The Franchisor’s Dilemma – Getting the Most Out of What You Already Have

As a franchisor, you’ve invested countless hours and resources into building the systems your franchisees need to succeed—training programs, vendor partnerships, technology platforms, and operational tools. But too often, you hit a frustrating roadblock: those carefully built resources aren’t being used to their full potential.

This is what I call the franchisor’s dilemma: You’ve created the tools for success, but your franchisees either don’t know about them, forget they exist, or simply don’t use them effectively.

Why the Disconnect Happens

Your franchisees are hardworking, capable people. They’ve gone through your training, read your emails, and attended your meetings. But, like all business owners, they naturally focus on what they’re most comfortable with or what feels urgent in the moment.

Over time, even the best tools get overlooked. A valuable vendor program may get buried in their inbox. A training module they completed once is now a distant memory. Or maybe they never quite figured out how to make that software work for their location—and were too busy to ask for help.

The result? Franchisees may struggle unnecessarily, or worse, come to you asking for “new solutions” when the answer already exists within the system you’ve built.

It’s Not Always About Something New

Franchisors often feel pressure to constantly innovate—creating new resources, new programs, new systems. But sometimes the smartest move is simply helping franchisees rediscover what’s already there.

Here’s what that can look like:

• Regular Refreshers: Host quick reminders during your calls, emails, or newsletters about underutilized tools and updates.
• Show the Value Again: Share success stories from franchisees who have used a particular resource to increase sales or solve a common problem.
• Make Access Simple: Ensure your systems and resources are easy to find and navigate. Sometimes, it’s not that franchisees don’t want to use your tools—they just don’t know where to find them when they need them.

The goal is to make franchisees see your existing resources as valuable, easy-to-access solutions—not just “stuff they learned in training once.”

Bridging the Gap

This challenge isn’t unique. I see it in brands of all sizes. The good news? It’s fixable.

When I work with franchisors, I help them:

• Improve communication strategies to increase franchisee engagement.
• Build better systems for ongoing education and tool adoption.
• Shift the culture from “What’s new?” to “What’s working?”.

Make the Old Feel New Again

Your franchisees don’t need to be overwhelmed with more—they need to be reminded of what already works. When you help them tap into the full potential of your systems, everyone wins.

If you’re looking for ways to get more from what you’ve already built, let’s talk. I’d love to help!