When you survey your franchisees, it's critical to share it with your entire executive team if you want to truly cultivate a data-driven mindset in your organization. The insights we collect on our surveys can help every team in your organization identify priorities, track their progress and meet their goals. Find out how each of your teams can benefit from having FBR walk them through your data together.
Over the past 15 years we've worked with more than 1,100 franchisors who understand the value of franchisee surveys, but we’ve also encountered many who buy into myths and misconceptions that simply don’t hold water. Here, we separate fact from fiction.
Most of us are aware that communicating - and communicating quickly and often - is critical in times of crisis. But while most of us are focused on outbound communication to employees, franchisees and customers, it’s important not to lose sight of the fact that communication is a two-way street. Learn how to ensure you have a plan for franchisees and employees to communicate their needs and concerns to you.
Franchisee satisfaction is a primary indicator of long-term system growth and success in measuring the health of any franchise system, but if you're wondering what the ROI of franchisee satisfaction surveys is, read on for 8 ways you'll get a return on your investment of time and money - and drive franchise system growth.
Franchise Business Review offers a free franchisee survey. Find out how and why we do it and how to get your free survey with no catch!
Franchisee associations, which are typically meant to represent the interests of the franchisee to the franchisor, are usually organized independently of the franchisor, and can play a key role in whether the franchisee/franchisor relationship is positive and productive, or negative and combative. Learn how to work with your franchisee association and positively impact the growth and profitability of your system.
In order for an FAC to truly represent franchisees’ perspectives, the group itself has to function effectively, which is dependent on practices and a culture within the group that set up both the FAC and the franchisor for success. If you have an FAC in your system, look for these five indicators to determine if it is running successfully.
FBR's president Michelle Rowan shares her three personal takeaways from Brené Brown on vulnerability, as well as how they apply to franchising.
Like other businesses across the country and the world, franchises have had to get creative in how they deliver their products and services - from implementing curbside pick-up to going entirely digital to completely changing priorities - basically overnight. We asked them to share their Smart Ideas for getting it done and here's what they told us.
Franchisors frequently implement new programs with the intention of adding value for all (or most) of their franchisees, but oftentimes, it’s hard to create programs that impact the more experienced, high-achiever franchisees in your system who have already figured out how to be successful. Franchise peer groups, however, can inspire and motivate all franchisees, including those already successful and mature franchisees, and give them the tools to take their businesses to an even higher level.
Many leaders are trying to adapt to running teams and their businesses remotely. How can you maintain, or create a remote culture while everyone is online instead of in-person? And how do we rebuild culture when remote workers return to the office? Consider these ideas for creating or maintaining company culture while working remotely during COVID-19 and how to rebuild culture after returning to the workplace.
Here at Franchise Business Review, we talk about ways we can contribute to supporting the franchise industry during COVID-19. With our Smart Ideas Project, we want to collect and share more ideas that are working in this crazy time - I hope you’ll share yours. We plan to share these ideas that might help support or inspire others as we look for ways to protect or pivot our businesses.
Within days of COVID-19 becoming a health and economic crisis, numerous organizations and companies made resources available to provide assistance and forums to connect us and guide us through this. To make them easier to access, we’ve compiled a list of the COVID-19 franchise resources we’ve come across. The list is not exhaustive and we are updating as more resources become available.
Learn three steps you can take to build in transparency to keep existing franchisees satisfied and engaged, and attract new franchisees to your brand.
If you see any of these four warning signs of franchisee dissatisfaction, your franchise system could be in trouble. Learn what to watch out for and how to fix it.
Social media expert Karen Spaeder of Rallio shares four proactive strategies for recruiting franchise employees using social media to fill open positions more quickly with the best job candidates.
Where are food franchises headed? We take a look at the data and trends affecting the success of the food franchise sector and how it compares to other sectors. Here are the food franchise stats you need to know.
Franchise Update's Leadership and Development Conference is a must-attend event. In case you missed it, FBR president Michelle Rowan shares the four major takeaways from the event on how to create a culture of growth in your organization.
What are the biggest challenges facing franchise operations teams? FBR's president Michelle Rowan joined over 175 operations leaders and had a unique opportunity to facilitate two days of discussion around where their focus is and the best practices they're using to overcome obstacles.
Learn how to get franchisees on board with your social media strategy - and increase satisfaction and support - using these tips from social media guru, Karen Spaeder of Rallio.
One of the biggest challenges of the franchisee lifecycle is keeping tenured franchisees engaged. Join us at the IFA's Franchise Operations Conference this fall to learn how successful franchisors are using franchisee satisfaction data to make continuous improvements to their training and support to break franchisees out of their performance plateaus.
There is no metric that better predicts success or foreshadows issues within a system than the sentiment of its franchise owners. Measuring and managing franchisee satisfaction is the best way to build a system in which everyone wins.
Are you using your franchisee satisfaction data in your public relations efforts? Looking for some inspiration? Get real-life examples and visuals of how creative franchisors are making satisfaction data the focus of PR and marketing strategies to get attention and edge out the competition.
Do your franchisees feel supported during compliance checks? Most franchisors will say “no”. But it doesn't have to be that way! FranchiseBlast has collected 357 franchise audit questions from top franchisors to help you "audit your audit" and elevate the compliance check from an exercise in “catching” franchisees doing something wrong, to “coaching” them to make the business be its best.
Social media has become an indispensable tool in franchise recruiting, with more and more franchise organizations using social platforms to attract new franchisees. With the ability to hone in on the exact type of operators they want to bring on board, franchise organizations are able to save time looking for the right qualified candidates. Meanwhile, prospective franchisees are using social media to research brands. Learn best practices for using social media not just to build brand awareness, but to attract and qualify franchisees.
As we celebrate this fourth of July, FBR's president Michelle Rowan reflects on the freedoms we enjoy and the value of listening to and carefully considering the opinions of others in our communities, families, even our franchise systems, in order to drive positive change.
FBR sat down with Any Lab Test Now to talk about how they have seized a unique position in the healthcare consumerism sector and their approach to innovation in franchising, particularly when it comes to franchisee support.
Even before franchisees commit to buying into your system, they need to have an exit plan in place. This article explains what franchisees need to consider when transferring a franchise business and the steps they should take when building a succession plan.
In this Interview with Jeff Huber, President & CEO of Home Instead Senior Care, he talks with FBR about the deeply personal experience that led to the inception of Home Instead and continues to guide their business philosophy.
FBR’s newly released [email protected] study found that franchise salaries for women are lower than men, especially at the mid-level management and C-Suite levels. The question is why? FBR’s president Michelle Rowan explores some theories that may be contributing factors.
Foster high performance within your franchise with these 10 simple steps. Follow this checklist, commit to franchisee satisfaction and results will follow.
Wouldn’t it be nice if your training sessions were available whenever you had the time to listen – maybe when you’re stuck in traffic or working on mundane tasks? Welcome to the age of podcasts. Learn how Office Pride Commercial Cleaning is using podcasts to help franchisees be more successful by providing training and support - when and where it fits their schedule.
FBR’s CEO Eric Stites provides an inside look at employee satisfaction in the franchise sector in the latest issue of Franchising World. Find out which employees are least satisfied, where the biggest pay gaps exist, and the risks posed by Gen Z.
Celebrate International Women's Day with three simple, yet profound ideas gleaned from the legendary Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Franchise Business Review's President and COO, Michelle Rowan, explores lessons learned from the feminist icon, the value of women in her personal life and their role in the industry.
2018 may be in the rearview mirror, but there was a lot happening. We rounded up the hot topics that everyone was talking about and take a look ahead at what's to come in 2019.
It’s the season of giving, and while a partridge in a pear tree would be nice, we thought a list of our 12 favorite books would be a tad more practical. The team at FBR compiled this list of the most inspiring and motivating books they’ve read this year so we could share them with you.
Each year, Franchise Update invites franchise brands to compete in the Star Awards, which recognize franchising’s top sales teams at the annual Franchise Leadership and Development Conference. Find out which of the winning brands excelled in franchisee satisfaction and what the research revealed.
This handy checklist is a free tool to help you compare the services and benefits of survey providers - either internal or third-party - to make sure you’re getting the most for your investment of time and money.
It’s clear that content marketing works. You know you need it to be relevant, but executing is another story. No matter the size of the system, franchisors share the same challenges when it comes to implementing and maintaining an effective content marketing strategy. This list of helpful resources and tips can help you get over the content marketing hump.
Despite it's critical importance, culture is frequently overlooked by leadership. This eBook examines the three foundational components of a positive franchise culture—and provides practical advice for franchise leadership teams for creating and maintaining a culture that leads to greater productivity and profitability.
Everyone's talking about organizational culture these days, but it can be squishy topic - hard to define and even harder to shape. To help understand what makes for a positive culture, we asked 10 franchise leaders at top-performing franchise companies how they would describe their brand’s culture. See what they told us.
While customer service is a mainstay within any business - and especially franchising - so is communications. And like customer service, excelling at communications is often nothing more than getting back to the basics. Learn six basic tips for ensuring effective franchisee communications that lead to stronger franchisee relationships.
Content is an important piece of a successful marketing strategy; by now, most marketers know this. But in the content age, the internet is flooded with information. As a franchisor, you are not only competing with the other franchise brands in your space, you are competing with all the content producers who are fighting for a spot on page one of Google. So, how do you create a successful content marketing strategy that will attract more candidates?
We're surveying EVERYONE that works in the franchise industry to find out what they think of their job, team, and company. Share your experience with us and help us identify the best places to work in franchising!
We’ve pulled together this list of the top 5 must-have resources for emerging brands, full of the best practices we’ve collected over a decade from franchisors who are growing their brands strategically while maintaining a system of highly satisfied (and profitable) franchisees.
There’s so much to know and learn as a new franchisee – and so much ‘paper work’ coming down from HQ, that franchisees often get lost in a barrage of paper, rather than focusing on the big picture. That can lead to your franchisees unknowingly sabotaging your brand and their customer satisfaction. Nancy Friedman, President of Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training, outlines five common phrases that can sabotage a business and how to mitigate them.
We see so many brands that grow quickly but don’t have the operations support in place to sustain it. Join us in Tampa on September 12 for the IFA's Operations Seminar, where top ranking brands in franchisee satisfaction will share techniques and insight on how to achieve grow your brand strategically through operational best practices.
Franchise culture NEEDS to be an operational priority - starting with leadership, but really for everyone in your organization. The challenge is knowing where to start. Join FBR at the IFA Operations Seminar in Tampa this fall to learn the secrets of creating a winning culture from leading franchisors.
Franchise brokers can be an important part of your franchise recruitment strategy, but most franchise brokers are working with a hundred or more brands. So how do you make sure your broker is recommending your brand over others when talking with potential leads? Find out how your franchisee satisfaction data can be the silver bullet to get your broker sending more candidates your way.
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Campground started in 1969 and is most known for its family-friendly, outdoor entertainment - and of course, the iconic Yogi Bear character - but they are anything but old-school. Find out how they use innovation to drive sales and profitability.
FBR’s CEO, Eric Stites, recently talked with Crunch’s CEO and Founding Partner, Ben Midgeley, about fanchisee-franchisor relationships, being “unamazonable”, and creating a culture of listening.
Nike made a mistake that cost them billions when they lost their endorsement contract with Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry to Under Armour. Don't make the same mistake Nike did when it comes to your franchisees.
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp Resorts was named one of Franchise Business Review’s top 200 franchises of 2018. We recently sat down to chat with Jim Westover, VP of Operations, to talk about the franchise’s growth over the past 50 years and how their focus on brand differentiation and franchisee education has been a critical factor in becoming a top choice for franchise buyers.
We all know the adage that “content is king,” but not everyone takes it to heart. Learn three ways you can use franchisee satisfaction data as part of a solid content marketing strategy to bring in more candidates and close deals more quickly.
It’s no big secret that business owners of all types get bored after a few years of being in business. When it comes to franchising, it’s even more crucial to keep them engaged - especially the more senior franchisees. These four tips will help you re-engage senior franchisees and break out of their performance plateau.
Successful franchisors make growing their franchise brand look easy, but it rarely is. How do they do it? For a little inspiration, read advice shared by franchisors at leading brands.
The energy behind small, but growing franchise brands is often fueled by the passion, culture, and core values of its founders, staff, and franchisees. As a brand grows, those things tend to get diluted or take a back seat to other priorities. Pulse surveys can help you keep your franchise on track and keep franchisees and corporate staff from disengaging.
Franchise executives from leading brands share how they have successfully incorporated video into their communications with franchisees to boost participation in their annual franchisee satisfaction surveys.
When was the last time you did a communications audit? Probably too long ago. Strategic communication is a critical component in your organization's ability to reach and exceed business objectives. And just as you would with other key areas of your organization like operations, marketing, and finance, communication must be reviewed, directed, adjusted, and monitored to ensure the best possible outcomes.
Do your Field Consultants understand that every request they make of a franchisee should be aligned to how this protects the brand, improves profitability, or creates happier customers? Learn why alignment is more powerful than compliance and more effective in achieving franchise best practices.
Learn some of the ways EmployBridge has successfully used their annual conference as part of an overall effort to improve and foster franchisee engagement.
Vic CiuffetelliCEO, ActionCOACHWhy did you decide to survey your franchisees with FBR? FBR is reputable and has recognition. Did you [...]
Zach NoltePresident, Kitchen SolversDid you use any type of survey before FBR’s? If so, was it internal or with another [...]
Seventy-four percent of franchise executives report that they do not verify assets, yet failing to verify assets before awarding a franchise can put franchisors in an unenviable position. Boefly's David Bassin shares why asset verifications play a critical role in vetting franchise candidates.
Integrating digital marketing overall development and marketing strategy is a no-brainer. But, did you know your franchisee satisfaction can be a secret weapon for converting prospective franchise buyers?
Chuck LennonPresident, TeamLogic ITDid you use any type of survey before this? If so, was it internal or another vendor? [...]
Leann ReynoldsPresident, Homewatch CaregiversDid you use any type of survey before this? If so, was it internal or another vendor? [...]
Stephen Schoepke IT Director, IAPP Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, ea assum efficiendi sea, an vis iudico utinam, in vim [...]
Franchise brands with strong cultures have extremely high satisfaction and engagement among their franchisees. But cognitive culture is only half the story. Research cited by Harvard Business Review article points out that emotions are central to building the right culture.
There are some brands that go above and beyond the typical ways we suggest the award be promoted. Here are some of our favorite examples.
The new Google Review Extensions option gives you an opportunity to highlight third-party reviews and awards in your ads as well. What better differentiator to highlight than your status as a top-rated franchise opportunity by FBR?
Try these five easy, low-cost tips to start increasing franchisee satisfaction, and maximize your franchise system's growth and revenue.
The segment, part of the Nightly Business Report program, aired on November 11, 2015 and featured interviews with veteran franchisees of both Housemaster and Pinot's Palette, two of the highest rated brands in our 2015 Top Franchises for Veterans guide.
Download Franchise Business Review's whitepaper, Top 10 Roadblocks Standing in the Way of Franchisee Satisfaction and learn how to identify [...]
This month I celebrate my 10th anniversary at Franchise Business Review (FBR). I also turned 40 this summer, which seems an ideal time to reflect on what I’ve figured out makes work a place I enjoy going to each morning.
According to GuestMetrics, which gathers check-level data from the Point-of-Sales systems, the average guest check that includes food and a mainstream American beer is about $73.00, while a craft beer drinker’s food and beverage check totals $86.00.
The fourth of July makes me appreciate how fortunate we are to live in a country where opinions can be [...]
By creating a culture of professionalism, collaboration and accountability, peer groups can help franchisees achieve measurable results and take their [...]
Having a strong culture of transparency is critical for the long-term success of your franchisees and your system as a whole. Franchisees can easily get distracted as their business grows, which will ultimately stall their growth. Being 100 percent transparent as an organization will keep you and your franchisees laser-focused on things that really matter.
There’s no doubt we’ve all worked with a complainer or two—that person who spends all his time griping about a situation rather than doing something to improve it. Complainers may hurt your brand in more ways than you know.
With the shadow of tax overhaul looming, the International Franchise Association and Franchise Business Review asked franchise executives to weigh in on several pending tax proposals and comment on tax reform in mid-October 2011. More than 400 franchisors and franchisees took part in the study, which uncovered the following key findings.
