Greg Nathan from Franchise Relationships has shared five top tips on how franchisors and franchisees can engage constructively with their respective teams.
Nathan said, “Our research shows franchisees who ‘feel the love’ are significantly more likely to recommend your franchise concept to others. And positive word of mouth is the most effective way to grow a franchise network, or any business for that matter.”
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Practice quality listening in your discussions. The most powerful way to demonstrate care and respect is to listen with concentration. Listening does not necessarily mean you agree. When people feel listened to without being judged or interrupted they engage more, share more honest information and are more likely to commit to taking action.
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Show respect – for franchisees and staff as valued members of the business. Remember franchisees probably have far more at stake, financially and emotionally, than you (the franchisor). Franchisees and their staff should know that their commitment to the brand is appreciated and in the case of the franchisee the sacrifices they are likely to have made by investing in the franchise model are recognised. While franchisees and their staff may not be legal shareholders of the brand they certainly are stakeholders of the highest order.
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Recognise their efforts as well as their results. Look for opportunities to praise behaviours and attitudes that support your brand values and culture, beyond sales achievements. Franchisees with the biggest sales are not necessarily your best franchisees in the broader scheme of things. Just rewarding results can breed arrogance and even complacency.
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Focus on the positives, not just the negatives. Regardless of whether you are a franchisor visiting a franchisee or a franchisee assessing your staff, make sure you actively look for the things they have done well. Use their strengths as a foundation to then address what can be improved. People are more likely to be open to feedback if they also have a sense they are doing some things right. Constant criticism breeds resentment.
- Combine tough messages with empathy and facts. While it’s useful to be direct and to the point when giving an important message, always explain your reasons and back this up with objective information.
Franchise Relationships is hosting Journey to Excellence – a six month leadership program supporting franchise executives. Click here for more information.