The rise of franchises has grown nearly 10 percent in the past five years, with more than 750,000 in operation across the globe. Protecting brand integrity and profits across all locations is critical for success, but it can be challenging for franchisors to ensure total compliance. Try these five franchise assurance tactics to protect your brand everywhere it lives.
Communicate Your Guidelines and Mission
So much time, effort, and consideration went into your franchise’s first-ever location. Products were thoughtfully curated, rules were purposely made, and standards were carefully set.
Before a new franchise even opens its doors, compliance should be one of the first conversations you have. Take time to explain your mission, values, and guidelines, so your franchisees understand your roots and the reasoning behind your brand standards. Also, put your guidelines and mission in writing, so franchisees can refer to them at any time.
Provide Ongoing Training
You know that feeling of renewed energy and inspiration after attending a compelling conference in your field? A similar effect happens when you provide ongoing training to your franchisees.
Communicating your guidelines and mission doesn’t stop after just one conversation. Consistency is key when it comes to compliance. Provide ongoing training for your franchisees to brush up on their skills and to introduce new brand initiatives. This ensures not only that your mission isn’t forgotten, but it also allows your franchisees to grow.
Be a Resource to Franchisees
Franchisees can often feel like corporate only checks in to “spy” on their operations. As a franchisor, it’s important to position yourself as a resource, an ally—not a detective looking to catch them doing something wrong.
Build a culture of open communication within your franchise. Empower franchisees to ask questions, communicate issues, provide feedback on what is working and not working, and recommend any strategies for improvement. This makes your franchise feel more like a partnership, where franchisees feel invested and valued as part of your team.
Reward Top Performers
Look at your top performing franchisees. While they don’t necessarily need a trophy to be motived to do their job, it’s important to recognize when your franchisees are succeeding. This reinforces that their efforts are appreciated and valued as well as serves as a lesson to underperforming franchisees on how they can improve.
Employee incentive programs can reduce turnover, increase productivity, and build loyalty. Loyal franchisees, in turn, will be more likely to ensure compliance with your brand standards. Give special recognition and offer incentives like bonuses, trips, and other goods to promote friendly competition and motivation among fellow franchisees.
Have a Dedicated Franchise Assurance Team
The best way to keep franchises accountable is to have a dedicated team to monitor franchisees and handle compliance-related issues. HS Brands offers a national and global franchise assurance services team that specializes in identifying and resolving franchise issues related to underreporting and brand standards compliance concerns. We’ll work with you to build a complete franchise assurance program—from audits to investigative services—to meet your goals and protect your brand everywhere it is represented.
Contact HS Brands today to see how we can ensure franchise compliance.
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Raymond Esposito
Director of Business Development & Marketing
HS Brands Global
Raymond Esposito has over 28 years of loss prevention experience, working within the department store, specialty, and grocery segments of retail. He has developed loss prevention programs for over 125 retailers in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Connecticut and is an expert witness.
