7 Things To Check While Choosing A Franchise Management Software

 

According to research, franchises have a success rate of more than 90 percent. This indicates that they are among the most successful businesses. However, as a franchise owner, you may still face unique challenges when it comes to developing and distributing your marketing materials. Every franchisor has unique requirements and different levels of involvement. This is why it's extremely helpful to have the best franchise management software available to help with your marketing efforts.

Here are seven questions you must ask yourself to help you pick the right franchise management software for your establishment.

1.    Is the need to have cloud-based franchise management software important for my business prospects?

Cloud technology-driven software for franchise management offers the below-mentioned benefits to franchisors:

Improved plan to recover from disasters is put into practice – No matter the size, all businesses should choose franchise management software that has robust and prompt disaster recovery. This is especially crucial for franchise brands that have a national and international presence. A good franchise intranet will help you keep all of your franchise materials organized and accessible. You should be able to upload documents to a private, secure digital library and make sure that sensitive data is protected with 24/7 security.

Automated critical updates are triggered – Franchise supervision software with cloud-based architecture helps take the burden off of franchisees when it comes to security updates and other maintenance tasks. With this type of software, all updates are done automatically, which means franchisees don't have to worry about keeping up with manual updates on all devices.

Smooth collaboration is embraced – The cloud-based workflow of franchise management software allows you to access, modify, and share documents with the entire franchise family. This is crucial for every franchise software system so that information about products, services, and company culture remains consistent.

Unmatched mobility is offered – Cloud-based franchise software helps you stay productive and maintain a work-life balance by allowing you to work from anywhere using internet-connected devices. You can use the software to supervise inventory and the supply chain, monitor franchisees, develop relationships with new leads, and create and implement marketing campaigns.

2.    Can I integrate franchise management software with other software that's already in place in your business?

As a franchise business owner, you may find that you need to invest in software that can integrate with other existing solutions. This is especially true if you need to use QuickBooks or a retail POS system. When you're looking for franchise management software, it's important to make sure that it will be compatible with the other software programs you're using. Otherwise, you could end up wasting time and money on a solution that doesn't work for you.

Software to handle franchises needs to be designed as an all-encompassing solution, but you also need to make sure it integrates seamlessly with other software platforms. This is important for making sure that all of your franchise locations are using the same system and that data can be shared easily between locations. 

When it comes to franchise software, experience is key. Designers need to be familiar with the tools that franchise owners use so they can design a backend that is efficient and easy to use. This takes a lot of time and effort, but it is worth it in the end.

APIs supported by software make it possible for data to be communicated between different software solutions. This helps to ensure that data is inputted neatly and that results are outputted in a way that is easy to understand. Franchise management software should also get rid of any duplicate contacts from your database so that your marketing strategy can be adapted accordingly. This also applies to incorrectly entered data, such as data that is formatted incorrectly or has broken code.

When it comes to software-controlled operations, you need a program that will deliver clear, accurate, and measurable results. It should also be able to seamlessly integrate with your existing production practices and print providers. If you're trying to find a reputable print vendor, the managed service provider for franchise management software can help you accomplish your marketing objectives. 

Product managers have the experience and knowledge to help facilitate automation, personalization, and email campaigns. They also have access to customer support services that can help resolve any issues that may arise.

3.    Does my software have compatibility with a variety of devices?

It's no secret that members of your franchise family use a wide variety of devices, from smartphones to tablets, to get their work done. And it's just as common for them to use a mix of Android, Windows, Apple, and Google phones within a single franchise. This says nothing about the huge diversity you experience. Managing franchises with software must be just as efficient when logged in from each of these various mobile devices.

4.    What’s the level of efficiency of the reporting capabilities of the software that my franchise uses?

When choosing franchise management software, it's important to make sure it has robust reporting capabilities. The ability to generate and analyze reports on sales, franchisee performance, revenue, market growth, and customer abandonment rate is crucial for making informed business decisions. Without this data, you're essentially operating on a wing and a prayer.

Reports that are generated automatically from franchise management software need to be easy to understand and use. They should also be customizable to a certain extent because of the widespread use of franchise management solutions in different industries. 

You should make sure that sales pipeline reports are automatically created and sent to the team via email on a regular basis. These reports should highlight various KPIs and present data in a clear, organized way.

5.    Does the software I select to manage my franchise support scalability?

Having a central location for all your data will make it easier for you to find what you need when you need it. It’s seemingly good until you realize the franchise software you use isn’t properly fitted out with the tools required to manage an ever-increasing workload. 

The software for franchise management you choose must be able to adapt and grow in sync with your business so that it allows you to effortlessly add new franchisee locations and users without any roadblocks. Furthermore, with your business expanding the software should facilitate the creation of diverse permission levels. They need to be created for many users based on authority levels.

Cloud-based, automation-driven software for managing franchises must be able to provide assistance to your scalability efforts. It must empower you to formulate the next marketing campaigns with the help of triggered events. With a continuous increase in the number of followers and customers franchise management software must help automate mainstream communication channels such as email, text messages, direct mail, and social media.

6.    Does my franchise management software promote absolute freedom as far as local marketing is concerned?

When franchisees have ownership over brand-compliant marketing resources, they can carry out marketing independently at a local level on a smaller scale. They won't need any additional marketing materials to roll out new ad campaigns or promotions. This will give franchisees a sense of autonomy as they embark on their success path.

Obviously, it wouldn't be ideal for your franchisees to have free reign when it comes to things like designing their logos or laying out marketing campaigns. 

A good franchise management software should keep all of the franchisee locations in line with what the headquarters approves of, as well as brand-approved assets. This way, you can avoid any rogue franchisees that might try to go off on their own.

7.    Does software for managing a franchise promise shorter production times?

If you're spending a lot of time looking for images, files, and emails, you need to find a better way. The right franchise management software allows you to store all things in a single place. This will make it easy, efficient, and quick for what you need.

Franchisees often have to spend a lot of time on marketing, which can slow down their workflow. Consequently, software for managing franchises must make sure that all brand-approved marketing resources are easily accessible and user-friendly in order to empower local marketers.