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Taking the plunge and finally opening one&rsquo;s own franchise location can be exciting and overwhelming all at once. Between parsing the text-rich pages of the franchise disclosure document, finding the just-right location and completing their due diligence, a prospective franchisee may find themselves wondering more than ever if a resource exists to make sure their voice is heard by corporate leadership.

The good news? Just such a resource exists.

It&rsquo;s called a franchise advisory council.

Franchise advisory councils, or FACs, are composed of groups of franchisees who meet on a scheduled basis to discuss matters that are of importance to both themselves and their franchisor. <a href="https://1851franchise.com/communication-between-franchisee-and-franchisor-the-proverbial-two-way-street-2708315" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">The council exists as both a representative of the larger franchise system and as a point of contact for dialogue between franchisor and franchisee</a>.

Stephanie Simon is a five-year franchisee with pest control franchise <a href="https://mosquitojoefranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-essential-role-franchise-advisory-councils-play-in-franchisee-validation-2709112" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Mosquito Joe</a>, operating in five territories across Arkansas. She&rsquo;s been a member of her Mosquito Joe FAC since nearly the beginning of her franchising career, becoming a council member in 2014.

&ldquo;I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the Mosquito Joe FAC,&rdquo; Simon said. &ldquo;I sincerely appreciate seeing and hearing all of the changes that have been made for the better in our system because a few people spoke up, and, through the FAC, their voices were heard.&rdquo;

Asked how she understood the goals of her FAC, Simon was emphatic:

&ldquo;Our primary goals are to promote constructive, open and two-way communication between franchisees and Mosquito Joe corporate,&rdquo; Simon explained. &ldquo;These goals are well-achieved as it seems easier to speak to a fellow franchisee about a specific idea or concern&mdash;we are all in the same boat.&rdquo;

Simon&rsquo;s FAC meets quarterly to discuss an agenda that they set. In Simon&rsquo;s case, the work of her franchise advisory council has brought on tangible successes; just a few include &ldquo;consistent updates and improvements in vans, uniforms, vendors, products, policies and procedures.&rdquo;

According to Simon, the experience has truly served to validate and strengthen the relationship between corporate leadership and the franchise system&rsquo;s owner-operators.

&ldquo;In my experience, I have seen so many great ideas come to fruition because of the FAC,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Mosquito Joe corporate is great at listening and making changes as needed. I believe when the franchisees see these changes, they feel a certain validation that they were heard and that corporate listened.&rdquo;

Kathleen McKay is the Director of Franchise Development for non-medical elderly care franchise <a href="https://franchises.homeinstead.com/Pages/default.aspx?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-essential-role-franchise-advisory-councils-play-in-franchisee-validation-2709112" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Home Instead Senior Care</a>. Home Instead operates with an FEC model, or &ldquo;franchise exchange council,&rdquo; but the function and rewards echo those of Simon&rsquo;s FAC: &ldquo;[Our council] really provides a vehicle for franchise owners and senior leadership to share&mdash;whether that&rsquo;s opportunities or challenges&mdash;and to create workable solutions that work for the home office and for our network.&rdquo;

As McKay puts it, the reason for this success can best be understood by considering the relationship between franchisee and franchisor to be symbiotic.

&ldquo;Some of our owners that have been on the FEC explain it as: &lsquo;The senior leadership of our home office really thinks at the macro level, but owners have to operate at the micro level.&rsquo; So having owners sit down with our leadership really helps bridge that and allows for both forward-thinking and for operational day-to-day success.&rdquo;

Home Instead Senior Care&rsquo;s FEC, founded in 2005, is also set up along clear guidelines: the council is comprised of 16 franchise owners in the U.S. and Canada, with two representatives serving from the franchise&rsquo;s eight North American regions. Representatives are voted onto the council by other franchisees in the system. The council meets bi-annually, or more frequently should an issue require its attention. As in the case of Simon&rsquo;s FAC, the Home Instead council sets its own agenda and has seen real results.

&ldquo;Working closely with our network, we expanded the scope [of our business model] ever-so-slightly on the advice of our owners,&rdquo; McKay explained. &ldquo;We made sure we had everything to do that professionally, with quality expansion, not just expansion for expansion&rsquo;s sake.&rdquo; She continued: &ldquo;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/fbr-50-franchisee-satisfaction-awards-home-instead-senior-care-2706494" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Anytime we consider new operating software, we talk to the FEC</a>. We move things forward, or not, because of the FEC.&rdquo;

Asked for her thoughts on just how beneficial to an existing franchisee-franchisor relationship advisory or exchange councils can be, McKay spoke in plain terms.

&ldquo;Having some kind of council, FAC or FEC, is a critical piece for any franchise to have,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;You have to have your finger on the pulse and be open to hearing everything. I mean, it&rsquo;s a partnership. [As a franchisee], if you don&rsquo;t have a vehicle for communication and access to senior leadership, you&rsquo;re not going to be satisfied.&rdquo;

With the new year, Stephanie Simon&rsquo;s tenure as a member of her Mosquito Joe FAC is drawing to a close. After five sessions of involvement, she feels that FACs have an important role to play not only for owner-operators seeking meaningful dialogue with their franchisor, but also for prospective franchisee validation.

&ldquo;I think FACs play a great role in prospective franchisee validation,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;It shows them that we belong to a community and franchise that is actively listening to their members and open to hearing new ideas to improve our entire system. I believe that it is so important for prospective franchisees to know about this opportunity when making their final decisions.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Even the smallest idea,&rdquo; said Simon, &ldquo;can make such an amazing impact.&quot;

franchise advisory council, FAC, franchisee validation, Mosquito Joe, Home Instead Senior Care

The Essential Role Franchise Advisory Councils Play in Franchisee Validation

1851 Franchise

How FACs provide a necessary two-way vehicle of communication and growth in a franchise system.

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