How to improve retail franchise collaboration
With more than 470,000 Australians employed in a franchise, according to the Franchise Council of Australia, you'd think working together would be easy. Yet, starting your own franchise can sometimes feel like survival of the fittest, especially if collaboration between franchisor and franchisee is lacking.
Running a retail franchise store relies heavily on business know-how, motivation, information gathering and integration – as well as the support from head office, says the Asia-Pacific Centre for Franchising Excellence. If franchisees are left high and dry, without a way to collaborate effectively with the franchisor to resolve issues, this hurts not only the franchisee but the brand's reputation as well.
Improving retail and other franchise collaboration is simple with the right IT solution.
How to improve retail franchise collaboration
Franchisees pay a premium to become part of a recognised brand, and just like how each store carries the same look, feel and products, consistency is key to unlocking effective retail franchise collaboration.
Through technology, consistency can be broken into two categories:
1. Hardware
In the early days of establishing a franchise, bringing in stores with their own hardware, or 'whitebox' solution is a practical and cost-effective step for franchisors. However, as franchises grow, these 'whiteboxes' become powder kegs.
If an issue were to arise, one problem turns into putting out multiple fires at once, as each 'whitebox' requires a different solution. By replacing these powder kegs with robust, identical hardware, franchises are able to find a single solution to a problem that will work across the entire brand.
Franchises need to be speaking the same language in order to communicate effectively.
2. Software
Franchises need to be speaking the same language in order to communicate effectively. A coherent software solution between franchisor and franchisees makes it easy to communicate, share and collaborate across the entire brand.
Running communications via a cloud-based application, such as Microsoft Office 365, gives franchisees the assurance that they can get the support from the franchisor when it's needed.
Managed IT: your collaboration solution.
Managed IT services can give consistency across entire brand by implementing a single IT solution and point of contact to solve any and all issues that may arise. This is why it's important to go to the franchise support experts.
At LOOKUP.COM, we have a long history of supporting retail franchises in Australia, providing custom IT solutions covering all aspects of our clients business – at both the store and head office level.
To find out more, get in touch with our team today.