matters.
To find out more about becoming part of the Screenmobile franchise family, you can read more about it here or talk to our team.