• International Franchisee Association 2018 event

5 Tips to Make the Most of the IFA Convention

By |2023-02-13T17:05:49+00:00February 6th, 2023|Blog|

The International Franchise Association’s (IFA) Convention is THE franchising event of the year. FBR's President, Michelle Rowan, share a few tips she's picked up over the years for making the most of your time there - no matter if you're a seasoned veteran or first time attendee.

  • Franchise+peer+group+members

How to Get Peer Groups Back on Track

By |2023-03-16T18:34:50+00:00June 11th, 2022|Blog|

Peer groups are a recognized and respected tactic used by franchise brands to facilitate internal knowledge sharing and invigorate their system. They are a proactive mechanism for franchise systems that want to truly leverage the collective knowledge and experience to improve unit results and brand performance. But even in the best systems, peer groups can eventually start to lose their effectiveness. If your peer groups are no longer functioning as effectively as they should, these five tips can help reinvigorate them.

  • Business people shaking hands

How to Work with Independent Franchisee Associations

By |2023-03-16T18:30:21+00:00May 14th, 2022|Blog|

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.

  • Image One Facility Solutions

Why Image One Shares Survey Data with Candidates

By |2021-11-23T18:08:52+00:00November 22nd, 2021|Blog|

Image One's Tim Conn talks about why they continue to survey their franchisees year after year, which question means the most to him, and how Image One summarizes the data highlights to help candidates understand the strengths of their system through FBR’s independent lens.

  • franchise investment

5 Ways to Protect Your Franchise Investment

By |2023-04-03T17:56:45+00:00April 21st, 2021|Blog|

Franchisee satisfaction is a primary leading indicator of current system health and a predictor of future performance and long-term system growth. If the brand you’re investing in doesn’t provide you with recent, detailed, third-party research on their franchisees’ satisfaction, it could be a red flag.

  • binoculars representing transparency in franchising practices

Franchisee Vision Plans: The Most Effective Tool You’re NOT Using

By |2021-09-23T17:28:16+00:00March 31st, 2021|Blog|

Most franchise companies have a crystal clear vision of where they want to go. But the mistake many franchisors make is not requiring their franchisees to have their own vision. Implementing a franchisee vision plan program is the most effective way to set expectations and align franchisees’ goals with the goals of the organization. Learn how to start putting vision plans to work in your organization with these free resources.

  • TeamLogic IT Franchise Leadership Team

How TeamLogic IT Adapted Their Franchisee Support Model to Achieve Significant Network Sales

By |2021-05-26T13:06:18+00:00February 17th, 2021|Blog|

As part of FBR’s ongoing series spotlighting 2021 Franchisee Satisfaction Award Winners, FBR talked with Team Logic IT’s president Dan Shapero about strengthening franchisee relationships, adapting franchisee support during the pandemic, and how they have continued to generate demand for the brand in terms of new store sales, new store awards, and territory expansion.

  • Sean Manning and Payroll Vault team at ribbon cutting

How Payroll Vault Measures Success Using Franchisee Satisfaction

By |2021-05-26T13:06:18+00:00February 11th, 2021|Blog|

In our continuing series spotlighting our 2021 Best-in-Category Franchisee Satisfaction Award Winners, Payroll Vault president & CEO Sean Manning talks with Nicole Dudley, Director of Client Relations at Franchise Business Review, about the “hypertransformation” in business over the past year, as well as how they use their survey data to drive goal-setting and measure success.

  • World's Best CEO mug

Attn: Smart CEOs

By |2022-05-23T12:10:27+00:00February 10th, 2021|Blog|

The pandemic disrupted many businesses - some struggled to survive while others were able to drive innovation. So where does that leave franchise CEOs who are committed to the health of their system? Implementing these three strategies with a critical focus on people is crucial for success.

  • The rollercoaster of franchise business ownership

Boosting Franchisee Soft Skills to Get Hard Results

By |2021-02-05T17:48:01+00:00February 5th, 2021|Blog|

Getting franchisees to their "point of clarity" can turn around underperforming franchisees and drive greater system performance overall. Scott Greenberg, author of The Wealthy Franchisee, shares how to get franchisees into the right mindset to boost performance, increase satisfaction and grow your brand.

  • customer satisfaction surveys

Franchise Buyers Increasingly Care About Franchisee Satisfaction

By |2021-09-24T16:10:01+00:00December 9th, 2020|Blog|

All franchise buyers do varying degrees of due diligence before investing in a brand. The difference is that today more and more prospective franchisees are looking at franchisee satisfaction data in addition to financial benefits, lifestyle, and the training and support they’ll receive. See what current franchisees have to say about franchisee satisfaction as a key factor in choosing a franchise.

  • Culture speedometer

Franchise Culture in 2020 Is Different – Like Everything Else

By |2023-03-20T14:59:48+00:00August 27th, 2020|Blog|

While some franchise brands were able to continue to thrive through the events of 2020, many have had to lay off or furlough employees and/or had franchisees whose businesses didn’t survive - all of which can also take a toll on franchise culture. It’s more important now than ever before to assess your company culture and take steps to fix the parts that are broken. These 12 steps can help you get started

Franchisor Spotlight: Pinch A Penny

By |2020-08-07T12:44:36+00:00August 7th, 2020|Uncategorized|

Michelle Rowan, president & COO of FBR, recently sat down with Michael Arrowsmith, Chief Development Officer of Pinch A Penny, a pool retail, service and repair franchise, to talk about their culture, what candidates are looking for when researching potential franchise investments, the recession, growth outlook, and training and support for franchisees.

  • paper ship leading fleet

Cultivate a Data-Driven Organization from the Top Down

By |2024-01-19T13:49:24+00:00June 5th, 2020|Blog|

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.

  • green light pointing to facts

10 Myths About Franchisee Surveys Debunked

By |2021-07-23T15:20:25+00:00June 3rd, 2020|Blog|

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.

  • Woman on phone in home office

Two-Way Communication: Making Sure Employees and Franchisees Are Heard During the COVID-19 Crisis

By |2023-03-16T21:05:08+00:00May 30th, 2020|Blog|

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.

  • Piggy+bank+with+hourglass

The ROI of Franchisee Satisfaction Surveys

By |2021-05-26T18:09:33+00:00May 28th, 2020|Blog|

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.

Smart Ideas Project 2020: The Path Forward from COVID-19

By |2023-03-20T14:56:34+00:00May 8th, 2020|Blog|

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.

  • Franchise+Peer+Group+Meeting

How to Implement Franchise Peer Performance Groups

By |2023-03-21T20:34:44+00:00April 30th, 2020|Blog|

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.

  • Woman on video call with colleagues

Maintaining and Rebuilding Company Culture During and Beyond COVID-19

By |2021-05-27T14:29:43+00:00April 10th, 2020|Blog|

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.

  • Tipping Point: Best Practices for Closing More Deals

Caring for Your Business, Yourself and Others During COVID-19

By |2021-05-26T18:26:01+00:00March 30th, 2020|Blog|

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.

  • content+marketing

COVID-19 Franchise Resources

By |2021-05-26T18:32:43+00:00March 27th, 2020|Blog|

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.

  • Franchise Update Leadership & Development Conference Main Stage

Creating a Culture of Growth

By |2021-05-26T19:27:43+00:00October 24th, 2019|Blog|

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’s Keeping Franchise Operations Up at Night?

By |2021-05-27T16:49:00+00:00October 2nd, 2019|Blog|

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.

12 Days of Holiday Reading to Get You Motivated and Inspired

By |2023-03-16T20:51:47+00:00December 20th, 2018|Blog|

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.

  • Homevestors+franchise

What Makes a Positive Organizational Culture?

By |2021-05-27T14:42:58+00:00October 5th, 2018|Blog|

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.

  • franchising@work

Best Franchises to Work For?

By |2021-05-27T14:48:41+00:00September 7th, 2018|Blog|

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!

5 Must-Have Resources for Emerging Franchise Brands

By |2023-03-21T20:31:55+00:00September 4th, 2018|Blog|

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.

  • customer+satisfaction

Is Your Brand Being Sabotaged?

By |2021-05-27T14:51:53+00:00August 29th, 2018|Blog|

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.

  • franchise+culture

Franchise Culture as a Foundation for Success

By |2023-03-16T20:58:14+00:00July 27th, 2018|Blog|

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 recruitment

10 Tips and Tricks to Crush Your Franchise Recruitment Goals With Data Storytelling

By |2018-02-13T09:57:01+00:00February 13th, 2018|Uncategorized|

Sales is all about storytelling: Connecting with your audience on a human level. And while data - cold hard numbers - may not seem like it gives your audience the warm and fuzzies, data is actually a powerful storytelling tool. These tips and tricks will show you how to leverage franchisee satisfaction data at every stage of the sales funnel to meet and exceed your franchise recruitment goals.

How Yogi Bear’s Laser-Focus on Brand Differentiation Made It a Top Franchise

By |2021-05-26T13:58:18+00:00January 30th, 2018|Blog|

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.

  • discovery day tactics

5 Tactics to Make Discovery Day More Effective

By |2023-03-16T16:03:03+00:00November 20th, 2017|Blog|

Discovery days are an integral part of every brand’s development process. They are a way to set appropriate expectations and expose candidates to what it’s like to be a part of your franchise brand. Here are five ideas to make your discovery day more effective and make sure the candidates you choose will turn out to be successful franchisees.

  • franchisee satisfaction data as business intelligence

Franchisee Satisfaction Data as Business Intelligence

By |2017-09-11T09:42:23+00:00September 11th, 2017|Uncategorized|

Business intelligence is all about using data to make informed decisions for your organization. It applies data analysis to glean actionable insights, identify risks and opportunities, and guide strategic plans. If you’re not collecting franchisee satisfaction data, you’re missing a critical piece of business intelligence. And that means you’re putting your entire system at risk.

  • franchisee satisfaction reviews

Highlight Your Franchisee Satisfaction Reviews Online to Influence Candidates

By |2017-08-14T08:50:46+00:00August 14th, 2017|Uncategorized|

It’s no secret most people read online reviews of a product or service before making a purchase. While most franchisors expect and encourage franchise candidates to contact their existing franchisees as part of the validation process, more and more are starting to realize they need to have reviews of their system online to grab candidates’ interest in the first place.

  • grow your franchise brand

Growing Your Franchise Brand Without Losing Sight of What Matters

By |2021-05-27T14:29:43+00:00July 20th, 2017|Blog|

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.

  • communication audit

Communication Audit: Think of It as Benchmarking

By |2023-03-16T19:59:09+00:00April 10th, 2017|Blog|

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.

  • The Franchise Happiness Project

eBook: The [Franchise] Happiness Project

By |2017-02-01T10:46:46+00:00February 1st, 2017|Uncategorized|

If you can commit to focusing on one area to work on each month and embedding it into your corporate culture, you may find that a step-by-step approach to change can end up making a big difference. This eBook lay out 12 best practices you can implement over the course of a year to increase satisfaction and improve productivity.

  • Zach Nolte, Kitchen Solvers

Zach Nolte

By |2023-03-15T16:54:26+00:00December 14th, 2016|Blog|

Zach Nolte President, Kitchen Solvers Did you use any type of survey before FBR’s? If so, was it internal or [...]

Chuck Lennon

By |2023-03-28T11:47:51+00:00November 2nd, 2016|Blog|

Chuck Lennon President, TeamLogic IT Did you use any type of survey before this? If so, was it internal or [...]