Positive relationships yield sweet results: we're creamy. We're crunchy. We're Carvel. (Leading...

When franchisors and franchisees develop positive working relationship, franchise stems can make rapid progress and achieve outstanding results. Creating an open and trusting environment may seem like a daunting task, but it can be easier than

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Hire like-minded professionals

Positive relationships are often based on mutual respect, compromise and sensitivity to the needs and issues of each party. If the people in your organization do not possess genuine concern for the franchise community and assign a high value to the relationship, company-wide efforts to improve the relationship will surely fail. As entrepreneurs, individual franchisees take risks by venturing out on their own, often investing their life's savings. It is critical that those brought into your organization truly appreciate how difficult and intimidating it is to go into business for one's self.

Once you have filled your company with like-minded people, make sure their compensation is at least partially based on cultivating positive relationships with the franchise community. For instance, our regional managers have a portion of their bonuses based on how franchisees rate their performance in areas of responsiveness, practical knowledge and increased sales and profitability at the unit level.

Communicate

Franchisors must communicate often and openly with franchisees. The basic communication tools include regional franchisee meetings, a quarterly newsletter to communicate the brand's latest news and developments with topics such as project updates and cost saving techniques, and an intranet for franchisees to exchange information and share best practices.

Another helpful idea Carvel has implemented is the addition of a Franchise Resource Manager (FRM) position to handle any problem or question that a franchisee might have within 24 hours. Franchisees have welcomed this resource and have expressed their appreciation on numerous occasions.

"The lines of communication have improved dramatically over the last six months," says 25-year Carvel franchisee Yale Fiedler of Miami. "The FRM is a pleasure to talk to, very responsive, caring and efficient in solving my problems. She must have one of those `red phones' to get me answers in such a timely fashion."