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Franchising: A Two-Way Street
After choosing to purchase a franchise, you rightfully expect the parent company to come through with a great deal of support.  After all, you are forking over tens of thousands of hard-earned dollars in the form of a franchise fee, not to mention additional sums of cash for equipment, supplies, inventory, and so on.  But you have responsibilities as well – to yourself and your employees, and to the corporation whose brand you represent.

Be an Investor
When a corporation adds a new franchisee to its roster, the people at the home office have already done a great deal of due diligence.  Notably, they examined your financial situation and decided you had sufficient capital to move the business forward as well as supply the start-up cash.  Most new businesses need time to find their market and attract enough customers to pay the bills and provide a profit.  One of your first responsibilities as a franchisee is to keep things running smoothly.  Pay your suppliers on time, pay your employees a fair wage, and address all your financial obligations in a consummately professional manner.  If you can afford it, take your early profits and plow them back into the business.  This will benefit you in the long run, especially if you have plans to open additional locations at some point down the road.

Be a Leader
Your management skills were also under consideration while your application was being reviewed for approval.  Both before, during and after the grand opening, a franchisee must take the initiative and make sure that every facet of the business is running smoothly.  Training is one of the most important features of franchise operations – both yours and that of your employees.  Make sure that everyone involved in the business takes full advantage of every training session.  They come to learn exactly what is expected of them, plus the cohesiveness of working toward a common goal will give everyone a sense of purpose.  It is just as important for you to lead by example.  When you are a franchisee, no job is beneath you and every task is important.  If your workers respect you, they will work hard for you.  Under these conditions, everyone benefits.

Be a Partner
The objective of every parent company is to make sure their franchise operations succeed.  They have invested a great deal of time, effort and money in helping you open for business.  And in situations where part of your revenue each month is sent to the home office in the form of a royalty – nearly every franchisee pays one – you are truly in partnership with the corporation.  Stay in touch with them on a regular basis.  You will derive great benefit from the things you learn, and your experiences on the front lines of business will help everyone connected to the system.  A surprising number of worthwhile innovations – marketing ideas, equipment redesign, and general business practices – come from franchise operators who figure out a way to do something better and then spread the word to their colleagues.

Be an Organizer
The roles you play as a franchisee are many.  You’re a manager, a trainer, a salesperson, a marketing executive, a bookkeeper, a maintenance person, a human resources supervisor, and probably a few other things as well.  Your day-to-day activities – ordering supplies, meeting with clients, creating work schedules, and filling out all kinds of paperwork – can overwhelm you.  By organizing your day sensibly and prioritizing all the tasks that need to be done, you will actually find the time to make your business successful rather than playing catch-up all the time.  And don’t forget to delegate.  Perhaps the biggest mistake any new franchisee can make is assuming that no one else does the job as well as you.  Get your people to lend a hand wherever it makes sense.  They will appreciate the confidence you show in them, and you will be able to save at least a sliver of your sanity.

Be a Guardian
Protect your employees by sticking up for them at every opportunity.  Protect your cash flow by treating every customer with respect and fairness.  Protect your suppliers by paying your bills on time.  Protect the brand you represent by being its best possible local representative.  Finally, protect your investment by doing everything necessary to succeed.

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