Comunicação com franqueados

Effective communication is essential to the success of any business franchising. Utilize estas dicas para potenciar a comunicação com franqueados e mantê-los atualizados e empenhados.

Many of the problems that franchise companies face can be put down to communication failures. For example, a franchisor that neglects to share security information or franchisees that launch promotions that are not aligned with the brand. The "secret ingredient" for successful franchisor-franchisee relationships is effective communication.

 

Comunicar melhor com franqueados

The good news is that effective communication is not a difficult skill to learn. Let's cover seven different ways to communicate better with your franchisees .

 

Ensure consistency with your franchisees

Uma comunicação consistente é essencial para reforçar a sua reputação e responsabilidade, bem como para construir trust com os seus franqueados. Permite-lhe também alinhar e medir os seus esforços. O contacto regular com os seus franqueados ajudá-lo-á a obter informações sobre o que é positivo, como saber quão eficaz é o seu marketing ou o que ouvem dos clientes.

There are many ways to establish a consistent dialog with your franchisees. For example, you can send a newsletter with interesting news and relevant updates or send out a survey to gather feedback and opinions.

 

Prioritize face-to-face communication

É fácil esquecer a importância da comunicação cara-a-cara na era digital. Ferramentas como o correio eletrónico, as redes sociais e as mensagens instantâneas oferecem conveniência, mas não podem substituir os laços pessoais que só podem ser construídos através de interações cara-a-cara. E as comunicações baseadas em texto muitas vezes perdem subtilezas importantes, levando a que até os e-mails mais bem-intencionados sejam mal interpretados.

Try to have face-to-face meetings with your franchisees, especially if you have to discuss important topics or goals. Emails can be very slow - readers cannot ask questions, so emails are subject to long discussions while people ask for further clarification. So face-to-face meetings may be the most efficient way to transfer a large amount of information.

If your franchisees are spread over a large geographic area, use video tools like Zoom, Join.me, GoToMeeting, and Google Meet for regular face-to-face communication. Note that online video conferencing is not a complete substitute for human contact.

 

Create feedback loops with your franchisees

Communication is a two-way street and should not be directed solely by the franchisor. Feedback loops are essential to help you understand what you need to improve, what interests your customers, why certain locations have better results, etc. It is not only demoralizing for franchisees if they feel they are not listened to, but you will also be missing out on crucial information and opportunities that can transform your business.

 

Meetings and action points

It is unreasonable to expect everyone to remember every detail of a meeting. Having an agenda is important, and you should also write down the key action points and decisions discussed at each meeting, share agendas and minutes with participants (and anyone else who couldn't attend), and follow up on action points to ensure that meetings have objectives and don't need to be repeated.

 

Provide support to franchisees

First-time franchisees with little experience running a business may feel overwhelmed at first. However, franchisors have traveled this road and have accumulated a wealth of knowledge over years of hard work and perseverance. Share your lessons and best practices with franchisees through written materials and other forms of communication such as meetings, Q&A sessions, and informal discussions. When franchisees feel supported and invested in, they will have confidence, perform better, and reinforce their trust in the brand.

 

Helping franchisees "sell" themselves effectively

The success of franchisees is a win-win situation for both parties. The more they sell, the healthier your business will be. Marketing is key to informing customers about the existence of your franchise and ensuring a healthy bottom line.

Encourage franchisees to focus on marketing initiatives. Not everyone comes from a marketing background, so it's important to give franchisees a solid foundation to help them get started. For example, you can provide a marketing plan that covers the first three months of a franchise location's operation. You should provide specific promotional materials, timing, and costs for each marketing activity, both online and offline.

 

Employ support and automation tools

In the chaotic world of running a franchise business, it is critical that your franchisees have the information they need to do their jobs effectively. Emails get lost in inboxes and meetings get sidetracked. Here are some great tools to help make communication with franchisees as smooth and efficient as possible.

• Calendar: This meeting scheduling software helps you find the perfect time to hold a meeting with ease.
• DocuSign: Use this application to collect digital signatures and complete important franchise agreements in minutes, wherever you are.
• Dropbox: A great tool for storing and sharing content about the franchise, such as marketing materials and operating manuals, allowing easy collaborations with franchisees .
• Google Docs: Use this platform to create, access and edit shared documents and collaborate with others in real time.
• Grupos de Facebook: Um ponto de venda informal de comunicação com franqueados, para ligarem e partilharem as suas ideias e experiências, discutirem questões em comum e organizarem atividades.