FBR 50 Franchisee Satisfaction Awards: Dream Vacations

1851: Why is franchisee satisfaction so important for your brand?

Debbie Fiorino, Senior Vice President of Dream Vacations: Franchisee satisfaction is important to us because we recognize that the success of our franchisees is a direct result of the support we provide. At Dream Vacations, our franchise owners are our customer and number one priority so it is very important to know that we are providing them the tools, resources and support they need to succeed. We use the annual survey to keep a pulse on our franchisees as it relates to where we are exceeding their expectations and areas for improvement.

The Franchisee Satisfaction Survey is also important because it provides us with a snapshot of our success and how we compare to other franchisors. We use it every year when discussing our franchisee satisfaction and impressive retention rate with prospects, and receiving the “Best in Category” distinction this year will make it even more impactful.

We like to say that we are only successful if our franchisees are successful. Franchisee satisfaction is an important motivational tool for our headquarters staff because it provides additional confirmation that they are doing an amazing job in providing support, and it inspires them to work harder and build upon their successes.

1851: How does your brand leverage the information and data that comes from Franchise Business Review's franchisee surveys?

Fiorino: At Dream Vacations, we pride ourselves on full transparency with our network of franchise owners and our employees. After we carefully look at all the write-in comments and review the data to determine any areas of improvement, we celebrate the successes and share an overview of the results with our employees and franchisees. We encourage franchisees to include their names when completing the survey so we can follow up on their comments.

We use the information from the survey to improve as a franchisor, but also to show those who want to be part of our Dream Vacations family how our franchisees feel about us. We pride ourselves on our transparency and encourage all prospective franchisees to contact franchise owners and ask questions about their experiences with Dream Vacations. These survey results are also a great tool for prospects to use in their discovery process. 

1851: What steps does your brand take to receive such high marks when it comes to franchisee satisfaction?

Fiorino: We use the Franchisee Satisfaction Survey to create a two-way dialogue with our franchise owners. By responding to their concerns and sharing the overall results, our franchise owners know and appreciate that they have a voice and that we take their feedback seriously. We take all comments into consideration when creating new programs and making enhancements or improvements to existing ones.

Our values are focused on transparency and building meaningful relationships with our franchise owners. We always keep our franchise owners’ best interests top of mind by staying informed on what is important to them. We achieve this through the annual satisfaction survey, as well as by receiving ongoing feedback from them by involving them in our decision-making process throughout the year. This collaboration starts with our franchisee-led committees and Advisory Council. When joining Dream Vacations you become part of our family and we know you by name, you are not just a number to us. We have seen a direct correlation between the support we provide with franchisee success and satisfaction.

1851: What is your top tip or piece advice for brands looking to improve their level of franchisee support?

Fiorino: It is important to know who your customer is. We believe that as a franchisor, your customer is your franchisee, and their customers are their clients (consumers).

As a franchisor, you should be focusing on making sure your franchisees have all the tools and resources they need to succeed. Include them in the discovery process of new programs, listen to their feedback and make changes as necessary.

For example, we have an IT committee of franchise owners who are involved in the development of new resources and provide feedback from the franchisee perspective. We also use our Advisory Council as a spring board for advice before we roll out any new initiatives. This helps us ensure all programs are created with the common franchise owner in mind, and it also brings to the forefront any concerns that may result.

1851: How is your brand going to build on this recognition and success going forward in 2018?

Fiorino: We are thrilled to be named the “Best in Category” travel agency franchise and we hope to continue the momentum with our recruitment efforts and through the support we provide. We are bullish on our growth in 2018 and are always happy to share with prospective franchisees our satisfaction results and “Best in Category” ranking. From a support standpoint, we are continuing to create programs and resources that will increase business for our network of franchise owners. We believe that there is a direct correlation between franchisee success and business growth with the satisfaction results.