3 Lessons Past Crises Can Teach Franchise Brands About Surviving Difficult Times

The coronavirus crisis has forced the franchise industry into a situation it’s never been in before. However, while these times are uncertain, this is far from the first crises that the industry has faced. From the dot-com bubble in the late 1990s to the Great Recession of the late 2000s, franchisors and franchisees alike have resurfaced on the other side of crises stronger than ever.

Dan Rowe, founder and CEO of franchise development company Fransmart, has been a part of the franchising industry through the crises listed here and more. He sat down for an interview with 1851 Franchise to discuss three lessons he’s learned that will help franchise brands face COVID-19 now.

Take Action Sooner Rather Than Later

One of the most important things for franchisors and franchisees to do now is to think ahead. While it’s natural to want to freeze due to COVID-19, now is the time to take action. A lot of businesses aren’t going to survive this crisis, which will leave a lot of A+ real estate up for grabs. Landlords are also going to be providing great deals to tenants to get business, giving franchisees the upper hand in lease negotiations. 

“Now is the perfect time to get out there and make deals. By the time that franchisees sign and get everything in order, it’ll be May or June. It’ll then be August by the time that a site is secured. Even if you push now, you’ll open in January or sometime in Q1. If you wait too long, you’ll miss out on great locations and great deals from landlords,” said Rowe.

Leave Room for Flexibility in Franchise Models

COVID-19, like any other crisis, also drives home the need for franchisors to be able to pivot. Rowe recommends that franchise brands use this time to tear apart their business model and figure out a way to restart it in a way that will ultimately make franchisees more profitable.

“I think there’s a heightened sense of value for both customers and franchisees,” said Rowe. “Franchisors have to get flexible with their franchisees and let them do things like conversions that allow them to open up for less money. They also need to automate more of their restaurant businesses and find ways to do more volume in fewer square feet.”

Be Prepared to Reopen and Do Business Differently

Life on the other side of COVID-19 isn’t going to be familiar. While consumers will slowly return to their favorite local businesses, brands need to be prepared for things like social distancing and elevated cleaning standards to continue.

Rowe said, “Customers have to feel trust with your brand. They need to think, ‘I trust this place, I trust they’ll keep me safe.’” He continued, “When we flip the switch and people go back to work, things aren’t going to be busy overnight. It’s going to be gradual. I also think you’ll have a much better chance of not getting shut down in the future if this happens again by having safety measures in place. Employees need to be wearing masks and gloves, there needs to be regular hand washing and temperature checking, cleaning stations need to be accessible for employees and customers and all self-serve items need to be removed.”

By keeping these three things in mind, franchisors have the ability to set their franchisees up for greater success on the other side of COVID-19 while putting themselves in a better position to handle similar situations in the future.