8 Communication Tips Used by the Top Franchises inNY

Whether you are courting the love of your life, or trying to join with one of the top franchises in NY,communication is key! Healthy romantic relationships have this in common with healthy franchiserelationships. Without proper communication, new franchisees may be left without help for theirbeginner questions and allowed to make costly mistakes. Without proper communication, there is noway to make suggestions or voice concerns about ineffective franchise strategies. Simply put,communication is a cornerstone of every one of the top franchises in NY.

If you are looking to improve the communication channels in your own franchise, or would like a bettercriteria to use in your search for the right franchise fit, then the following 10 communication tips usedby the top franchises in NY will be tremendously helpful! Read on to learn more from the FranNet NY NJteam.

Take the initiative to communicate important messages to your franchise network.If you are afranchise owner, do not sit back and rely on franchisees to share policy messages to their peers.This is not their job, and because they often have conflicting interests, policy messages may becommunicated through your network in an inconsistent or incomplete way.

Do not call for franchisee meetings without ensuring that a competent facilitator has beencontacted.Human nature is calibrated so that the angriest, least happy, and therefore loudestpeople will invariably be able to pull the mood of the group down. Without a mediator in place,franchise meetings are a mess. The top franchises in NY do not let their meetings devolve intounproductive argument forums; they know how to set up a constructive communication processso that everyone’s voice is heard.

Remain calm when franchisees voice their concerns (even if they don’t!). Franchisees shouldbe able to express their concerns, and may even become aggravated while doing so. However,you need to stay calm and non-defensive, even if you feel that your integrity or competence isbeing called into question. Listen carefully, and respond factually. Getting angry or defensiveonly gives the impression that you are hiding something.

Do not use a “town hall meeting” style to resolve gripes.Giving an angry and opinionatedperson a microphone and allowing them to sound-off creates a tense political atmosphere ofpoint-scoring, rather than the open and earnest dialogue needed to resolve issues.

Coordinate your franchisee communications using a single channel.Franchise ownership can betime-consuming, and the last thing a busy business owner needs is a daily obligation to combthrough a mass of random and long-winded emails from different departments. Keep yourcommunications interesting, relevant, and concise, and keep them coming from a single source.

Minimize your lecturing time during regional meetings.Regional franchise meetings should berife with interactive discussions, workshops, and symposiums to help share techniques thatdrive sales and improve your profitability. These messages are shared and absorbed best whenthe franchisees are involved in the dialogue, not when they are being talked at.

Make use of webinars to keep your franchisees in the loop.We are in the internet era, andfailing to take advantage of this multifaceted resource is a mistake. Email blasts are great, buthosting interactive webinars that connect franchisees to CEOs helps everyone feel connected, inthe loop on new strategic decisions, and involved with the future of the franchise. Some of thetop franchises in NY make use of webinars, and the FranNet team has leaned on thiscommunication medium to share important franchise information throughout the years.

Set an example for your franchisees with constructive participation.If franchisees catchfranchisers wandering in and out of meetings, chit chatting at the back of the room, or endlesslyrefreshing their Facebook feed instead of paying attention to what is being said, then there is aproblem. In doing so, the franchiser is making a statement that says that this meeting isunimportant. Even if you have heard these messages before, looking bored can come across as aserious lack of personal investment.