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This spring, <a href="https://www.rentacenter.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-transformation-process-sets-up-new-rent-a-center-franchisees-for-success-2706612" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rent-A-Center made waves in the franchising industry</a> when it announced its ongoing initiative to move a significant number of its stores from corporate to local ownership. <a href="https://rentacenter.1851franchise.com/details/2706101/Rent-A-Center-Launches-Refranchising-Initiative-Geared-Toward-Multi-Unit-Operators-Looking-to-Diversify?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-transformation-process-sets-up-new-rent-a-center-franchisees-for-success-2706612#mostRecent" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The refranchising initiative</a>, which is geared toward multi-unit operators looking to diversify their portfolios through a major investment of 30 to 50 stores, is already off to a strong start. <a href="https://rentacenter.1851franchise.com/details/2706100/Impact-RTO-Holdings-Purchases-an-Additional-31-Rent-A-Centers?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-transformation-process-sets-up-new-rent-a-center-franchisees-for-success-2706612#mostRecent" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Impact RTO Holdings became Rent-A-Center&rsquo;s largest franchisee</a> back in March after adding 31 previously corporate-owned stores to its portfolio, bringing its total unit-count to 76.

That acquisition proved Rent-A-Center&rsquo;s business model is backed by strong growth potential that sets franchisees up for success. And according to the brand, that ability to win as a multi-unit franchisee in Rent-A-Center&rsquo;s system is far from an accident. Above and beyond employing a team of experienced franchise business consultants, they have additionally created what might be the first of its kind in the franchise industry; a franchise transformation team specifically for their refranchising program.

In order to support its franchisees throughout the transition of large groups of stores from corporate to local ownership, <a href="https://rentacenter.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-transformation-process-sets-up-new-rent-a-center-franchisees-for-success-2706612" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rent-A-Center</a> created a comprehensive franchise transformation process. And while the process is designed with franchisees in mind, there&rsquo;s another group of individuals that is front and center at every step of the process: Rent-A-Center&rsquo;s employees.

&ldquo;Our number-one goal is to maintain all of our employees during store transitions. That&rsquo;s why we make it our mission to open the lines of communication and answer questions before they are even asked. That helps lower the anxiety that can be associated with being &ldquo;franchised&rdquo;. Our stores being sold to franchisees shouldn&rsquo;t be perceived as concerning news, in fact it should be the exact opposite! Instead, we want our employees to be excited that there&rsquo;s a new, local owner coming into the picture that can lead to additional levels of empowerment and opportunity,&rdquo; said Aaron Bylund, Senior Director of Franchise Operations for Rent-A-Center. &ldquo;Every decision we make in the transformation process &ndash; every move, every trip and every conference call &ndash; is designed around making sure that the employee transition is as successful as possible. That success is measured by employee retention post-transition and so far we are running around 98%.&rdquo;

Frederic Geisendorff, Rent-A-Center&rsquo;s Director of Franchise Transformation, oversees the team that&rsquo;s responsible for ensuring store transitions go as smooth as possible. He says that by placing people first throughout the entire process, a win-win-win situation is created for the franchisees, employees and corporate team.

&ldquo;When it comes to transforming a store from corporate to franchisee ownership, a focus on people is by far the number-one thing we look at. That includes the franchisee &ndash; we place tremendous emphasis on our relationship with the new ownership group,&rdquo; said Geisendorff. &ldquo;While the majority of franchisees coming into our system are sophisticated owners who understand the franchising business, it&rsquo;s our job to help them become successful franchisees in the Rent-A-Center system. And in order to do that, we go through every possible detail, from how franchisees pay employees and set up and deliver benefits to what regional leadership looks like, how to get marketing approved and staying on the right side of compliance within our franchise system. Our transition team, through their processes, go to great lengths to ensure that the relationship starts off on the right foot.&rdquo;

Consistency is key when it comes to Rent-A-Center&rsquo;s franchise transformations, especially when multi-unit owners are taking on a large number of locations at once. We coordinate with the existing corporate regional leadership in order to facilitate the transfer of employment to the new franchise group. Geisendorff explains, &ldquo;we&rsquo;ve found much success in being able to have a member of the franchise transformation team and a member of the new franchise ownership group be able to meet each co-worker in the first few days after a sale is announced.&rdquo;

Prior to the new franchisees being introduced to the store managers and employees, they attend a comprehensive orientation that walks them through Rent-A-Center&rsquo;s processes and procedures in great detail. The brand spends a lot of time working with franchisees to ensure that they understand Rent-A-Center&rsquo;s core messaging and what goes into making the brand stand out. Once the franchisor and franchisees are confident that the infrastructure is all set up and in great condition, the franchisees officially take over ownership.

Despite the level of detail included throughout Rent-A-Center&rsquo;s franchise transformations, it only takes two weeks to complete. According to Bylund, that&rsquo;s because the brand has established strong lines of communication.

He said, &ldquo;Communication is key in our franchise transformation process. We make sure that all of our departments know what they&rsquo;re supposed to be doing and when so that tasks don&rsquo;t get executed too soon, or too late. But what really separates Rent-A-Center&rsquo;s transformation from corporate to franchisee ownership from other concepts is the fact that we put together a team for our new owners.&rdquo; As Rent-A-Center goes to market with its refranchising program it is hearing feedback from multi branded franchisees and industry professionals that this level of transitional support is somewhat unprecedented. Bylund continues to explain, &ldquo;When you are handing over 30 to 50 stores at a time we want to make sure that important things such as vendor partnerships are established and well executed. We will actually steward franchisees through this process and ensure that a relationship is established between them and the vendors that can easily transfer things like utilities, fleet and real estate leases, etc. Our goal is to minimize the disruption to the stores and their employees so they are able to continue to serve their customers throughout the entire transformation process. We believe this is just one of the many attractive reasons to partner with RAC in a franchising opportunity.&rdquo;

As Rent-A-Center&rsquo;s refranchising initiative moves forward and continues to gain momentum in communities across the country, the brand is committed to continuously enhancing and improving its franchise transformation process. That&rsquo;s why each store transition is reviewed after the fact to find any lessons that need to be learned and new best practices.

&ldquo;For every conversion we do, we go through an extensive post-action review. Our teams walk through the process to make sure things haven&rsquo;t changed in the business environment that would require us to adjust our approach to transformations. We&rsquo;re very nimble and in-tune with our process, so we&rsquo;re able to make adjustments if we find a better or easier way to do something,&rdquo; Bylund said. &ldquo;Through this process we have identified some really great best practices that have helped us with our conversion process so far, and we&rsquo;re confident that they&rsquo;ll continue to help new franchisees as they enter our system.&rdquo;

Franchise Transformation Process Sets Up New Rent-A-Center Franchisees for Success

1851 Franchise

As Rent-A-Center moves forward with its refranchising process, the brand is committed to ensuring a seamless transition from corporate to local ownership.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

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How much can franchisees make? It’s a question many prospective owners ask before investing in a franchise. While earnings tend to be driven by variables such as industry, location and general management skills, a proper understanding of the key factors driving profitability can help franchise owners develop expectations that are realistic.&nbsp;Multi-unit franchisee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mangesh-patel-9368569/">Mangesh Patel</a>, who’s readying the launch of six&nbsp;<a href="https://www.beefobradysfranchise.com/">Beef ‘O’ Brady’s</a> restaurant locations in the Macon, Georgia area, shares insights from his franchising experience.<h2>Understanding Franchise Income</h2>Keeping operational costs in check can have a major impact on overall earnings. Taking a proactive approach to expenses such as food and labor, as well as payroll and scheduling, can help align actual franchise income with general expectations for the business.“I just had a meeting with a couple of people, and they said, ‘You talked about a 25% profit margin, but I’m only doing 12%.’ So, I looked at the figures they sent me,” Patel said. “Their&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/calculate-restaurant-franchise-profit-2730476">restaurant</a> food cost was running at 37%, which should be around 30%. The national average is about 32%. If I do things correctly, my average food cost needs to be at or below 30%. And payroll should run around 18%. But many people run 25 to 28%.”So,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/unraveling-franchise-earnings-how-much-can-you-really-make-2723935">how much can franchisees make</a>? Here are five areas to consider.<h2>Practical Tips for Prospective Franchisees</h2><ol><li>Control Costs From Day One:&nbsp;It’s important to monitor payroll, food and supply costs closely. Overstaffing and inefficiencies can quickly reduce profits.</li><li>Plan For The Opening Surge:&nbsp;Traffic within the first few months of opening is likely to be higher. It’s important to adjust staffing and inventory accordingly, and pay close attention to how those levels change as time goes on.</li><li>Invest In Training:&nbsp;Properly trained workers can help reduce waste and improve overall service, which has a direct effect on net income.</li><li>Understand Your Market:&nbsp;Each market is unique and revenue potential will vary depending upon location, demographics and competition.</li><li>Track Metrics Regularly:&nbsp;Food cost percentages, labor ratios and weekly sales data act as key indicators operations may need to be adjusted.</li></ol><h2>What Profitability Really Comes Down To</h2>Patel notes that if franchise owners manage labor and costs properly, it’s not impossible to achieve strong cash flow even in the first year, bucking some franchising trends.So,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/how-much-can-you-make-as-a-franchise-owner-2724761">how much can franchisees make</a>? While results tend to vary, careful planning, disciplined operations and a proactive approach to assessing initial costs are essential. But by grasping and guiding the elements that drive franchise profitability, franchise owners can maximize overall business earnings, scaling a business that’s sustainable financially over the long term.Want to learn more about franchise opportunities on 1851 Franchise? Be sure to visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/power-rankings">Power Rankings</a> to read more on brands making moves.

How much can franchisees make? This guide explains what drives franchise earnings and how to manage costs, with expert tips from multi-unit owner Mangesh Patel on maximizing your franchise income.

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The linear sales funnel is dying. Prospective buyers are no longer filling out a form at first glance and waiting for the phone to ring. They’re doing the majority of the heavy lifting before they even make themselves known to the franchisor. For franchisors, this means one key thing: you must know exactly where candidates spend their time. No guesswork. And you have to adjust your strategy accordingly.And, in today's buyer world, the biggest buzz term is 2026's ride or die for franchise brands – Ai.&nbsp;If you are trying to sell a franchise today, you must meet candidates where they are (four walls, Ai, website, social advertising).&nbsp;Focusing on a strong digital footprint first and then lead generation will help the brand with validation and will lay the foundation for trust before the first conversation even happens. Still, franchisors must know where to find their candidates and be confident the candidates are being sent to the right place.“We consistently see the strongest lead performance from Google Search (paid and organic), social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and our franchise development website,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlsnyder">Erin Snyder</a>, head of franchise development at&nbsp;<a href="https://handelsicecream.com/handels-franchise/">Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream</a>. “Because all awareness and advertising efforts ultimately funnel candidates to our development site, maintaining a highly optimized, mobile-first web presence is critical for conversion.”<h2>The "Hidden" Channels: Authentic Research via AiSEO</h2>While Google and major portals are often where a candidate might start a broad search, the deep research happens in the shadows. This is where candidates scroll, mindlessly or otherwise, simply observing rather than clicking “apply” immediately; or, ask Ai chatbots about the best franchises to buy, the blind spots, the why nots, and, of course, the whys.Right now, Ai plays a key role in this research stage. Buyers want the truth.&nbsp;For franchisors, this means your content strategy must pivot. It is no longer enough to post stock photos of happy business owners. You must document the journey, showing the behind-the-scenes reality that proves your concept has staying power.<h2>The Pivot From Print to Digital Interactivity</h2>While print media has been a channel for franchise development in the past, its static nature has made it less effective as the buyer’s journey has shifted to digital. Buyers are generally looking for channels that will allow them to click, read and continue the search immediately.“Traditional print media has largely become a thing of the past for franchise development,” Snyder said. “What has been encouraging, though, is seeing many of these publications successfully pivot to digital formats that offer greater interactivity, stronger analytics and far better linkability than print ever could.”This creates a more dynamic experience for the candidate. In addition to a digital article, franchisors can embed a “day in the life” video, for example, or hyperlink a deeper dive on costs and profits for instant validation.This shift also allows franchisors to track return on investment more effectively. Instead of guessing if an article or ad worked, digital publications allow you to see exactly who clicked through, allowing for retargeting and smarter budget allocation.<h2>The Conversion Hub: Your Mobile-First Website</h2>Once a candidate has discovered you on Google, watched your videos on TikTok and read about you in a digital publication, they finally arrive at the destination: your franchise development website.This is the bottom of the funnel, where you will win or lose a candidate. Because all other channels point here, your website cannot just be a digital brochure. It has to be a conversion engine. And crucially, it must work perfectly on a smartphone.The question can’t just be “Do we have a website?” Questions about the website should surround usability and readability. Is navigation easy on a smartphone? Does the site load quickly? Is it readable? If a prospect has to pinch-and-zoom to read your investment costs and financial performance, they will leave.An optimized, mobile-first presence is critical because it serves as the collection point; all other awareness efforts funnel potential franchisees to the site. The user experience here should validate the trust built on other channels. However, accessibility is only half the battle; the content itself must be unsparingly open. The website is the channel where you must prove your value proposition with hard data.“Across all channels, the messaging needs to be clear, concise and consistent,” Snyder said. “Candidates should be able to easily find transparent investment ranges and financial requirements, a clear value proposition, compelling franchisee success stories, key differentiators from competitors and straightforward next steps for how to inquire.”When you treat your website as a transparency engine rather than a gatekeeper, you change the dynamic of the eventual sales call. A candidate who has already consumed your financial data and success stories arrives at the inquiry stage educated and qualified. This allows the development team to skip the basic fact-finding and move straight to strategy and fit.“When a candidate submits an inquiry, the first conversation should build on what the candidate has already learned,” Snyder said “ensuring they understand the opportunity they are considering, clarifying details, personalizing the discussion to their goals and moving them into a structured education process rather than starting from scratch.”<h2>Allocating the Budget: The "Ideal Candidate" Approach</h2>While a presence across multiple channels — from search and social to digital publications — is key, understanding exactly how much to invest in each option is the next hurdle. There is no single, magical approach to budgeting; a brand selling multi-million-dollar franchises needs to develop a presence in different places than a low-cost, mobile franchise will.To spend effectively, you must deeply understand your ideal franchisee profile. Once you know who is investing, you can begin working on where to find them. For example, a high-net-worth investor might be on LinkedIn and reading digital trade journals, while a first-time investor or someone seeking an owner-operator model might be influenced by local Facebook ads.“Franchisors should start by understanding their ideal franchisee profile and then allocate budget toward the channels where those prospects spend the most time,” Snyder said. “The mix will naturally look different for a high-investment, multi-unit candidate than for a first-time owner-operator. Beyond that, it’s critical to consider overall brand awareness and invest in channels that consistently get both the brand and the franchise opportunity in front of qualified prospects. A balanced approach that supports both awareness and lead capture tends to produce the strongest results.”<h2>Key Takeaways and Next Steps:</h2>Make sure you have a content footprint that answers the top 25 questions asked about your brand in Ai and Google searchs.Review your mobile experience: Open your franchise development site on your phone. If it takes more than three seconds to load or if the "Apply" button is hard to find, fix it immediately.Embrace "lo-fi" video content: You don't need a production crew. Use a smartphone to record "day in the life" videos with your franchisees and post them to social to build authentic trust.Ensure transparency and continuity:&nbsp;Candidates need to be able to find the information they’re looking for, and the experience should be consistent between a social page and a franchise development site. Make sure your value proposition is clear across all channels.Embrace innovation, but don’t count out the classics:&nbsp;Look at the whole picture. Many candidates are exploring opportunities on supplemental platforms like social media or in the results of a Google search, but they’re still looking at the franchise development site, too. Don’t confine yourself to the “old reliable” methods, but don’t leave them behind, either.Budget by persona, not platform: Don't just "do Facebook ads." Define exactly who your buyer is, and spend your money only on the channels where that specific person consumes content.For more information on franchise growth channels, check out these related stories on 1851 Franchise:<ul><li><a href="https://1851franchise.com/how-to-use-social-media-marketing-to-promote-your-franchise-2727185#stories">How To Use Social Media Marketing To Promote Your Franchise</a></li><li><a href="https://1851franchise.com/building-a-franchise-website-that-converts-key-features-and-best-practices-2727363#stories">Building a Franchise Website That Converts: Key Features and Best Practices</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlfduHqGy7I">How to Sell Franchises | The Buyer Persona</a></li></ul>

To succeed in the shifting landscape, franchisors must understand the buyer’s journey, identify the ideal franchisee profile, and build a digital presence that meets candidates where they are.

Franchise Transformation Process Sets Up New Rent-A-Center Franchisees for Success

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