DIGITAL

BEST PRACTICES
Don’t Set and Forget: Tips
to Avoid Common Errors
in Running Your Franchise
System
Just because you have established a model that works does not
mean the path to success will be clear.
BY RICK COFFEY
Building a business into a franchise
is a major accomplishment. It
means people like your product,
appreciate your business, and want
whatever you are selling. It means your
brand stands out and its value extends
beyond one market. However, the journey
is far from over. Running a franchise is
not a “set-it-and-forget-it” proposition.
Franchisors need formulas and systems
in place that make the business easyto-replicate,
but there are still plenty of
opportunities for errors to seep in.
Success in any business is by no
means guaranteed. But there are ways to
address some common mistakes. Here
are four of those mistakes and tips on
how to avoid them.
CUTTING CORNERS
While in many cases the cost of
opening a franchise can be less than
opening the original location, this does
not mean you can cut corners. Each
new franchise has to attract customers,
whether they are customers who
already know (and like) your business,
or customers who have never heard of
your system before. The old adage of
“you only get one chance to make a first
impression” rings true here. If customers
walk in to find cheap furniture and
fixtures, a shortened menu of services,
or a skeleton staff, that will affect the way
they perceive your business.
There is nothing wrong with looking
for opportunities to trim the fat in order
to maintain or increase profits, however
this can be taken too far. Reducing
costs can’t come at the expense of the
customer experience. Focus instead
on optimizing efficiency, and look for
creative ways to save time and money.
BAD HOUSEKEEPING
Another common mistake is to let
housekeeping slide. A franchisor can’t
always be present at every location to
ensure that standards of cleanliness,
sanitation and organization are
maintained. However, the second these
standards are relaxed, customers will
start walking out the door, and in many
cases, they will apply their experience at
one location to the franchise as a whole.
As a pet care business, Barkefellers,
knew from day one just how important
high standards of housekeeping are.
(Continued on page 50)
48 FRANCHISING WORLD NOVEMBER 2015