In our last article, we began discussing how building strong relationships is essential to franchise success. More specifically, franchisees should focus on their relationships with: 

  • The franchisor
  • Employees
  • Customers
  • The community

Each of these deserves its own discussion, so today, we will tackle how to grow your relationship with your franchisor and why it can make all the difference in the success of your franchise business.

5 Ways to Develop Your Relationship with Your Franchisor

A franchisee-franchisor relationship is mutually beneficial, since both parties have something to gain from the relationship. As a franchisee, you rely on the franchisor to provide the systems and support for your success. Meanwhile, the franchisor relies on franchisees to represent the brand well, so the brand continues to thrive. 

Because of this, both parties are responsible for forming and maintaining the relationship. As you will see below, there are many things you can do to build a better relationship with your franchisor.

1. Show Passion by Knowing the Business

Knowing the business inside and out demonstrates to your franchisor that you are serious about the brand. After all, the brand is the glue that ties you and the franchisor together. When you take a serious interest in learning all there is to know, your franchisor will recognize you as a true team player and a business partner. 

Knowing the business comes with time and experience, but you can also learn by reading and consuming any materials the franchisor gives you. The franchise agreement, manuals, videos, training sessions, etc., are all great sources of information, as are the franchise website, events, and conferences. Dive in and show your interest, and you’re sure to earn respect from your franchisor.

2. Establish Trust by Following the Rules

The franchisor is relying on you to follow the system because it is that system that has made the franchise successful in the first place. Therefore, you can’t build a relationship with your franchisor without paying careful attention to the rules. 

Luckily, if you’ve listened to our advice in #1 and have studied everything you can learn about the business, it will be easier to understand and follow the rules. For more on why this is so important, check out our article 7 Reasons a Franchisee Should Care About Compliance.

Following the rules is the best way to establish trust in the relationship with your franchisor. And no relationship can stand without a firm foundation of trust.

3. Build Connection Through Regular Communication

Ongoing communication is key to a good relationship with your franchisor. This starts by knowing the communication channels you can use to reach your franchisor. Keep a list of important phone numbers and email addresses you’ll need for the various reasons you may need to contact the franchisor.

And then use them! The franchisor is there to answer your questions and help you solve problems in your business. They want you to succeed as much as you do and should be your main point of contact when challenges or issues arise.

4. Show Respect During Face-to-Face Meetings

As you run your franchise business, you’ll also get opportunities to meet up with your franchisor (or a representative) face-to-face. This could be through regular site visits, in-person meetings, or Zoom calls. While you should show respect in all interactions with your franchisor, these live events are important events because you can show respect visibly and personally. Here are some ideas:

  • Be on time (or even a little early) to show you respect the franchisor’s time.
  • Prepare yourself for the meeting by gathering your thoughts and researching if needed.
  • Ask smart, well-thought-out questions.
  • Show you respect their thoughts and answers by listening carefully and taking notes if appropriate.
  • Follow up as needed, including a thank you email when appropriate.
  • Take action on the information and direction shared during the meeting.

Respect is the basis of a good relationship with your franchisor, and face-to-face meetings are a great way to display your respect.

5. Demonstrate a Desire to Succeed by Investing Your Time

One final way to develop a relationship with your franchisor is to invest your time. The truth is all relationships require a time commitment. If you are always ‘too busy’ to attend events and training sessions, the franchisor may get the impression that you’re not willing to learn and grow.

Investing your time demonstrates your desire to succeed with your franchise business. It involves little things, but these little things add up:

  • Showing up consistently in your business and working hard.
  • Proving you’re reliable when the franchisor reaches out to you.
  • Being open to learning by completing training programs.
  • Respectfully sharing feedback and ideas with your franchisor.
  • Building relationships with other franchisees in the network.
  • Investing time and energy to strategically grow your business while staying within the parameters of the franchise agreement.

Recap: 5 Goals for Your Relationship with Your Franchisor

This list highlights many ways to develop your relationship with your franchisor. While the specific things you do to build the relationship may vary, there are five main goals to strive for:

  • To show your passion and enthusiasm for a shared interest (the brand)
  • To establish trust and prove that the franchisor can trust you to follow the rules
  • To build a connection through repeated, ongoing, consistent communication
  • To demonstrate respect for the franchisor’s knowledge and the systems they’ve created
  • To prove that you’re in it for the long haul and ready to do whatever it takes to succeed

Passion, trust, connection, respect, and growth are the characteristics of a healthy and fruitful franchisor-franchisee relationship, which all franchisees should strive for.

Reaping the Benefits

When you develop a strong relationship with your franchisor, you’ll experience a range of benefits:

  • You’ll be clear on expectations (what is expected of you and them)
  • You’ll be able to resolve problems quickly and effectively
  • You’ll enjoy a relationship of mutual respect where both parties feel valued
  • You’ll get the most out of your franchisor, making you more likely to succeed.

Follow the tips above to develop your relationship with your franchisor. The time you spend is well worth the effort! In our next article, we’ll focus on your relationship with employees.