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TIPS TO ADJUST YOUR FRANCHISE BUSINESS WORKING WITH PANDEMIC PROTOCOLS

It’s over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic reared its ugly head, and no matter which sector you operate in, it’s safe to say that protocols have changed. As infection rates ebb & tide and laws and norms adjust, businesses are slowly adapting to this change.

All franchisees are required to follow state and local guidelines and rules put into place. Depending on the type of franchise you have, this could involve switching to no-contact and dive-in deliveries and more. The one way to keep your business going through this difficult time is to stay resilient and be persistent. Keep your team’s morale up so that you can emerge on the other side of the pandemic with minimal damage.

Since we don’t know what the pandemic will bring next, it’s crucial to be dynamic and ready to change your protocols as the situation changes. While you do all of this, it’s vital to learn from the experience and hone your business management skills. Almost all franchise owners have to deal with certain hardships, but it makes coping with them all the more difficult when you stress over them. Understand what changes you need to make and take on all the things that come your way.

Steps to Make Protocol Changes in your Franchise

Here are some things to follow:

• Keep yourself informed about all the local and state laws as these are non-negotiable. While this is a critical aspect of running a business, there would still be certain areas where you would have a say in how things get done.
• Discuss these changes with your franchisor and collaborate with other franchisees within your network. This will give you a better understanding of what you need to do. You don’t have to wait for laws to be implemented before making some positive changes to your business. Instead, put customers at ease by making changes that will help you offer your customers the best services while following social distancing and other norms.
• When it comes to lifting protocols, do so only when you feel the most comfortable.
• Do not feel compelled to alter pandemic-related guidelines unless you, as a franchisee, feel ready and safe to do so. Place all your requirements at your business entrance so that your customers can see them clearly before entering your premises.
• It is also essential that you keep your customers informed about the things you are doing and why. You can share information via social media or via email. The objective is to keep them informed about the things that are happening at your franchises’ location.
• As mentioned earlier, stay in the loop with what’s happening within your franchise, follow the guidelines they are asking you to, etc.

Keep Some Changes For The Long Term

Your franchise brand might want to continue with specific changes such as pre-ordering, delivery, pickup, drive-up, etc. Many industries have found that these business protocols gave them the boost required to keep themselves afloat while improving customer convenience and satisfaction.

Therefore, do not be in a rush to do away with these services, but instead try to see how you can keep them even post the pandemic. While it may take a while for that to happen, make a note of which brand adjustments you would want to continue keeping in place even when COVID-related adjustments are no longer necessary. Try to determine how you would work them into your long-term business plan. If you start to plan now, it will help avoid confusion later.

How Some Changes Have Been For the Better

Many businesses struggled at the start of the pandemic and thought that the changes they needed to make were neither practical, profitable, nor sustainable. However, some changes that seemed stressful at the outset have proven to be a boon. Franchise owners have learned to operate more efficiently, trimmed the fat and become more adaptable, willing to adopt changes that come along the way. Persistence, resilience and adaptability are essential aspects of running any business, and that’s what franchisees need to focus on now.

For more information, feel free to call the franchising experts at The Franchise Institute. You can call us on 1300 855 435 or fill in this contact us form, and one of our experts will contact you as soon as we can.

Thanks for reading,
The Franchise Institute Team
1300 855 435