Understanding Franchise Relations for Business Success with Evan Hackel

What Does It Take to Be Successful in Franchising?

Franchising can be lucrative but complex. In this episode of The Business Growth Show, host Ford Saeks interviews franchise relations expert Evan Hackel to uncover what makes the franchise model thrive.

They explore the intricacies of aligning franchisees with franchisors and strategies to enable growth. With disruptions in buying behaviors and increased competition, strong franchise relations are more critical than ever

How to Understand Franchise Relations for Business Success:

• Franchisees Have Insider Insights for Improvement – Franchisees operate the day-to-day business directly with customers. They have valuable insights from the frontlines that franchisor leadership often lacks. Respecting feedback from franchisees and actively listening to their perspectives can strengthen operating systems and enhance the overall brand.
• Franchisees Impact Each Other: Participation Matters – The actions of each franchisee affect the entire brand system for better or worse. When some franchisees fail to participate fully, don’t follow operating procedures, or just go rogue, it actively hurts other franchisees and diminishes the power of the overall brand. Lack of participation from some franchisees negatively impacts all.
• Driving Innovation Requires Pushing Limits – Innovating and moving the franchise brand forward requires keeping franchisees uncomfortable at times. Leaders cannot focus solely on franchisee satisfaction scores. They need to challenge franchisees to try new things and push beyond their status quo. Short-term dissatisfaction may be necessary for long-term innovation, growth, and sustainability.
• More Engagement Equals Better Performance – Implementing tools like franchisee advisory councils, regional networking groups, and leadership training increases engagement and gives franchisees a sense of ownership. Instead of top-down communications, two-way dialogues lead to better idea exchange. And engaged, empowered franchisees perform better, grow faster, and deliver superior customer experiences.
• Link Business Goals to Personal Motivations – Consulting franchisees on how to link business goals to personal motivations and life visions provides deeper meaning and fuel for franchisees to expand. Not all franchisees are motivated solely by profit-growth. Understanding individual personalities and hot buttons helps franchises consult franchisees better to set unified goals.

The insights from Saeks and Hackel in this episode uncover psychology, strategy, and tactics to unite franchisors and franchisees. When franchising partnerships thrive based on mutual understanding and respect, the entire system prospers.

These lessons on alignment and engagement apply far beyond franchising too. Any sustained partnership model needs constant collaboration built on trust. Use this episode’s wisdom as a blueprint to transform the depth of key bonds in your business. Evaluate communications and motivations across advisors, team members, vendors and customers. Growth erupts when you strengthen these relationships.

For more expert advice in business, sales, marketing, life, and everything in-between, tune in to future episodes of Fordify LIVE! every Wednesday at 11AM Central on your favorite social media platform, or you can listen to new episodes of The Business Growth Show Podcast every Thursday on the podcast network of your choice.

Evan Hackel has helped start over 20 businesses, turned around a bankrupt $700 million franchise business and grown it to $2 billion in four years. He was part of the team that grew CCA Global Partners to $10 billion in system-wide sales in 20 years. Evan is considered an expert in Franchising, Cooperatives, business startups and general management. He is CEO or Tortal Training, a leading training development company, and Principal and Founder of Ingage Consulting. Evan is the host of Training Unleashed and author of Ingaging Leadership. Evan speaks on Seeking Excellence, Better Together, Ingaging Leadership and Attitude is Everything.

Find him at EvanHackelSpeaks.com