Global Franchise Issue 10.1

13 GLOBAL-FRANCHISE.COM Ins ight ENCOURAGE HONEST FEEDBACK I’m a big fan of third-party surveys. Sometimes issues can seem superficial from the skybox, but when you’re the one being tackled on the field it feels very real. I’ve used Franchise Business Review for years as a best-in-class platform for getting honest franchise owner feedback. We look at what we scored best and worst, and we tell themwhat we’re going to do about it. Listening is a vital first step to building connections. DATA MATTERS, AND SO DO EMOTIONS Change is hard, even when it’s good. You can’t pretend the tension doesn’t exist. You need to show the data and talk about how people feel. That’s why I believe in franchise advisory councils. They’re coaches on the field who’ve seen what happens when you call certain plays and they help us understand how change lands both emotionally and practically. You must approach these situations frommultiple angles. First, acknowledge the tension; you can’t ignore it. Understand that the emotional attachment comes from the fact that franchisees are part of something bigger, something they believe in. Second, you need to present the data to back up the decision... but that’s not all. You must also address the emotional concerns and have an open conversation about them. When I was serving as COO of The Dwyer Group and we updated the Five Star Painting logo, we kept the paintbrush in the picture – not because the customer needed to see it, but because the franchise owners did. It mattered to them and that was enough.