Have you ever opened up the “Become a Franchise” guide and thought you might as well have been reading a foreign language? Well, welcome to the club. Franchise Advisory Councils are like your GPS in the muddled streets of franchising. Such councils are goldmines in helping franchisees and franchisors align their goals and navigate the sprawled franchise universe.
Imagine you navigate a ship sans compass. That would be running a franchise without an advisory council. So vast is the ocean, filled with waves of unexpected change. Trying to herd cats is what franchisors are up against: conflicting schedules, divergent visions, and don’t even get me started on budget discussions.
Speaking of which, precisely how does a Franchise Advisory Council benefit business growth? In reality, it is like that ah-ha! moment-for instance, when you finally acknowledge the fact that, yes, indeed, pineapple DOES go on pizza. It forms a meeting-of-the-minds platform whereby the franchisor and franchisee can bridge that gap. You know, kind of like a community potluck.
I once knew this franchisee, let’s call him Bob, who thought his franchise was the Titanic. Sales were spiraling, staff morale was lower than a snake’s belly in a wagon rut, and customer reviews were ouch-worthy. Along came the Advisory Council. Two meetings later, not only was the ship still afloat, but it was now zipping along, torpedo-like. Today, Bob treats his council meetings as sacrosanct as Sunday brunches with his golfing buddies.
The beauty of these councils? Idea exchange. Somebody pipes up with some genius cost-cutting strategy; another discusses some inventive marketing tactic, and voilà! You’re cooking with gas. What’s more, franchisees get insight into how their franchisors make decisions, creating mutual respect. You have heard that two heads are better than one; well, multiply that by the dozens involved in these councils, and you’ve got a brainstorming bonanza.