A franchise support manager has a role which is pivotal in driving the growth and success of franchisees. To help them reach their full potential, they need to be equipped with a range of skills that enable them to support franchisees in navigating the challenges of business ownership, no matter their backgrounds or levels of experience. Whether a franchisee is a first-time entrepreneur with minimal formal education or a seasoned business professional, There are a range of skills every franchise support manager needs. They must possess the right skills to adapt coaching styles to suit franchisees unique needs.
Let’s explore the essential skills every franchisee support manager needs to help franchisees succeed and become better business people.
One of the most crucial skills for franchisee support managers is the ability to communicate clearly and effectively. Franchisees come from diverse backgrounds, with varying levels of business acumen. For some, business jargon and complex strategies may be second nature, while for others, they can be overwhelming. Being able to tailor communication to match the franchisee’s level of understanding is key.
Active listening is equally important. Many franchisees may be hesitant to share their challenges for fear of appearing inexperienced. A good franchise support manager listens without judgment, asks probing questions to get to the root of any issues, and responds with empathy. This helps build trust, making franchisees feel more comfortable opening up about their struggles and seeking guidance. Active listening includes asking probing questions. The best questions begin with ‘Why’ – ‘Why is that?’, ‘Why do you feel like that?’, ‘Why do you think this happens?’. This helps get to the root cause of the problem.
The franchise community is diverse, with franchisees possessing different personality traits, education levels, and career experiences. A franchise support manager must be adaptable in their approach to working with each individual. A former corporate executive, for instance, may need more guidance in adapting to the hands-on nature of business ownership, while a franchisee from a trade background may need more support in areas like financial planning or marketing.
Adapting coaching methods based on the franchisee’s learning style and past experiences will make franchisee support more effective. Flexibility in approach enables support managers to customize growth strategies for each franchisee, whether they are aiming for rapid expansion or steady, sustainable growth.
Franchisees need a strong foundation in business principles to succeed, and a franchisee support manager should be a go-to resource for developing this knowledge. It’s essential to understand financial statements, budgeting, cash flow management, and profitability metrics. Even if a franchisee has a background in business, they may need guidance in applying these principles within the franchise model. A key skill for a franchise support manager is an understanding of financial management, being able to read a profit and loss staement, creating a cash flow statement and building realistic financial business forecasts.
Supporting franchisees in understanding their financial health empowers them to make informed decisions. This may include interpreting key performance indicators (KPIs), setting realistic growth targets, or managing operational costs. Providing franchisees with tools and training to master these areas not only boosts their confidence but also sets them up for long-term success.
A franchisee support manager is not just a problem-solver; they are also a mentor who guides franchisees on their journey. Effective coaching involves more than just giving advice—it’s about asking the right questions to help franchisees find their own solutions. This proactive coaching style enables franchisees to develop critical thinking skills and become more self-reliant.
Mentoring also involves helping franchisees set and achieve goals, celebrating their successes, and providing constructive feedback. A great support manager understands the balance between encouragement and challenging franchisees to step outside their comfort zones, thus driving their development as business leaders.
Franchisees face various challenges, from staffing issues to fluctuating market conditions. Amongst the skills a franchise support manager needs, their ability to think strategically and solve problems is vital in helping franchisees navigate these challenges. This may involve analyzing current business operations, identifying areas for improvement, and recommending strategies to increase efficiency or grow revenue.
Strategic thinking also includes anticipating future challenges and helping franchisees prepare accordingly. For instance, if a franchisee is looking to expand, you can guide them through market analysis, financing options, and scaling operations, ensuring they are equipped to manage the growth effectively. This is where an understanding of business financial planning becomes essential for franchisee support managers
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, as well as recognize and influence the emotions of others. One of the essential skills every franchise support manager needs to help franchisees succeed is a high EQ. It allows you to build stronger relationships with franchisees, understand their motivations, and respond to their concerns in a way that fosters trust.
Franchisees are often under significant pressure. Emotions can run high when things aren’t going as planned. Being able to empathize with their frustrations, while remaining composed and solutions-focused, can significantly enhance your support efforts. EQ also helps you read between the lines. Recognizing when a franchisee may be struggling with more than just business challenges, such as work-life balance or confidence issues is critical.
An effective franchisee support manager knows how to facilitate training sessions that are engaging and informative. This is one of the important skills a franchise support manager needs. Franchisees may have different learning preferences—some may prefer hands-on learning, while others may absorb information better through webinars, videos, in class or reading materials. Being able to recognise which method suits each franchisee will enhance each ones success. Being skilled in various training methods ensures that you can deliver support in a way that resonates with each franchisee. Training should never be ‘one size fits all’.
Training should not only cover operational and technical skills. It must also include areas such as marketing, sales techniques, customer relationship management, leadership, team building and communication. Ongoing development opportunities will keep franchisees on the path of continuous learning and improvement.
In our globalised world, franchisees may come from different cultural backgrounds, bringing diverse perspectives to the business. Cultural awareness helps you support franchisees in a manner that is respectful and effective. Being sensitive to cultural differences in communication styles, business practices, and decision-making processes can enhance your interactions and make coaching more impactful.
Franchisees rely on support managers not just to answer questions, but to help them unlock their full potential. When you are equipped with the right skills, you can play a crucial role in transforming franchisees into confident, capable, and successful business owners.
Tim Morris has more than 30 years experience managing and supporting franchise operations around the world. He has a success record of driving sales and profits, managing multi-site units, as well as positively influencing individual franchise owners in franchise B2B and B2C environments. Tim has seen particular success supporting groups of high performing franchisees in peer group settings. He has managed teams developing and implementing sales and marketing strategies. With senior leadership experience, he has achieved 80% growth in net profit through motivation and development of teams. From assisting with the expansion of an international franchise brand to heading up the support functions of both national and international franchise systems, he has been instrumental in the growth of hundreds of franchisees. His proven success record comes with a passion for ‘360 business development’ and his unique perspective empowers franchisors and franchisees alike to get the very best from their partnership.