How The Support Of A Franchise Helps You Adapt To Changes… like a Global Pandemic

Instability is one of the most frightening things you face as a business owner. Not knowing what will happen in the market, how your business will survive a pandemic or when you’ll be able to open your doors again are all significant contributors to stress and anxiety. When these things happen to independent small business owners, it can be overwhelming as you look to adapt and pivot but have to make all of those decisions on your own… and face the consequences of your decisions on your own.

At the moment it was clear the pandemic was going to have dire consequences on small businesses, our management team went to the drawing board. We worked around the clock to identify opportunities for growth, dedicate resources to chase grants and funding, highlight the importance of mental and physical wellness and leverage our strength to build for future post-pandemic times. This resulted in a four-tiered strategy that has remained in place for the duration of the pandemic. By focusing our franchise partners on what they could control, giving them a clear recipe for what to do and ensuring that we maintained a positive outlook and abundance mindset, we were able to weather the worst of the crisis. In many cases, this resulted in triple-digit growth for our locations at a time when our competition was shutting the doors and thinning out its fleet. 

Too often, entrepreneurs claim that they are open to change and preach how important it is to embrace new initiatives – but then become defensive when being introduced to a new way of learning or operating. Our franchise support team is made up of experts when it comes to training, coaching and understanding the entrepreneurial journey. Our success is founded completely on their success and so we work with each of them to understand what they can accomplish, and ensure there is a strategy in place to get there. 

Here are some ways that the support of a franchise system helps you adjust to changes:

 

Increased Solution-focused Thinking 

Everyone can identify problems. Entrepreneurially minded people only see solutions or opportunities. At the moment our team saw the gravity of the pandemic, we went to work adapting our training to be online and virtual. Within 4 weeks of the start of the lockdown, the entire New Franchisee Training program was moved from in-class training to virtual. It is leading-edge training that has been quoted as “receiving an MBA level education in a matter of a few weeks.” 

When faced with adversity or problems, there are always solutions. Often times the instinctual response is to worry or withdraw, which in turn results in the problem having a greater impact. As a business owner, you have an obligation to do whatever is necessary to survive and thrive no matter what the circumstances are because there is nobody else there to do it for you. Of course, in a franchise, you have a huge network of colleagues, coaches and friends who are all going through the same thing, which can make the world of difference. 

 

Goal Orientation

When pushed into survival mode, business owners often look at the worst-case scenario and put their effort into not dropping to that level. In fact, the best thing to do is look at how to adapt the business, anticipate trends or future needs of the community, network with incredible people and work even harder to grow rather than shrink. Our 4 tiered strategy going into the COVID pandemic is:  

• • • a focus on physical and mental health
    • continue to find ways to generate revenue immediately
    • build for future growth by developing your personal brand and network
      • • • • • cultivate long-range opportunities that would position the business for success post-pandemic

These four core strategies provide a focus for our franchise partners and result in a goal-oriented mindset. We can then put all of our energy into moving the business forward rather than struggling with anxiety or worry. 

 

Confidence

Building confidence comes from trying new things and then learning from your success or failure. It can also be cultivated through learning from the experiences of others who have gone through something similar. In a franchise, the collective experience and competency of the head office team and network of franchise partners can result in significant levels of confidence that allow you to lean in and do what you otherwise may not have been comfortable doing. We often say that our job is to push you out of your comfort zone, and we do that at every opportunity because it is one of the best ways to help you grow as a person and as a leader. Building confidence results in more revenue, deeper relationships and more credibility. 

 

Resilience 

One of the hallmarks of a great business leader is resilience. It can come naturally to some, but for others, it has been developed through experience, hardships, victories and tough lessons. When you come through a pandemic with several partners and friends who are all sharing a similar journey, it helps to build resilience and strength to overcome the challenges. What’s great about resilience is that once developed, it helps you to overcome other unique challenges because you’ve built that muscle and mindset.  

 

 

 

For more insight on how the support of a franchise can help you be resilient when it comes to changes, watch the video below!

 

Check out these blogs from Driverseat:

Create Efficiency In Your Business With These Simple Strategies

How Does Driverseat Ensure Operational Excellence Across The Franchise?