The Franchise Success Blueprint

Simplifying a franchise model unlocks the success for both the franchisor and the franchisee. The key to staying on track? Get the fundamentals right and stay focused on executing them superbly. This approach empowers franchisees to manage their business efficiently, paving the way for profitability.

I started teaching at Wall Street English and then managed my first franchise business in Valencia during the nineties. Since taking on the role of CEO in 2021, I’ve seen our reach expand to service over 200,000 students annually across more than 320 centres worldwide. My experience has taught me that success comes down to a few simple factors:

Embracing simplicity

Franchisees need an efficient and proven system in place to ensure their business runs smoothly. By keeping all content, platforms, and products in one central hub, our franchisees can effectively manage towards their local business goals. The relationship between franchisor and franchisee goes both ways, so providing tools for success will allow everyone to reap the benefits.

At Wall Street English, we provide a plug-and-play model that gives our franchisees the ability to support and assist their student’s needs. Franchisees also have access to a customer relationship management system, which allows them to oversee their entire customer acquisition journey. Finally, to ensure our staff are constantly learning, we’ve created a training platform that provides ongoing support, so employees have everything they need to keep building on their knowledge.

Maintaining consistency

Establishing a standardised onboarding model is the first step towards keeping consistency across all franchise operations. Our self-access onboarding process provides modules covering our identity, mission, and values. We ensure everyone has the same onboarding experience, so no matter where they’re located globally, they have the know-how and tools to do well.

Since our franchisees operate across many different territories, maintaining high-quality standards throughout is crucial. Having a clear system in place supports them while also allowing the franchisor to have control over the quality of services. That said, embracing differences based on locality can also be beneficial. Local teams better understand the challenges faced by their students and can develop solutions which can be scaled globally. Ultimately, you should give your franchisees the tools to succeed, rather than having a central model control their every action.

Strengthening the relationship

A strong mutual relationship is key to ensuring a thriving business. This is a partnership after all, so it should be nurtured with open communication and ongoing support. While franchising is great for its proven model, franchisors still need to be open to adapt, listen and learn from their local partners. By working on that franchisee partnership you create a bond that ensures positive outcomes for everyone involved.

On top of this ongoing relationship building, the franchisor should support and help franchisees strive for success. A big focus should be placed on ensuring franchisees achieve solid returns, creating a sense of security and confidence in their investment. Franchisees invest not just money, but also their time and aspirations, so franchisors need to create an environment where they feel supported.

Running a successful franchise model shouldn’t be complicated. By setting up tried and tested systems and encouraging collaboration, you can position your franchisees for success. As with any strong relationship, you both must work together. This ultimately leads to creating the best experience for customers and keeps you on the path to profitability.