The New Career Economy® is much different than what our parents’ generation experienced. Long gone is the era of working for Corporate America for 30 or 40 years toculminate our careers with gold watches and the security of retirement plans and a strong Social Security system. Unemployment rates have continued to rise in the last few years and layoffs and retrenchments have become the reality for more and more people.  Adding to these economic woes, the decline in the stock market has drained most people’s savings; and, the real estate crisis has eroded their greatest asset, in some cases leaving them owing more in their homes than they are worth. Just like nature evolves due to conditions in the environment, this grim economic landscape has given birth to a New Breed of Franchisee Candidates.

Many people have realized that their only option is to take their destinies in their own hands. They have become proactive and no longer rely on Corporate America for their financial security. They no longer trust the reactive investment market and are now becoming more proactive in finding ways to  take control of their economic future. These are savvy and educated individuals who have reached a point of frustration with the current economy that makes them willing to be more self-reliant. Tired of the ups and downs of the stock market, this New Breed of Candidate is looking to diversify their investments away from the reactive stock market into something they control.   The growing distrust of those in control of the financial markets has evolved into a renewed confidence in their own ability to generate higher returns than leaving their financial future in the hands of others.

The current economy has certainly redefined the term “job security.” Yet, these challenging economic conditions add fear to an already frightening process. Making important economic decisions during these uncertain times creates anxiety even in those individuals who habitually have beenmore risk tolerant; and of course, it increases the hesitancy of people in general. Traditional sales tactics and processes that put pressure on candidates to make decisions and move the process along are a sure bet to backfire. This New Breed of Candidates demands a different experience.

If you want to award franchises during this economic environment the pertinent questions are:

• Are you structured to attract this new Breed of Candidate?

The New Breed of Candidates wants more control over their lives. They are willing to take responsibility and educate themselves. If you are not using technology to streamline your franchise award process, you will never be able to attract these individuals.

• Are you using the same franchise sales process you’ve used for more than a decade?

If you haven’t changed your franchise awarding process to address the fear gripping emotions of the current economic landscape you won’t be able to engage the New Breed of Candidates. Processes that worked in the past have become totally obsolete. You need to learn how to improve your ability to “coach” individuals through the natural fear that occurs in our current environment.

• What do you need to do differently to create the different experience that the new breed of candidate demands?

You need to understand the consequences of the economic environment in which we live.  You need to learn to understand the New Breed of Candidates, their needs and expectations. You need to forget what worked in the past and seek new strategies that leverage technology to educated candidates. You need to find ways to remove the barriers created by the lack of funding and coach your candidates through financial pre-qualifications. You must start the discussion about funding a franchise much earlier in the process. You MUST stop selling franchises and start awarding them.

Related posts:

1. Talking Funding First – Why a Reversal of the Traditional Franchise Sales Process is Critical
2. Challenges of Selling the First Franchises
3. Looking for Franchise Leads? Start With Your Website

The premise of the “Master Mind Group” is that before we can achieve our goals and desires we must first acquire the specialized knowledge in the field we have chosen tor bring our dreams into reality. Hill claims that it’s unlikely that we possess or that we are willing to learn all the knowledge we need in order to make this happen, and that a Mastermind Group can and will ‘bridge our weaknesses.’

What does this all mean in the world of franchising?

Franchisors, regardless of their industry, share common goals of awarding more franchises, supporting and training franchisees towards success, and operating a financially rewarding company.  For new franchisors the world of franchising is complex, multifaceted; and, at times, quite scary. Most new franchise companies try to learn as they go, yet this is not the most efficient or effective path. If experience is not complemented by other methods of acquiring knowledge and information, new franchise companies struggle needlessly and the growth of mature companies becomes sluggish. Hiring coaches is one option that can pay for itself by avoiding costly mistakes. Forming or joining a Mastermind group is another powerful method to help companies learn the skills and access the information that will empower them to excel in franchising.

Franchisees can also benefit greatly from joining a Master Mind Group. There is a lot to learn about growing a successful franchise and Mastermind groups can certainly shorten the learning curve for new franchisees while assisting mature franchisees get out of unproductive ruts.

Whether you are a franchisor or a franchisee joining a Mastermind group can:

• Bring you and your objectives into focus
• Provide accountability
• Support you in your efforts to achieve your goals
• Offer new information and specialized knowledge
• Afford you the opportunity to learn new strategies and methodologies
• Bring a new perspective and new ideas
• Help you formalize an action plan and keep you on track

For Mastermind Groups to work in franchising they must:

• Meet on a regular basis
• Follow an agenda
• Have members committed to sharing  and supporting others
• Maintain perfect harmony
• Have diversity of experience and knowledge in the areas that support each member’s needs

Napoleon Hill shares how Mastermind groups worked for Henry Ford and for Andrew Carnegie. They can also work for you! Accepting that we don’t know everything and that others can assist us is the first step. Seeking help is what brings winners closer to success!

Consider joining or forming a Mastermind group today!

Related posts:

1. What Are the Challenges Faced by Start-up Franchisors?
2. Are Your Franchisees Able to Absorb the Information They Need?
3. Are Your Franchisees More Interested In Being Right Than In Being Successful?

1. Franchising this business is the right thing to do. I have no doubt that I will be successful and that I will give people the opportunity to also reach their financial dreams.
2. One of the most important parts of my job as a franchisor is to ensure that we are always ahead of the game; that our products and services are competitive in every way possible.
3. I want and will make money as a franchisor, but I also want my franchisees to prosper financially and in other areas. I must find ways of reducing their costs and increase their revenue sources so that they enjoy higher profit margins.
4. If my franchisees succeed so do I; and, I will do whatever I can to make that happen. We are a team; our success is interdependent.
5. Competition is a good thing. It keeps us on our toes.

On the other hand, franchisors that can’t seem to make it happen tend to share the following beliefs and doubts:

1. Franchising is going to make me rich. I don’t care whether or not that applies to the franchisees; I know it applies to me and that’s what matters.
2. We must get everything done as inexpensively as possible; give them the minimum support we can get away with.
3. My job as a franchisor is to tell franchisees what to do, to make sure they do it and to take their franchise away if they don’t follow my system, period.
4. If some of my franchisees are successful that proves my system works for everyone. They just need to have the money for the franchise.
5. I am not sure if franchising is going to work. I wonder if I have what it takes to be a successful franchisor.

Beliefs are nothing more than thoughts we repeat over time and with which we identify. They are not bad or good but if unchecked they can sabotage our success.

We take our beliefs as the only truth and unfortunately this blinds us from contemplating new perspectives that can lead us to the success we seek. Some of our beliefs may have half truths in them, some may be correct in some circumstances and not in others; but when we identify with them we normally don’t embrace the possibility that they may not have anything to do with reality. Instead, we search for the evidence to support them and to make us right. The result: we miss the mark. Franchisors who want to succeed will benefit from reviewing the beliefs they hold as they will create their results.

Related posts:

1. Do the beliefs of franchisees affect their success?
2. What makes a franchisee successful?
3. Franchise Success = Dreams + Beliefs + Readiness

 

Many people hold some erroneous beliefs about franchising which can mislead them and create a lot of unnecessary pain.

 Myth 1:   If I franchise my business I will make tons of money.

Yes, there is a good probability that franchising a business will result in significant financial gain. But, unfortunately, this is not always the case, at least not in the beginning. To be successful, a franchise must have a viable and sustainable business format (See earlier Blog entry on Sustainable Franchising). It must also be properly marketed so that the franchise network can grow before substantial gains are received.

A company contemplating expansion via franchising needs to be prepared to make a sizable upfront investment. Depending on the initial franchise fee, this investment can be recouped after selling the first few franchises; but the trick is that to sell those first franchises is not as easy as many people think.  (Refer to the Blog entry about selling the first Franchisesfor more information on this subject.) Time and money must be invested to attract the right candidates before monetary gains can be enjoyed by the franchisor.

Myth 2:  If I franchise my business I won’t have to work as hard as I am working now … I can just retire.

In most cases franchising a company will simply change what the owners do rather than reduce their workload. That is, franchising calls for different work from that previously required to run the business; and, while different, it is still work. Moreover, successful franchising requires a lot of effort especially in the first few years. During this time, the founder is in learning mode which calls for a lot of energy expenditure and a strong resilience. However, once a franchise company has the ability to hire an effective management team, the founder can take it easier. In most cases, with today’s technology, all that is needed to run the franchise company from home, a mountain cabin or the beach, is a way to access the Internet and a reliable telephone line. But it takes time to get there.

Myth 3:  Once I teach a franchisee how to run the business I do not have to do anything else for them. After all, they signed an agreement to pay me royalties for a long time.

Many people considering franchising their business are under the impression that because an agreement exists between them and franchisees they do not need to be concerned with innovation and value added services to franchisees. Yes, the franchise agreement exists for the protection of the franchisor as well as all franchisees. Yet, if franchisors do not continually provide value, they will have disgruntled franchisees that will thwart the growth of the company and some will stop paying royalties and other financial obligations. The franchise agreement gives franchisors the right to enforce the agreement and begin legal action against the delinquent franchisees, but this is a costly enterprise. The most effective franchisor philosophy is to thrive to serve franchisees by creating cost savings as well as new products and services that can augment the profits of franchisees and help them become more efficient.

Myth 4:  All franchisees are highly motivated. They have paid a lot of money to buy the franchise; they are going to do everything they can to make it work.

Another fact that can be shocking to a new franchisor is to realize that not all people making a large investment are automatically highly motivated to succeed. New franchisors tend to project their own values onto their franchisees. It can be an unpleasant discovery to find that many people are not self motivated and to be able to succeed they need high degree of encouragement, detailed instructions and a strong support and accountability system.

Myth 5:  My franchisees should have no problem learning the business and doing all that needs to be done to open it and manage it successfully; after all, I am doing so much for them.

Many new franchisors fail to understand that franchisees are not true entrepreneurs; that they are not like them who had an idea and just made it work. Franchisees see the value of paying the franchisor so they can learn and avoid mistakes; they are more risk averse than the founding franchisor.

Some franchisors simply can’t accept that most franchisees will be overwhelmed with all that needs to be done to start the business. They also tend to forget what it was like for them when they first started. The latter is natural, but it is critical for franchisors to understand that the first 3 to 9 months in the life of franchisees are very difficult. During this time franchisees are truly out of their comfort zones and fear prevents them to be at their best.

Smart Franchisors take it slow and are patient. They break tasks down so franchisees can absorb what needs to be done and implement the franchise system successfully. They remember that if franchisees can’t conquer tasks they will feel like failures which creates more fear and prevents them from getting in the mental state that engenders success.

Related posts:

1. Franchising – Federal (FDD) vs State Registrations
2. 7 Reasons to Franchise your Business
3. Franchising: a Love Affair by Lizette Pirtle

Why not both: successful and right? I don’t subscribe to “either/or” any longer; I now embrace the beauty of the AND which allows for possibilities to come into my life. However, when it comes to success and being right there is clearly an either/or. That is, being successful and being right do not mix, in the sense that those who seek to be right truly desire someone else to be wrong; and, in this scenario, there is no room for success. The need to be right becomes more powerful and it blinds us to possibilities, new perspectives and answers. 

In my experience, many franchisees, especially at the beginning of their careers, are simply more interested on being right. They are not ready to accept that they may not know something or that which they are resisting is what may make the difference in their business. They also may feel so insecure in their new role that being right becomes more important.

Success is not about right or wrong. Success is about achieving what we desire and doing whatever it takes to get there. In most cases our success in new ventures calls for our transformation so we can achieve something different. Most successful people we admire had to undergo hardships before tasting success, and most of this adversity came from fighting their own personal dragons. This is always the same regardless of who you are. What’s different is how we react to the challenge.

When a franchisee is trying to prove that a portion of the franchise system or a procedure does not work, they are seeking to be right. The premise they use is not how a procedure or methodology can work, but why it does not work. At that point franchisees are more interested in being right than successful. The question is a challenging one and you will create unease when you ask it, but it is an important question: Do you want to be successful or do you want to be right?   

The moment a franchisee realizes that they were seeking to be right, an opening is created. Even when they decide that at that moment they still just want to be right, the awareness created starts the process by which they shift towards success, personal growth and learning.

But the question is not just for your franchisees. Ask yourself the same question. Are you perhaps more interested in being right and don’t know it? If something is not working, what can you do to change it? Are you pointing the finger at your franchisees, the economy, or your franchise sales people? The question is as valid for you as it is for your franchisees. Success is all that really matters. Being right is irrelevant when you achieve success.

Related posts:

1. 5 Beliefs Successful and Unsuccessful Franchisors Hold
2. What’s the Makeup of a Franchisee?
3. How Can Franchisors and Franchisees Benefit from a Mastermind Group?

The most important areas of learning for new franchisors are:

1. Franchise Recruiting
2. Franchisee Training and Support
3. Franchisee Relations and Communications
4. Legal Aspects and Compliance
5. Innovation.

There are traps in each of these areas that new franchisors must learn to avoid.

1.   Franchise Recruiting

• Not having a growth plan. 
• Making earning claims intentionally and unintentionally.
• Thinking that the best franchisees are just like them.
• Selling instead of granting franchises.
• Not developing and following a system for recruiting franchisees.

2.   Franchise Training and Support

• Forgetting all they had to learn and to go through in order to get to where they are today; thus having no patience with franchisees.
• Leaving franchisees to fend for themselves.
• Believing they are good trainers just because they know the subject.
• Not using the OPS Manual as their training text, teaching from notes that never make it to the OPS Manual, and ending up with outdated manuals.

3.  Seeing franchisees’ requests for support as a bother.

• Finding the balance between over and under supporting franchisees.Franchise Relations and Communications. 
• Talking down to franchisees.
• Assuming a position of power.
• Not leading by example.
• Learning that each franchisee has a different communication style and needs and addressing them as people, not as numbers or locations.
• Creating the systems that can enhance communications.

4.   Legal Aspects/Compliance

• Creating a relationship that is all about the legal agreement and not considering the human partnership.
• Making operating decisions that go against the franchise agreement.
• Not been consistent when implementing compliance systems.

5.   Innovation

• Inability to let go of the day to day duties to take care of the future.
• Focusing on what has been and what is, and not understanding the need to keep ahead of the competition.
• Failing to embrace new technology.

Although all of these are important challenges to overcome, in my experience, the most critical one is simply not embracing a beginner’s mind. Because most franchise companies are founded by entrepreneurs, their tendency is to be independent and to figure things out on their own and on the fly. There is usually a sense of pride in this self-determination which has many positives, but also many negatives. When franchisors take the position that they know it all or can figure it out all on their own, they stop learning. When this happens growth stalls, whether you are a start-up, a junior, or a mature franchisor.

Related posts:

1. How Can Franchisors and Franchisees Benefit from a Mastermind Group?
2. Challenges of Selling the First Franchises
3. Looking for Franchise Leads? Start With Your Website

This is an article written by Sybil R Smith who is a Life Relationship Coach from Kingsport, TN. Make sure to visit her website.

I chose to publish this article here (with a modified title) because it emphasizes the power of beliefs in our lives. Belief is one of the elements contributing to success, as I explain in my book Franchise Success: The New Formula. Franchisees and franchisors who belief they will be successful, are so. Unfortunately, those who don’t belief they can be successful won’t be either. We all self-fulfil our prophecies with our beliefs and thoughts. I hope you enjoy Sybil’s article.

____________________

Beliefs are formed when we are very young; usually before the age of 6. Fairy tales teach us to believe there is a happily ever after out there waiting for us. Extracurricular activities teach us to believe in ourselves. Our parents teach us to believe that we are worth loving. Our teachers help us believe that education is the way to enlightenment. Well, this is what these people are supposed to teach us to believe.

Along the way, though, we get confused. We create assumptions out of beliefs. We create complexity out of simplicity. Healthy beliefs turn into unhealthy habits. Some beliefs that are meant to be temporary are carried along into adulthood – because nobody told us we can re-evaluate what we believe along the way.

For example, as a toddler, I was told that people go to school until they are in their 20′s and finish at least one level of college. My parents did this for me to encourage me to value education and to reach a high level of achievement in the career of my choice. The thing is, I assumed – believed – that going to college was not a choice, but a requirement. I went. I had a good time. I did well. And then, during my last semester, I realized that I did not have to go! It never dawned on me to take a moment, step back and evaluate my belief. It had become an assumption. It was not my parents’ fault for allowing me to believe this; I just failed to reevaluate my situation until time to graduate.

I call these “Belief Mishaps.”

The way we discover these belief mishaps is to evaluate our current belief system. The evaluation process is not a simple one. I wish I could say, “Do steps one through three and you will achieve enlightenment.” Evaluating your belief system is a life-long process. It takes time, commitment, openness, and desire to change.

You can do several things to encourage the process in your life.

1. Set an intention to explore your beliefs.

Start with a simple openness or curiosity and see what unravels. Write it down. Draw it out. Sing it. Find a form of expression that gets the intention out of your head and into your senses.

I want to know about myself in a deep way. I am open to change. I want to find the reasoning behind my beliefs. I am curious. What beliefs have I turned into assumptions? Which beliefs are holding be back from a full and authentic life?

2. Surround yourself with people who are aware of their beliefs.

Find a new friend who knows their “why” of life. Hang out with old friends or family who have walked the walk. Find people who will expand your perspective. Step outside your box. Hire a coach, talk to a therapist, or seek spiritual counsel. Ask questions like this:

What makes you…? Who influenced your…? What created your life…? When did you decide…? Where did you learn…? Why do you…? How did you get here?

3. Seek growth experiences to explore your beliefs.

My favorite way of evaluating my beliefs is through new experiences. For an introvert like me, there is nothing like walking into a totally new environment filled with new faces to challenge the box I have put myself in. The walls get pushed and pulled in new directions until I find a new set of walls to rest in – for a while.

Go to a retreat – with strangers. Going with your friends only strengthens your current box and belief system. Experience a new form of spiritual practice or worship. Walk in someone else’s shoes for a day. Do the one thing you hate.

Take an awareness class, like the one I offer at the Creative Reflections Seminar Series. This series is designed to help you see another side to yourself, expand your box, and develop a fuller more authentic life.

Once you have started the awareness Journey, there may be bumps and jiggles along the way. It is ok. It is all a part of The Journey. Think of them as new opportunities for growth. There will always be more to learn about your beliefs.

As a side note, the second time I attended college – for my Master’s degree – I made a deliberate conscious decision to attend. I chose my school. I chose my degree. I decided that the belief I held as a young child was a good one for me. It was a great and powerful experience.

______

Sybil R Smith is a Life Relationship Coach who works with individuals and families to help bring hope, health, and harmony to their life through coaching, encouragement, accountability, and specialized creative arts psychotherapy. You can contact her at info@sybilrsmith.com or visit her website  at www.sybilRsmith.com.

Related posts:

1. Does Faith Matter in the Context of Franchising?
2. Do the beliefs of franchisees affect their success?
3. Franchise Success = Dreams + Beliefs + Readiness

When people invest in a franchise their lives change drastically. They go through tremendous emotional upheaval which has a direct effect on their family. The family normally does not make the investment choice for the franchisee. They may be involved in the decision making process but the final decision is usually made by one or two people. Yet, the consequences of this decision are felt by all family members.

When the results are positive, everyone is happy but when challenges come up, everyone is affected as well. Families can and do help franchisees succeed, but they also can hinder their success. As a franchisor you may think the family of the franchisee is none of your business. I invite you to think again.

• Are all family members supportive?

If families are not supportive of the franchisees’ decision, they will make it hell for the franchisees when the business affects their lives negatively. Further, family members who were initially supportive of the decision may withdraw their support when their lives are affected. If the business does not provide the same level of income, free time, or status that the family previously enjoyed, franchisees will get an earful of complaints. In most cases, this lack of support and negative input makes it more difficult for franchisees to continue putting forth the effort the business requires.

• Are family relationships strained and filled with conflict?

Starting a business is difficult enough in the best of circumstances. However, when franchisees have to deal with conflicted relationships their attention and focus can’t be where is needed the most. Energy that should be going to the business gets diverted to handling the emotionally draining relationships leading to poor results in the business.

• Do family members feel abandoned?

Starting a business requires time; and, the stress created by the fear of failure can lead franchisees to spend more time and energy in the business than it’s actually required.  When the attention of franchisees is solely on the business, family members may feel abandoned and will resent the business.

• Are the changes the franchisee is going through too drastic for the family to accept?

A new business means a new life and with it come transformation. Franchisees must change and adapt to their new circumstances. Some of these changes may be too much for some family members. This non-acceptance of the “new” person results in conflict.

As a franchisor you need to help your franchisee identify and deal with these challenges. Encourage your franchisees to:

• Communicate with all family members often and deeply about the business and their feelings about what they are going through.
• Ask family members for their support, help and understanding.
• Don’t take the support of family members for granted. Be grateful!
• Share with family members; talk about the challenges and get them engaged; they may come up with good ideas.
• Manage their time and make sure there is always quality time for the family.

I know, this is easier said than done. But if your franchisees do not take care of their family’s emotional well-being they will not be able to take care of the business. You, as the franchisor, can and should also pay more attention to the family of your franchisees.

• During your annual conferences or meeting, plan activities for the spouses and for the kids.
• Choose kid friendly dates and family friendly locations for your meetings.
• Don’t charge a registration fee for kids and only charge a food fee for spouses attending meetings.
• Negotiate discounts with vendors to encourage family participation in meetings.
• Get to know your franchisees’ families. Make the time and effort to introduce yourself to them and get to know their names.
• Celebrate the family accomplishments: births, graduations, weddings, etc.

Supportive, loving families are behind every successful franchisee.  Franchisor can foster good family relations; all it takes is awareness of the issues and effort.

What do you think? Do you agree?

Related posts:

1. 7 Challenges Home Based Franchisees Face
2. Franchise Success = Dreams + Beliefs + Readiness
3. Is Your Training Program Geared to Create "Franchisees of the Year"?

For some small business owners, franchising may be the best investment and exit strategy vehicle to ensure the retirement they desire.

• Franchising creates multiple locations that increase the value of the business.
• Franchising creates a network of distribution that can be used by others making it an appealing acquisition prospect for many companies.
• Franchising directs the business owner to more “big picture” thinking patterns and away from the worries of the daily operation of a single location. This new emphasis inevitably results in increased value.

However, you need to understand that franchising doesn’t create an increase in value overnight. It takes time to grow a network of franchisees. There is also the initial investment to develop the systems, comply with federal and state regulations as well as to recruit, train and support franchisees. As franchises are sold and the network grows this initial investment is recouped, yet franchising is not easy and should be considered carefully.

Franchising a business changes the nature of the activities you, as the owner, perform. In other words, when you franchise, you change your business; you become a franchisor and your main activities are the recruiting, supporting and training of franchisees as well as the protection of the brand and innovation. Not everyone is suited for this type of transformation. But if you are willing to embrace change, franchising is a rewarding method of increasing the value of your business and its appeal to buyers in the future thus becoming a viable and profitable exit strategy when the time to work less and enjoy more comes.

Related posts:

1. Client Reaches Exit Strategy Objectives
2. Ladies: Are you ready to change that business suit for something more casual? Franchising may be the answer…
3. 3 Reasons Why you should NOT Franchise your Business

• Communicate often:

In this world of electronic communication where emails prevail, grabbing the phone at least every 6 weeks for no other reason than to communicate with your franchisees can be very powerful. The bigger the organization, the harder this program is to implement, however making this “reaching out”  activity a priority will make a big difference in your relationship with your franchisees and your internal organization. Make sure everyone in your company is involved in this activity. No one is that busy that they can’t make one or two calls a day. The idea is to keep these calls light. For example: “Hi Joe, this is Mary Ann from the mail room. I just wanted to say hi. We met when you were here at training and that’s been a long time. How are you doing?” It’s that simple. Let them know you care!

• Remember your franchisees’ birthdays:

Remembering a person’s birthday is also a way of letting them know that you care about them and that they’re important to you. Today, with electronic calendar reminders, this is so simple that there’s no reason why it can’t be done. Additionally, there’re many electronic cards services available at very little cost making it even easier for us to make franchisees’ special days a bit brighter. It’s important that the cards come from a senior level manager, preferably the CEO. An assistant can email the cards on behalf of the manager, BUT he or she should take the time to read the list of cards that go out every day. This simple step will make your franchisees feel more like people to you and less like numbers; and over time, it will strengthen your relationship with them.

• Celebrate their life successes:

Most franchisors are very good at celebrating the performance achievements of franchisees. This is positive, but it’s even better when you celebrate other wins as well. Your franchisees are people with lives that are rich and full, so celebrate their entire lives not just a portion of them. Congratulate them for the birth of a child, the graduation of their children, a marathon in which they participated. Anything that contributes to your franchisees’ happiness is reason to celebrate and to share with others.  This outlook requires open and constant communication with your franchisees and also among your staff so that this type of news gets to the person in your organization responsible for formal communications to get included in your electronic newsletters and other more formal media to share with the entire network.

Your thoughts? Please share other simple ideas franchisors can implement to strengthen franchisee relations.

Related posts:

1. Are franchise relationships dependent or interdependent?
2. Franchisors, Franchisees: Are You Grateful?
3. 10 Tips to create great Franchisee-Franchisor Relations