Greg Nathan's Franchise Relations Tip #6

Are Your Field Managers Wearing the Right Hats?

In 1993, I wrote a book called Managing the Franchisor/Franchisee Relationship. It had an important section on what I called the eight hats of the Field Manager. This is a complex and challenging role requiring the ability be an ambassador, business consultant, operations expert, marketer, coach, trainer, facilitator and inspector.

Last year we invited 200 Field Managers to rate the importance of these eight hats to their job, as well as their level of competence in each area. We were looking for the biggest opportunity gaps between importance and competence.

Field Managers need assistance to become better coaches, consultants and facilitators

The results showed Field Managers clearly need assistance to be better business consultants, coaches and facilitators. Because these three hats require relatively high levels of analytical and people skills, smart franchisors are selecting and training their Field Managers for effectiveness in these areas.

An example of someone who excels with these three hats is Dan Gallo. He is a short, intense guy who always seems to be paying attention. Dan was recently awarded Field Manager of the Year in our National Franchise Excellence Awards. I have observed Dan in action. Here are just a few of the habits that make him so good.

•   He gets back to people when he says he will – and he doesn't promise what he can't deliver.
•   He is direct and to the point – he doesn't waste people's time.
•   He treats his franchisees as respected colleagues – he doesn't patronize them.
•   He uses numbers as his point of entry in discussions with franchisees – and he prepares for meetings so well that in many cases he knows more about the numbers than the franchisee does.
•   He holds his franchisees accountable to their commitments – and he follows them up with short, sharp, regular phone calls.
•   He gets his franchisees together in groups for regular meetings – but he ensures they do most of the talking.
•   He genuinely cares that each of his franchisees succeeds – and he ensures he understands what success means to them.

So how do your Field Managers stack up? And what are you doing to develop them? If you want to ensure they are the best they can be, you might want to send them to our next Profitable Partnerships Boot Camp. We'll be talking a lot about effective field support.

Register for Profitable Partnerships Boot Camp! May

25 & 26 in Denver. Hope you can join us!

Greg Nathan
Managing Director
Franchise Relationships Institute
www.FranchiseRelationships.com

Attendees will earn 300 Education Credits towards completion of the
Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) accreditation or CFE re-certification
by attending this program.

Greg Nathan, Managing Director of Franchise Relationships Institute

Often described as the international thought-leader and expert on franchise relationships, no one understands the unique challenges and rewards inherent in the franchisee-franchisor relationship like Greg and his team of psychologists at Franchise Relationships Institute. They have spent the past 20 years researching the science of successful franchise relations.