FBR 50 Franchisee Satisfaction Awards: Home Instead Senior Care

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

Kathleen McKay, Franchise Development Director of Home Instead Senior Care: The satisfaction and success of our franchisees is the greatest result we could ask for; ultimately one begets the other!  Satisfied franchise owners are a leading indicator that we are doing a lot of things right.

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

McKay: We proudly display our FBR results on our Franchise Development and Corporate websites.  More importantly, we discuss it with interested franchise prospects.  There are a lot of choices in senior care.  Consistently having the most satisfied franchisees is a huge differentiator.  It’s one thing for us to say why our franchise opportunity is exceptional but another for our current franchisees to say it. The leadership team at our home office also uses the information to improve our processes and procedures to better support our franchise owners. 

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

McKay: We simply do our best to pursue only the most qualified franchisee candidates through a transparent and thorough vetting process.  We then arm our franchisees with continuously evolving ongoing training and support and work hard to cultivate a relationship steeped in trust, mutual respect and a healthy growth mentality.  We also take great care in promoting and infusing a culture of caring by adhering to our mission statement: To enhance the lives of aging adults and their families.

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

McKay: It’s really hard to give just one piece of advice!  Listen to your network, if you don’t already have one, start a franchise advisory council to facilitate two-way communication.  And continuously invest and work to professionally develop your Home Office staff and franchise owners.  Their ongoing learning and development will profoundly benefit your entire network.

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

McKay: We are going to continue to do the right things for the right reasons; with the right franchise owners!  By intentionally acting to change the face of aging and perpetuating our thought leadership through quality care, research and advocacy, we are paving a path for continued satisfaction and success.