Have you got what it takes to be a master franchisee?

If you're considering becoming a master franchisee, there are many factors you can examine to determine whether you have the required experience and abilities. Being a master franchisee is substantially different from being a regular franchisee and requires a different set of skills and character traits. Not every successful franchisee will make a good master franchisee and individuals need to be aware of how the two roles differ if they're to succeed. Here, we take a look at five essential qualities all of the best master franchisees work hard to develop.

Become a master franchisee

1. Experience of large and complex organisations
A master franchisee must have experience of managing a large and complex organisation and have developed a good understanding of how a business with many connecting parts should function. While the traditional franchise system can be complicated enough as it is, master franchising introduces a whole new structure into the equation. This means the franchisee needs experience of how all the components of a large business fit together. Like any complex machine, if a single part doesn’t function as it should, the entire system suffers.

A master franchise expands the structure of the business and introduces added complexities. If a master franchisee lacks the required experience to keep it running smoothly and grow the business at the same time, it’s highly likely that the attempted expansion will soon turn into a desperate attempt to solve an endless number of problems. Reactive efforts to rush around putting out fires can be prevented by someone with experience of pre-empting the common issues associated with complex organisations.

2. An awareness of the importance of workplace culture
All franchisees are involved in the process of building a distinct workplace culture and shaping the franchise to reflect their principles. However, creating a healthy workplace culture is even more critical in the context of master franchising. This is mainly because a master franchisee is likely to be opening units in territories where the business, working, and consumer cultures differ from those of the franchise’s original market.

For instance, if the original franchise operates in the US and the master franchisee is attempting to expand the network in the UK, they'll need to be aware of the differences between the two. They'll need to build a workplace culture that balances the demands and wishes of the franchisor with the realities of the new territory and its workforce and customers. Most profitable franchises work hard to foster a workplace culture that reflects their values and ensures that their employees are both happy and safe. This is even more important when it comes to developing a workplace culture in a new territory.

3. Leadership skills
A master franchisee leads from the front and must be able to both set an example and build strong working relationships with the employees around them. Staff must respect, trust, and believe in their master franchisor if they’re to perform their duties with the passion and dedication required to make a new franchised business work. Consequently, having a strong personality to lead a franchise in a new and exciting direction is of the utmost importance.

However, good leadership is not synonymous with a loud, strongman approach. Some of the best business leaders are reserved and quiet individuals who know what to say, when to say it, and how to say it. What is necessary, is a clear vision, the ability to convince others to adopt this vision, and the communication skills to explain your vision and manage those who will execute it.

4. An ability to teach and train
Written into every franchise contract are the franchisors responsibilities regarding training and support. This is no different for master franchisees. As a master franchisee, you’ll be expected to train and mentor a whole new generation of franchisees. You’ll be the one responsible for ensuring that they have the skills necessary to succeed and that they're able to meet the high standards of service you expect of them. Consequently, a master franchisee must be a capable teacher with the skills required to train new franchisees.

The ability to impart information in a clear and concise manner is the first step on the road to becoming an excellent educator. Recognising the fact that individuals will have different strengths and weaknesses, and that each will learn and absorb lessons in a different way, is incredibly important. No two franchisees will be the same in this regard, so the master franchisor must adapt their approach to suit the learning styles of the various franchisees that they’re training.

5. Understanding the new territory
One of the most important qualities of a successful master franchisee is a good understanding of the area into which you're expanding. As we've already mentioned, the business culture of the new territory could be radically different from that of the original franchise territory. On the most basic level, there are some serious obstacles to master franchise expansion that can only be overcome by someone with a good understanding of the territory. The language may be different. The legal structures and financial regulations are likely to be different. The consumer culture and working practices of a region can differ drastically from those elsewhere. If the master franchisee doesn't have a good grasp of how the territory is going to influence and impact the expansion, it’s almost inevitable that the franchise will encounter problems.

Conclusion
Master franchisees must develop a whole range of skills and talents if they’re to succeed in the role. Most importantly, they must understand the complexities of the new territory, be able to train new franchisees, lead from the front, build a healthy workplace culture, and have experience of how large organisations function. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it does include five of the most influential factors that you’ll need to consider when trying to establish whether or not you’re ready to become a master franchisee.