FranConnect Blog

Stay up to date on the latest news from FranConnect

May 26, 2017

Franchise economy remains positive during ...

It’s a tumultuous political climate in the U.S. right now. Our two major political ... Read More

It’s a tumultuous political climate in the U.S. right now. Our two major political parties are deeply divided, and it seems even within parties our representatives are finding it difficult to find common ground. Americans are uneasy, particularly with so many unknowns, and it doesn’t help that we are inundated with left- and right-leaning news from the media at every turn. After looking at the American Psychological Association’s annual “Stress in America: Coping with Change” survey, NPR reported that “57 percent of people polled in January said they were stressed about the current political climate; 66 percent were stressed about the future of our nation; and 49 percent were stressed about the outcome of the presidential election.”

Apr 28, 2017

The Ultimate Franchise Checklist: Tools & ...

There is a lot to keep up-to-speed on in the franchise community, so we have put together ... Read More

There is a lot to keep up-to-speed on in the franchise community, so we have put together a list of resources for franchisors that includes news sources, events, trade associations, social groups, and more. We will continue to update this list as we learn about more resources for franchisors. Happy learning!

Mar 6, 2017

FranConnect Joined the Franchise Action Network. ...

Over the past few months, the franchising industry has come under attack, creating ... Read More

Over the past few months, the franchising industry has come under attack, creating headlines around the nation. There are many threats to be concerned with – from discriminatory minimum wage increases to changes in joint-employer status – that could alter the franchise business model as we know it. The International Franchise Association (IFA) is working to neutralize these types of attacks and educate policymakers that locally-owned franchise businesses are America’s hidden small businesses that not only create jobs, but also provide incredible value to local communities around the country.

Mar 3, 2017

Can the Right Franchise Management Software ...

Historically, franchisors and franchisees have had a, shall we say, unique relationship. ... Read More

Historically, franchisors and franchisees have had a, shall we say, unique relationship. While formally contractual and involving some level of operational performance “enforcement,” the relationship has also been guided by a collective desire aimed at a mutually beneficial outcome: to gather data and turn it into the information needed to improve unit economics and make better business decisions that benefit the franchisor AND franchisees.

Mar 1, 2017

How to Implement an Effective Franchise Field ...

One of the biggest pain points for franchisors and their field operations teams is ... Read More

One of the biggest pain points for franchisors and their field operations teams is preparing for effective interactions with franchise owners and their employees. Yet 57% of franchisors lack a system to monitor and control field execution and performance.

Feb 27, 2017

IFA 2017: 4 Key Technology Trends to Optimize ...

Since 2010, I have attended IFA’s annual conference, and for me, IFA 2017 really stood ... Read More

Since 2010, I have attended IFA’s annual conference, and for me, IFA 2017 really stood out as the convention had a whole new look. The focus on integrating the physical event with digital was impressive as well, with the active Twitter feed and the use of live polling tools during keynote presentations.

Feb 16, 2017

Women Leaders Take Center Stage in Franchising ...

I have spent many years in franchising, and it had always been a given that male leaders ... Read More

I have spent many years in franchising, and it had always been a given that male leaders dominated this sector as they do so many others. However, it's becoming abundantly clear that a record number of women are not only leading franchise brands but are instilling in their companies a fabric of values-based decision making that is driving collective success for franchising overall. The evidence was on display and openly discussed at the Women’s Leadership Conference during IFA 2017.

Feb 14, 2017

Franchise Field Operations is All About ...

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Feb 8, 2017

FranConnect's Takeaways & Giveaways from #IFA2017

This was clearly not your father’s IFA If you were at IFA, you know what I mean. The IFA ... Read More

This was clearly not your father’s IFA If you were at IFA, you know what I mean. The IFA staff knocked it out of the park, from a sophisticated, fresh design for the event experience to the well-organized and efficient movement of 4000 people from place to place. The energy was well choreographed, especially when Robert Cresanti, IFA President and CEO, led the audience through a virtual political action activity. It left us with the undeniable observation that there is a focused effort to recruit the franchising community behind a common cause – the preservation of the business model that is the largest job creator in the U.S.

Jan 25, 2017

2016 Franchise Sales Lead Generation Trends and ...

By Joe Mathews and Keith Gerson A total of 487 franchisors use FranConnect’s Franchise ... Read More

By Joe Mathews and Keith Gerson A total of 487 franchisors use FranConnect’s Franchise Sales Management Module as their CRM to track their franchise sales results, far more than any other franchise sales database or CRM utilized in franchising. Inside that centralized database is a jackpot of information which, when aggregated, provides a robust look at what is really occurring in franchise sales.

Jan 23, 2017

Running a Commercial Services Franchise? Boost ...

Can your field consultants describe how their day-to-day tasks impact your organization’s ... Read More

Can your field consultants describe how their day-to-day tasks impact your organization’s growth?

Jan 5, 2017

When Time Means Money, an App Can Help - Wall ...

When business grows fast, technology can keep you ahead of the game. by Julie Bennett ... Read More

When business grows fast, technology can keep you ahead of the game. by Julie Bennett Ajay Arora, A Great Clips franchisee in Kansas City, Kan., has got a lot of satisfaction from operating and expanding his hair-salon business since 1993, but as it grew he began to experience problems on days when his salons were really busy. Then, he says, customers would crowd the units’ lobbies or line up outside, stressing his stylists and sometimes discouraging other clients who also wanted a haircut that day.

Jan 3, 2017

Consistency is Key: A Field Operations Blueprint ...

Few franchise brands have put the necessary best practices in place to account for the ... Read More

Few franchise brands have put the necessary best practices in place to account for the solutions that allow timely reinforcement of expectations and standards. In our latest ebook, 5 Field Operations Secrets from 600 Franchise Brands, we reveal the guidelines you need to apply to rejuvenate your field operations team and tactics. Here's a sneak peek of those five areas.

Nov 16, 2016

How FranConnect Helps Franchises Understand the ...

Collecting and analyzing data can be a powerful business function, and the world’s most ... Read More

Collecting and analyzing data can be a powerful business function, and the world’s most progressive companies have been investing in it for years. But the franchise world has been relatively slow to realize the power of big data -- ironic, as data has the potential to aid franchises more than other types of companies, since franchisees can benefit from unit-level metrics that let them harness the ideas and strategies that are working for fellow franchisees, while corporate can customize systems for various regions or cities.

Nov 16, 2016

Q&A with Christopher Fountain,CEO of franchise ...

Christopher Fountain is CEO of Reston, Virginia-based FranConnect, a provider of ... Read More

Christopher Fountain is CEO of Reston, Virginia-based FranConnect, a provider of franchise management systems, helping franchises manage all aspects of their operations including sales, marketing, financial data collection and analysis, and more. fountain joined the company this March, after previously serving as COO of a healthcare software provider.

Mar 2, 2016

Making Franchising Better and Stronger at IFA 2016

Recently, I attended IFA 2016 Convention, in San Antonio. The conference is a leading ... Read More

Recently, I attended IFA 2016 Convention, in San Antonio. The conference is a leading trade event for franchisors, franchisees and suppliers who support the franchise industry. This was my first year attending IFA and my overall assessment is “What a wonderful event!” The highlight was gaining access to industry thought leaders as they congregated to share their insights on a wide range of topics, including best practices, strengthening the franchisee ecosystem, and the future of the franchise industry as it continues to be an attractive business model for emerging brands. However, my favorite part was having the opportunity to forge new relationships and reconnect with existing friends.

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