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What are the essential qualities of a franchise network coordinator?

Posted on 11 January 202313 November 2025<span class="by [email protected]

Growing a franchise is no easy task. It takes patience and the right people to maintain a dynamic franchise network on a daily basis and successfully attract new candidates. To achieve this, one key role stands out and deserves special recognition: that of the franchise network coordinator. Let’s take a closer look at this profession. Franchise Network Coordinator: Role, Qualities, and Day-to-Day Responsibilities Franchise Management: The Role of the Network Coordinator The network coordinator plays a key role. In fact, beyond the coordination aspect, this job requires you to be a true jack-of-all-trades! First and foremost, your network coordinator will be the face of your franchise to franchisees, serving as the link between the corporate headquarters and the franchisees. As such, they must inspire franchisees to stay and, above all, encourage prospective franchisees to embark on this journey with you. Second, to ensure the network runs smoothly, the coordinator must centralize information and ensure it is effectively shared with franchisees. It is essential to provide them with a shared knowledge base for the entire network: key documents and operating manuals. Indeed, these resources must be instantly accessible so that everyone is on the same page and up to date on best practices. Also, keep in mind that, as a franchisor, you have a duty to provide training to your franchisees. Passing on know-how is one of the coordinator’s key responsibilities. You must ensure franchisees have access to training, create innovative training programs that keep them up to date on best management practices, and ultimately enable them to improve their skills and productivity over the years. Finally, as a franchise network coordinator, one of the main challenges will be to unite the network: to inspire franchisees to stay, to get personally involved, and to push themselves. The network coordinator maintains franchisees’ motivation on a daily basis through various communication channels. They must also ensure that information flows in both directions: they observe conditions on the ground and relay progress and suggestions from franchisees to the network headquarters. The Qualities of a Network Coordinator in Daily Operations A network coordinator possesses several qualities that complement one another. The smooth operation of your franchise network depends on them: your coordinator must be a dynamic and efficient person with a strong ability to adapt and innate communication skills to handle a fast-paced daily routine. They are the face of the network to franchisees and bring the human touch that every business needs. Thanks to their communication skills, the network coordinator acts as an intermediary between the franchisor and the franchisees. Their goal is to increase productivity and, ultimately, sales at the point of sale. From the moment a franchisee joins the network, the network coordinator steps in to provide support. Whether it’s helping find a location, familiarizing the franchisee with the tools, or organizing in-store events, the network coordinator is out in the field! A keen eye for detail is essential: it’s difficult to advise, support, and drive growth when you don’t know what’s happening on the ground. The coordinator monitors franchisees by conducting regular on-site visits to ensure the concept is being properly implemented and aligns with projected results. They must also judge when to grant autonomy—it’s truly a job of observation. Their thorough knowledge of the files and progress will lend credibility to their role in the eyes of franchisees. These skills can be enhanced with the right management tools and our advice on managing a franchise network! Discover Cerca’s features for managing a franchise network The right tools make for effective managers Tired of losing candidates due to oversight or because you feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks you have to complete? The most time-consuming tasks can be essential, so there’s nothing better than franchise management software to bring order to it all. How can Cerca help network managers? Once strategies are in place, it’s all about tracking progress, staying in touch, and ensuring methods and concepts are properly implemented. To stay on top of everything and perform at your best, you need management software like Cerca. To summarize the network manager’s role: they must help franchisees generate revenue at the point of sale using the business model that was sold to them. However, network coordinators face a major challenge: they often cover fairly large areas and may lack sufficient time. Franchisees may have very specific requests, unique personalities, and varying needs—which means the network coordinator must take all these factors into account and adapt accordingly! A CRM can be the solution to these challenges. Streamline day-to-day communication using the tools available in the Cerca software. Network coordination rests on several pillars, all accessible through the software’s various features: You can foster a sense of community through challenges or network updates, such as highlighting success stories from the field. Fill out visit reports directly from our software. Access statistics and the history of all visits made by coordinators to franchisees. Create automatic action plans based on visit reports. Surveys will be easier to distribute, and all information will be centralized in a shared knowledge base accessible to everyone. Your training responsibilities will be simplified thanks to the e-learning platform. During meetings, simple information can be shared seamlessly across the various working groups. This is a real benefit for franchisees, who will be able to build a relationship of trust with their network coordinator and will never have to chase after the[…]

Our 6 good reasons for using franchise management software

Posted on 21 December 202213 November 2025<span class="by [email protected]

The day-to-day management of a business is filled with these routine tasks, which always involve additional work—no matter how small or time-consuming they may be. From the very beginning of a business, you feel the need to centralize operations to manage them more effectively. Management software is an ideal solution for gaining a comprehensive overview and avoiding feeling overwhelmed by a lack of organization. To optimize and streamline the management of your network, discover our 6 good reasons to use franchise-specific management software. 1️⃣ Manage and oversee your franchise Franchise management software offers numerous features, all with one main goal: to help you manage teams, the store network, and applications. For both the franchisor and the franchisee, software centralizes all information and makes day-to-day operations run more smoothly. This way, from the very start within the network, the new franchisee will have access to the knowledge base needed to get off to a smooth start. They’ll also be able to complete all training and become familiar with best practices. The spirit of collaboration within the network is truly enhanced by the sharing and discussion tools offered by franchise management software. 2️⃣ Facilitate Communication Good franchise management software will help facilitate communication among your franchisees. The management software acts as a true central purchasing hub for franchisees when it comes to communication materials. This way, all orders can be automated without forcing a specific supplier or payment method on the franchisee. Franchise management software also allows you to track inventory, revenue, and margins! 3️⃣ Energize Your Network The real challenge of network management lies in keeping it dynamic. We’ve already discussed on Cerca the importance of network management and why management software is the ideal solution for it. To keep your franchisees in the network, you need to make their day-to-day operations easier. Network coordinators need management software tailored to franchises to serve as the link between the corporate office and the franchisees. It is the franchisor’s responsibility to ensure that the network manager has access to the right tools to manage the network. Communication is a key aspect of franchise network management. Communication between the franchisee and the franchisor must be two-way. Reporting information from the field, creating visit reports, and sharing news and challenges within the network—all of this can be done using franchise-specific management software. Finally, to ensure all your franchisees stay up to date on your business model, management software can provide the necessary training tools. Discover franchise management software 4️⃣ Save time! Before using it, no franchisor can imagine just how much time franchise management software saves. Every task requires follow-up and can be time-consuming, especially when it comes to recruiting candidates. Recruitment isn’t an easy task—you wonder when to follow up with candidates, how to attract them, and how to convert them: it’s all about follow-up. With the right CRM, you won’t let a single lead slip through the cracks. When it comes to opening new locations, the software also saves time! How? Depending on the software, project management and opening management modules will allow you to smoothly oversee the opening of new locations. The software will help you achieve your goals by streamlining communication and monitoring budgets; ultimately, you’ll be able to open more locations in less time thanks to the overall optimization of all processes. 5️⃣ Analyze and consolidate your data Whereas a small business might use word processing or spreadsheet software like those in the Microsoft suite, franchise management software allows you to centralize everything. The benefit of franchise management software is that it eliminates the need to use multiple programs or create duplicate files. Your accounting, projects, B2B operations, invoicing, and other business documents will all be centralized, saving you time. When it comes to data analysis, management software is an indispensable tool for identifying areas where your business can improve. It’s essential to use the data from your network to understand your strengths and weaknesses. Using franchise management software is essential for collecting all the data from your network. With a data collection system, you can easily retrieve key data and then generate charts that highlight KPIs for different users, including both franchisees and the franchisor. You can also retrieve all the data from your tax documents with a simple scan. Collecting your data also helps improve the processes mentioned above—recruitment, communication, and network engagement—as the software optimizes every day-to-day task. 6️⃣ Legal Support for the Entire Network The legal and financial aspects of running a business can be challenging. These areas are often unfamiliar to new employees leading the network or to new franchisees. Not all of us have expertise in these areas. Franchise management software will help clarify and support the entire network on this topic. From the very first interactions, legal and financial support is put in place. For example, secure electronic signatures for D.I.P.s and other documents—which are then accessible in the digital vault—allow you to track all deadlines electronically and enhance your company’s image. On the financial side, management software will allow you to track the network’s metrics, revenue, royalties, and team performance, thereby improving processes and eliminating potential bottlenecks. Depending on the software, you’ll be able to[…]

What support do franchisees need from a franchisor?

Posted on 16 December 202213 November 2025<span class="by [email protected]

Before, during, and after the franchise opens, franchisees continue to have expectations of the franchisor. Whether in terms of support or 360° management, it is important that information flows freely and that the franchisor can provide the tools necessary for the franchisee’s success. The Franchisor’s Role Toward the Franchisee The Franchisor-Franchisee Relationship The relationship between the franchisor and the franchisee is not a boss-to-employee relationship; it’s important to keep this in mind, as franchising is a very unique business model. In fact, even though the franchisor provides general guidelines while retaining the greatest decision-making authority, the franchisee is still the leader of their own business. A relationship of trust must be established between the two parties in order to move toward a shared entrepreneurial goal: growing the business. This relationship of trust begins as soon as the DIP is signed; however, it is not a binding commitment—it’s important to remember that. When the franchisee decides to partner with the franchisor, a contractual relationship is established between the two parties. The franchisee benefits from a turnkey concept, ready for expansion, backed by years of experience and including services such as training, a established reputation, a legal structure, products or services, and expertise exclusive to the franchise. The franchisor benefits from an extra pair of hands to grow its business and the opportunity to develop new locations, partially funded by the franchisee. A good relationship between the two parties is essential to ensuring the network’s long-term viability. The Franchisor’s Obligations and Duties The franchisor has obligations toward the franchisee, but also has duties. This distinction is important, as obligations are contractual, whereas duties are not. Thus, upon signing the contract and once the initial fees have been paid, a relationship is established based on the use of a proven, successful business model. The franchisor commits to sharing its expertise under the terms of an exclusive contract. Access to this concept is restricted to franchisees, and its added value is available only to franchisees and consumers. In addition to know-how, the franchisor is required to provide strong brand identifiers: a logo, brand image, and visual and architectural identity. The franchisor must also provide legal assistance, an operations manual (known as a “Manop”), and recruitment guides to ensure the business runs as smoothly as possible. Finally, the franchisor is obligated to continuously evolve its concept to make it increasingly innovative, as it must remain competitive and ensure the business’s healthy growth. Beyond all contractual obligations, the franchisor also has duties, including the duty to provide training, the duty to offer support, and the moral duty—as one entrepreneur to another—to provide all the keys to success. There must be transparency regarding the franchise’s financial health, and a call for help must never be ignored by the franchisor, who always has a duty to assist. Nevertheless, the franchisor must allow the franchisee a degree of autonomy. In return, the franchisee commits to adhering to the concept and maintaining the consistency of the network, in addition to compensating the franchisor for their contributions, typically in the form of initial fees and royalties. What support does the franchisor provide to franchisees? The various types of support available The network headquarters, or franchisor, is the primary source of support for franchisees. Responsible for strategy, the franchisor steers the ship and must be able to provide franchisees with the necessary resources. Whether financial, event-related, moral, or technical, the franchisor must demonstrate versatility in the support it provides. More specifically, the franchisor provides the franchisee with the necessary training and guidance, which can take the form of network coordination as well as recruitment support. How can a business be sustainable if recruitment isn’t effective? The franchisor provides marketing strategies, technical support, and after-sales service to the franchisee. The franchisor visits franchisees and ensures adherence to the business model while offering guidance. In the event of difficulties, the franchisor may, in exceptional cases, provide financial support—for example, by extending payment deadlines. The Benefits of Effective Support Support fosters synergy within the network, allowing the franchisee to benefit from years of experience and backing right from the start. This ensures a smooth launch and rapid results. From the very beginning, the franchisor will help find a good location, assist with managing construction, and support the franchisee right up to the grand opening. Depending on the stages of growth, effective support has a positive impact on the network—especially regarding expansion decisions and opportunities, as well as management advice. However, providing effective support does not mean assisting the franchisee without allowing any autonomy. How can franchisors effectively support their franchisees? The Challenges of Franchisee Support Now that we understand the support needs of franchisees, it quickly becomes clear how difficult it is to build a solid support structure on one’s own. The initial obstacles faced by a franchisor will quickly complicate day-to-day operations. How do you manage applications from prospective franchisees? How do you achieve better results? How do you ensure that the franchise concept is followed and that on-the-ground reality doesn’t contradict the guidelines provided? How can you ensure the franchise network runs smoothly? The structure of the franchise business makes oversight quite complex. The franchisor must tackle all these challenges and ensure 360-degree management of their business. Supporting Franchisors Franchisors are entrepreneurs; they want to do everything and keep an eye on everything, but the more the business grows, the harder it is to keep track of every detail of the operation. Whether you’re a franchisee or a franchisor, you’re independent—but never alone—thanks to the right support tools. A tool like Cerca will help you structure every aspect of your franchise operations, down to the smallest detail. Whether it’s legal or marketing, Cerca enables continuous performance improvement through key features. From recruitment to signing[…]

How can a franchise network facilitate local communication?

Posted on 22 November 202216 July 2026<span class="by [email protected]

For several years now, franchisees have been facing changes in communication methods. Digital media has gradually taken precedence over print, billboards, and traditional media such as radio, newspapers, and television. Today, Google, Meta, and digital platforms account for the vast majority of the advertising audience. But it can be risky to hire a digital agency to promote your offerings to customers in your catchment area. Will your budget be sufficient to get noticed? Will the campaign be effective? For a franchisee, there are many questions, and they require a level of expertise that’s difficult to master. However, technology now makes it easier to meet this need for digital communication, especially when the franchise network—at the corporate headquarters level—implements the right tools for its retailers. The Challenges Facing Franchises in Making an Impact on Digital Media The adage “Think Global, Act Local” holds true in digital advertising. The brand must be able to simplify access to local digital advertising by offering ready-to-use ad modules for its franchisees. These include generic campaign packages centered on the brand’s message, campaign packages tied to product news, and campaign packages tailored to key moments in a store’s life cycle: grand openings, promotions, clearance sales, events, and more. Each of these packages can include visuals and text pre-designed by headquarters to make the franchisees’ work easier. Ads must also be configured to meet different objectives: brand awareness, in-store traffic, traffic to the store’s Facebook or Google Maps page, or phone calls. Consequently, it’s necessary to be able to run campaigns across different platforms: Google Ads, which allows “hot” or “intent-driven” prospects to appear directly in search results—whether on Google or Google Maps; Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, which, through their advertising algorithms, display ads to audiences most likely to click. These social media platforms are essential for expanding visibility among as many potential customers as possible. Publisher websites and apps—particularly news outlets and local publications—as well as sites like Leboncoin. These platforms can display banners in various formats, as well as audio or video interstitials. Waze—the #1 app for navigation—offers highly effective exposure to drivers. Learn more about DeepReach. However, these modules must also take into account the specific characteristics of each store. First, not every local market is on equal footing with the GAFA companies. For the same retailer, Facebook may perform better in one area, while Snapchat may generate more clicks in another. It is therefore essential to be able to adapt the media mix by region. Second challenge: the catchment area. To avoid wasting your advertising budget, you must ensure that only potential customers located near the store are exposed to the ads—and this applies to every advertising network. You must therefore be able to define an ad display zone, with priority and secondary zones if possible. Third challenge: personalizing messages, particularly by including the store’s name, tailoring the text, and specifying the correct address. Cerca can now help its clients launch these local campaigns. By integrating all these advertising networks via DeepReach technology—used by the largest communications agencies— Cerca can offer retailers a comprehensive platform to: design a catalog of campaign packages for all digital media, define the geographic areas for each store to enable geotargeting, allow franchisees to view this campaign catalog and order campaigns directly, and track all campaign performance KPIs (impressions, clicks) by area and by media type. And all this without any expertise in digital advertising or additional staff. Click here to learn more about this feature. You may also be interested in these articles:

How to build franchisee loyalty

Posted on 21 November 202213 November 2025<span class="by [email protected]

For your franchisees to recommend your brand to potential franchise candidates, they need to have a positive experience working with you. This depends on your franchisees’ commitment to your brand, your business model, your network management, and your teams. But how do you build franchisee loyalty? First of all, why build franchisee loyalty? Congratulations! You’ve already done a great job recruiting your franchisees. Now that you know franchising is a business model that works for your brand, you want to continue growing. Did you know that your current franchisees are perfectly capable of bringing you serious new franchise candidates? Word-of-mouth is, in fact, a time-tested method for network expansion. So, how can you ensure that your current franchisees bring you these valuable candidates? It’s simple: if they’re satisfied with your network, word-of-mouth will (almost) take care of itself, and your franchisees will become your best ambassadors. To get your franchisees to recommend your network, you must therefore build their loyalty. However, this can’t be done in the traditional way, as you would with your end customers. We’ll therefore suggest various strategies for you to implement. Important! To best build loyalty among your franchisees, we recommend that you put ALL of these strategies into practice. 1. Offer personalized support Franchisees choose this business model because it allows them to start a business while receiving guidance. Why? Because the franchisor has a duty to lend a helping hand to all its franchisees. To help you grow your brand, you’ll need to enlist the help of network coordinators, for example. They’ll allow you to delegate this task. As true specialists, they’ll be attentive and effective in providing the necessary support to your franchisees. Whether your franchisees have general questions, encounter problems managing their store, face challenges with sales efficiency, or need help using one of your brand’s tools, equipment, or methods. Network coordinators will assist you with internal management between the corporate office and the franchisees. Having dedicated staff for your franchisees will help them feel confident and, above all, ensure they receive the right guidance to lead each store to success. This is therefore crucial not only for uniting your franchisees but also for ensuring the overall success of your brand. Following this same line of reasoning, it is also essential that you offer your franchisees at least one training program. Indeed, even if they have experience in your brand’s industry, they must be trained in the practical aspects of their future role. We recommend that this training include technical topics, management topics, and a section on sales and marketing. 2. Build a Relationship of Trust Through partially personalized support, you will build a relationship of trust with your franchisees. However, to achieve this, it is important to implement other measures as well. As explained above, as a franchisor, you are not leading a team of employees—you are leading a team of independent entrepreneurs. Therefore, in the way you communicate with them, you must show them that you respect them as the business owners they are. This goes hand in hand with transparency. You’ll need to be transparent with your franchisees, particularly regarding the overall performance of your network: successes, failures—you must be prepared to discuss these topics with them. They’ll feel valued, engaged, and appreciated within your network. To build on this, we recommend organizing events and activities. Network coordinators can provide valuable support in this area. You’ll create a friendly atmosphere where every franchisee has the opportunity to meet others and interact with one another. Whether through conventions or training sessions that bring together all network members, you’ll be able to effectively manage your franchise network. 3. Offer Opportunities for Growth In networks that do not allow franchisees to grow, we observe that franchisees’ commitment to the brand is generally lower than in those that do offer such opportunities. So how can you help your franchisees grow professionally within your network? You’ll need to carefully evaluate the options available to you: some may be complex to implement, depending on your industry. The best-known solution: multi-franchising Here’s how it works: for your top-performing franchisees who wish to expand further within your network, you can offer them the opportunity to open multiple franchises. Of course, you’ll need to support them as best as possible to ensure the success of this venture. Here is a list of some benefits that multi-franchising can offer your brand: The ability to expand your brand image into an additional geographic area, Strengthen your brand by limiting setup costs, since it’s less expensive to help an existing franchisee expand than to start from scratch with a new candidate, Simplify the management of your network, because you’ll have fewer people to coordinate with—either directly or through your network coordinators. To structure a multi-franchise model, you can divide your concept into several entities: for example, one division specializing in services and another in product sales. Examples of different solutions, all equally effective If the multi-franchise option seems too complicated to implement, don’t worry! There are other solutions that will be just as effective in helping your franchisees grow professionally within your network. For example, you can: Allow your franchisees to become brand ambassadors: they can participate in trade shows or give interviews. They’ll then be able to benefit from[…]

How do I franchise my concept?

Posted on 9 November 202213 November 2025<span class="by [email protected]

Launching a franchise network is an excellent way to grow your business by partnering with motivated entrepreneurs. In this article, you’ll find everything you need to know about franchising to get started on the right foot. How to Choose Between a Branch, a Subsidiary, and a Franchise? When expanding your business, it can be difficult to choose between a franchise, a branch, or a subsidiary. To help you better understand your options, we’ve detailed the differences between each model below. The Branch A branch is a separate entity from the parent company due to its geographic location. It has a certain degree of autonomy in its organizational structure, particularly in terms of leadership and management. However, it remains dependent on the parent company, as it is legally owned by it. Only the branch’s geographic location makes it independent. A company generally chooses to establish a branch when it wants to expand into a new catchment area. All of the branch’s activities are then conducted in the name of the parent company and not on its own behalf. In this sense, the inventory belongs to the parent company, and the revenue generated goes directly to it. Thus, the branch manager is an employee of the company and is therefore bound by an employment contract. The manager receives a fixed salary, with a possible performance-based bonus depending on results. The Subsidiary A subsidiary is a model that is somewhat closer to that of a franchise, although they remain distinct. In a subsidiary, the parent company holds at least 50 % of the equity. The manager of a subsidiary is therefore an employee of the company. The transfer of know-how in the case of a subsidiary is made to the manager but is not enshrined in a legal framework. Furthermore, the subsidiary’s manager may serve solely in an administrative or managerial role, while another employee of the organization may handle the technical aspects. Support for the manager is not mandatory in the case of a subsidiary, but it is in the brands’ best interest to provide such support to ensure the subsidiaries’ long-term viability. Regarding revenue and royalties in a subsidiary, the manager generates revenue that covers the subsidiary’s operating expenses, including his or her compensation (based on a fixed and a variable component). However, the subsidiary does not pay royalties: the manager—who is an employee—must be accountable for its results and management. It is the subsidiary’s majority shareholder who decides how the business’s profits are used. The Franchise A franchise is run by a franchisee, who is an independent business owner under contract with a franchisor. The franchisee is an entrepreneur who chooses to adopt the business model of a brand in which they have demonstrated an interest, rather than starting a business on their own. Unlike a branch, the franchisee is fundamentally responsible for their business and owns their inventory. A franchise agreement is drawn up between the franchisee and the franchisor, setting forth the terms of operation as well as the obligations of each party. It is therefore a partnership rather than a subordinate relationship, since both signatory parties are legally independent. As with a branch office, the franchisor supports and assists the franchisee during the startup phase and throughout the term of the contract. In return, the franchisee pays an initial fee and periodic royalties. Compensation is based on revenue, with royalties deducted. Why choose to switch to a franchise? Franchising is the most reliable business model. However, it comes with certain requirements. Franchising my business concept offers numerous advantages for both the franchisee and the franchisor. Let’s review the main benefits for the franchisor: 1- Shared Expenses In exchange for a turnkey concept, the franchisee is responsible for setting up the retail location. By choosing franchising to develop their brand, the franchisor shares the overall financial burden of expanding their network. In return, they must cover costs such as recruitment, training, marketing, and day-to-day support for franchisees. 2- Rapid market penetration Franchising accelerates the development of a business concept, which can quickly become a competitive advantage—particularly in terms of visibility, brand awareness, and customer loyalty. 3- Greater visibility Each retail location showcases the brand’s distinctive elements and adopts its branding, which helps expand the brand’s reach and visibility. 4- Employees More Committed to Commercial Success Working with legally independent franchisees means they are naturally motivated by their own success, which ultimately benefits the brand’s success. The growth of each retail location benefits the network as a whole. 5- Greater financial strength The volume of orders from all the network’s retail locations becomes a decisive factor in the negotiation process. The larger the network’s central purchasing power, the more the network can benefit from attractive prices and high-quality partnerships with its suppliers. How do you go about creating a franchise network? Creating a franchise offers many advantages when developing your business concept, particularly in financial terms. However, there are a few steps you should follow to successfully build a franchise network. Validate the profitability of your concept Create a business plan for the franchise Draft the “bible”—the know-how manual for franchisees (the “manop”) Draft a pre-contractual information document (DIP) Draft a model franchise agreement Implement a communication plan to promote your network Major brands that have chosen franchising Franchising offers many advantages, which is why major corporations today have chosen it as a means of expansion—including some of our clients: POKAWA: with their famous poke bowls made[…]

The history of the franchise

Posted on 28 October 202213 November 2025<span class="by [email protected]

The concept of franchising emerged in the 1930s and really took off at the end of the 20th century. Today, it is a growth strategy that is becoming increasingly popular in France and throughout Europe. Would you like to learn a little more about franchising and why you should choose this path for your business growth? In this article, discover the history of franchising and its benefits. What is franchising? Franchising, as we know it today, is a type of partnership between two legally independent entities that are nevertheless bound by a contract governing the relationship between the franchisee and the franchisor. This allows an entrepreneur to start a business as an independent operator while limiting risks. For the franchisor, this approach enables them to build their business expansion on a network of business owners actively engaged in their local markets. There are three fundamental principles unique to franchising that are essential to understand: brand identity, know-how, and technical and commercial support. The franchisor is obligated to: 1 – Share the brand’s identifying elements The franchisor guarantees the franchisee access to key elements of the network, such as the brand, the trade name, the overall business concept, and the visual identity system. The franchisor is responsible for maintaining and developing the brand image. The franchisor must ensure that the franchisee complies with the various guidelines for using the brand and other brand identity elements made available to the franchisee under the contract. When the contract ends, the franchisor must ensure that the former franchisee does not use the brand’s customer-recognizable symbols. 2 – Transferring the Franchise Network’s Know-How Know-how is a set of technical, logistical, commercial, IT, and management methods exclusive to the brand. The Doubin Law regulates it in the context of franchising and stipulates that it must be secret, substantial, and identifiable. The know-how is documented in writing in an operations manual known as “the Bible” and is conveyed to the franchisee during initial training as well as on a day-to-day basis through dedicated materials. Since it is confidential, the franchisee agrees not to disclose the know-how (particularly to competing networks) at the risk of harming the franchise network. 3 – Provide commercial and technical support to franchisees Commercial and technical support is mandatory in franchising. It begins at the project’s inception, continues through the store’s opening, and lasts for the entire duration of the contract. This support is the franchise system’s key advantage over independent entrepreneurship. Each location in the network is regularly visited by a field manager who shares their experience and verifies that the concept is being implemented in accordance with established rules. Who invented franchising? The history of franchising and its evolution! The franchise system truly emerged in the 1930s, although it would not formally develop until several years later. In the United States, the first company to use the franchise system to expand was General Motors. In the wake of the 1929 economic crisis, General Motors sought to dethrone its longtime rival: Ford. The company then granted licenses to independent entrepreneurs so they could open retail locations almost everywhere in the United States. In France, the Prouvost Group was the first to adopt the franchise concept. This company, which specialized in wool manufacturing, primarily owned spinning mills, and at that time, its wool was distributed to stores in large bags. Through one of its brands, Pingouin, the group decided to market the wool in balls to facilitate transportation and retail sales. This required creating new store formats, training retailers on the new products, and supporting them throughout this new venture. That was when franchising was born in France in the 1930s. It wasn’t until the 1970s that franchising truly became widespread. In the United States, the number of franchises increased significantly right after World War II, as was the case with McDonald’s. It was during this same period that the franchise system expanded significantly in France. Franchising thus gained popularity thanks to Charles Géraud Seroude, who brought the concept back from the United States. He had been trained in the concept and methods of franchising at the Alfred P. Sloan School of Management. Charles Géraud Seroude then convinced major industry players such as La Redoute, Yoplait, and DMC (Dollfus-Mieg et Compagnie) to adopt this model for their growth. Since then, the largest corporate groups have chosen franchising as a means of expansion. In a few figures, franchising in France in 2020 represented: 2,049 franchise networks, 78,218 retail locations, 757,852 direct and indirect jobs, and 67.8 billion euros in revenue. Check out our study on the franchise sector! Why are more and more companies choosing the franchise model? Franchising offers numerous advantages when expanding a business. Here are the main reasons: 1 – Franchising enables rapid network expansion. In a franchise, the creation of each new retail location is financed by the franchisee, so the cost of expanding the network is limited. It’s possible to open multiple retail locations without waiting to secure the necessary financing. Since costs are reduced, the brand can grow more quickly. 2 – It facilitates expansion across a wide geographic area. The denser a brand’s network, the closer it is to customers, and the more its revenue will grow. Franchising thus allows for greater proximity and visibility through more retail locations. 3 – Start a business, yes, but never alone! Each retail location is run by an entrepreneur[…]

8 consumer and social networking trends for 2023

Posted on 6 October 202213 November 2025<span class="by [email protected]

The digital world is constantly evolving, but some trends are here to stay. Discover the 8 trends for 2022 you won’t want to miss to effectively prepare your 2023 local marketing strategy. Boost the online visibility of your retail locations and drive more traffic—both online and offline! 🚀 Consumers are looking for inspiration online Shopping is local Shopping is increasingly omnichannel Consumers are looking for added value Social commerce is here to stay Short videos are all the rage Micro-influencers: a marketing strategy worth investing in Position Zero, the holy grail of local SEO 4 Consumer Trends for 2022 1. Consumers seek inspiration online According to a recent Google study, more than 48 % of consumers worldwide say they look for inspiration online for their purchases. This trend is confirmed when they actually make a purchase: 91 % of consumers conduct an online search before visiting a store (Ifop, 2020). Our advice: Boost your stores’ online visibility by creating local pages on key platforms (Google, Facebook/Instagram, store locator, etc.). Develop a local content strategy tailored to the latest news from your various retail locations to attract customers to your stores. 2. Shopping Is Local Searches for terms like “open now nearby” have surged by more than +400 % year-over-year worldwide. These figures reflect an increasingly pronounced trend of checking online before heading out, and indicate that when searching for businesses, consumers are increasingly looking for immediate solutions. For example, in the early evening, people are more likely to search Google (Maps) for restaurants open nearby. Our advice: Invest in optimizing the organic search visibility of your retail locations on various mapping platforms (Google Maps, Apple Maps, Bing Maps, Waze, etc.). 3. Shopping Is Becoming Increasingly Omnichannel Who uses just a single information channel these days? Today, beyond traditional channels (TV, radio, print media, etc.), brands connect with consumers through multiple digital channels: Websites Social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, etc.) Search engines (Google, Bing, etc.) E-commerce platforms (Amazon, Bol, etc.) Apps Newsletters and email campaigns … Marketing strategies (both online and offline) should be designed as a seamless experience across these different channels—and, above all, tailored to them: Each platform and medium has its own conventions; communication styles vary depending on the audience’s age and the supported formats. Our advice: Take the time to develop omnichannel communication strategies while ensuring your brand image remains consistent at the local level. 4. Consumers Are Looking for Added Value In a climate of economic uncertainty marked by post-COVID inflation, consumers are seeking added value—both in terms of corporate values (positioning, inclusivity, environmental commitment, etc.) and, above all, in terms of direct added value for themselves: deals and promotions. According to a study on French consumer trends, 52 % of them see their non-food budget stagnating, and 22 % plan to reduce their non-food spending. (source: Into the Minds, 2022) Our advice: amplify your retail locations’ campaigns and promotions through various channels (Facebook, Google, newsletters, etc.). Social media and Google 5. Social selling is here to stay First of all, what is social selling? Social commerce involves promoting and selling products and services through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. According to an eMarketer study on the number of consumers who have made online purchases via social media, there has been a 10% annual increase. Why? Social commerce enables a “frictionless” shopping experience: on a social media platform, a consumer sees a product that interests them, clicks on it, is redirected to an e-commerce site, and, if they wish, completes the purchase and receives their order (if everything goes smoothly and there are no glitches!). Examples of social commerce: Instagram Shopping: allows you to add product tags to images in posts, videos/Reels, and Stories. Facebook Shops: a new interface that lets users discover brands and buy their products within the Facebook app. 6. Short videos are all the rage Do you know what the average person’s attention span is? According to recent studies, it’s gradually shrinking and has recently reached an average of 8 seconds. This, among other factors, explains the success of platforms offering short-form video content, such as TikTok and Instagram. Instagram has nearly 1.4 billion users worldwide, followed by TikTok with 1.02 billion. This makes them extremely popular platforms centered around short videos (or Reels on Instagram). TikTok offers formats ranging from 3 to 60 seconds (via the app) and has also recently introduced “long” formats lasting 3 to 10 minutes. Instagram offers Reels with a maximum length of 90 seconds, as well as videos ranging from 3 seconds to 10 minutes. Why use these formats? These formats (on both TikTok and Instagram) allow for organic reach that can grow exponentially, depending on user interactions (number of views, clicks, likes, comments, shares, etc.). Furthermore, these platforms automatically display content similar to what the user likes in their feed. This means that videos are shown to an audience that is already qualified by its interest in similar topics and is more likely to engage with them. Videos under 15 seconds already account for 45 % of the videos posted in the feed. Guillaume Thévenin, Head of Content Creator Partnerships at Instagram for Southern Europe, via France Inter. 7. Micro-influencers: A Marketing Strategy Worth Investing In Micro-influencers (this includes[…]

How can you facilitate day-to-day communication with your franchisees?

Posted on 29 September 202213 November 2025<span class="by [email protected]

Communicating with franchisees is key to a brand’s success. Communication within a network occurs on two levels: the franchisor, who seeks to promote its brand nationally, and the franchisee, who does so locally. To ensure the franchise operates smoothly overall, certain communication practices should be followed. Why is communication within a franchise network important? Communication within a franchise network is crucial. Without effective communication, the franchise network cannot grow. Internal communication within a franchise network demonstrates the importance of transparency and smooth interaction among the various stakeholders. Performance and work organization depend entirely on effective communication between franchisees and franchisors and have a direct impact on the brand’s image. In short, communication within a franchise network involves several operations and actions: Sharing know-how and the business concept; Providing support to franchisees and coordinating the network; Implementing sales and promotional campaigns; Sharing operating reports and performance data; and Sharing news, as well as ideas and experiences; and Optimizing communication through the implementation of a centralized system. What are the best practices to implement? 1. Do not skimp on communication with franchisees. News shared with franchisees must be clear and organized by topic. You should adjust the frequency of these messages based on what’s happening in your network. Ideally, send your franchisees at least two articles per month. To keep them informed of these updates, feel free to notify them via email or any other messaging platform you use. 2. Promote best practices within the network For communication among franchisees, forums are an excellent solution, as is the intranet. It’s important to closely monitor discussions and moderate them to prevent a poor user experience for your franchisees and the various stakeholders in your network. Also, be sure to properly categorize the moderation actions you take—and, above all, don’t overlook any of them. 3. Get to know all the stakeholders in the network To easily locate all the stakeholders in your franchise, set up a directory. This tool ensures cohesion among everyone and allows you to communicate quickly with all stakeholders. Your team members will also have a clearer understanding of who to contact based on their needs or questions. Combined with an interactive chat (or any other instant messaging tool), you can foster a positive dynamic among franchisees, as well as a level of immediacy that forums cannot provide. 4. Gather a Large Number of Responses Through surveys, you can easily gauge what’s happening on the ground. By using open-ended survey formats, franchisees can anonymously submit requests to you—such as changes to be implemented in certain processes. What tools and practices can you implement to effectively communicate with and engage your franchise network? Engaging your franchise network will help foster greater cohesion within it and ensure everyone stays up to date on the latest news. To help you, certain communication tools will be very useful. 1. Organizing Events Bringing your franchisees together regularly for quarterly or annual meetings is a good way to engage your franchise network. During these meetings, your franchisees can get to know one another, exchange ideas, and discuss topics already established by the network. For convenience, you can schedule these meetings virtually. 2. Creating informational materials and training resources Documentation is the first resource a franchisee receives upon joining the network. You should therefore take special care in drafting it so that it serves as a valuable resource for your franchisees. Through these materials, you can, for example, provide information to your franchisees to help them improve in various areas such as communication, marketing, and team management. 3. Producing a regular newsletter To keep your network up to date on all the latest news, be sure to create a newsletter. Quick to produce thanks to the various tools available online, the newsletter will provide an excellent means of communication with each of your franchisees. A quick tip: To highlight each member of the network, feel free to interview them in turn. 4. Building a website for internal use only Although it’s more difficult to set up, an internal website—or “intranet”—is a very useful tool for communication within your network. With this tool, your franchisees will stay informed about the latest news and will be able to access all the documents your brand makes available to them: contracts, legal terms, and training materials. The internal website will also allow you to track the performance of each franchise through a customized dashboard. What are the benefits of effective communication between franchisors and franchisees? By establishing effective communication between franchisors and franchisees, you’ll reap several major benefits. Above all, by clearly communicating your expectations to your franchisees, you’ll ensure the success of your franchise. Avoid problems and misunderstandings by making sure to maintain good communication on a daily basis. As with any business, clear and respectful communication among all stakeholders will lead to your franchise operating more smoothly overall. By staying informed about each other’s expectations and requests, both franchisees and franchisors will feel much more at ease (and therefore more productive!) in their work. To learn more about communication between franchisors and franchisees, request a demo or try Cerca for free: Get a 30-day free trial. You might also be interested in these articles:

Marketing automation for candidate management

Posted on 15 September 202213 November 2025<span class="by [email protected]

Marketing automation helps optimize many aspects of the franchisee recruitment process. Implementing it can be time-consuming and requires a variety of skills. However, in the long run, it saves time. Creating optimized campaigns helps you attract new candidates. Below, you’ll find all the relevant information about marketing automation for your franchise. What is marketing automation? As the name suggests, marketing automation generally refers to the automation of marketing campaigns based on a set of predefined conditions and user behavior. Among the marketing actions you can automate are: sending emails and text messages, and contact segmentation. On a more technical level, you can also automate: lead scoring, which involves calculating and assigning a score to each prospect to indicate their conversion potential and the strength of their interest in your brand; and lead nurturing, or maintaining and strengthening a marketing relationship with prospects who aren’t yet ready to take action (submitting a franchise application) with your brand. Unlike more traditional email marketing—which involves sending the same email to a list of contacts (one-to-many)—marketing automation sends targeted, customizable automated emails triggered by specific actions taken by prospects. To streamline franchisee recruitment, it’s essential to use every tool available to help you accelerate the growth of your network. Marketing automation is one of these essential tools for saving valuable time and significantly increasing both the number of applications you receive and your candidates’ conversion rate. How can you use marketing automation to save time when processing franchise applications? Analyze franchise applicants’ actions To set up effective marketing tracking, it’s important to carefully analyze each applicant’s actions to understand where they are in the application process. You can track their actions based on the time they spend on each page of the website and how much time they’ve dedicated to each page. With a thorough analysis, you’ll be able to take specific actions at the ideal time. Segment your candidates Marketing automation allows you to effectively segment your candidates. This way, you can send targeted messages and announcements via email, depending on where the candidate is in your process. For example, if a candidate has started reviewing all the franchise information, you can send them an email with more detailed information and invite them to an initial conversation. Nurturing Leads and Moving Them Through the Application Process Marketing automation tools help move candidates through the decision-making cycle. In particular, you can use lead nurturing techniques to strengthen your marketing relationship with candidates. Lead nurturing is most useful for long conversion cycles, such as those involved in recruiting a franchisee. By offering high-quality, targeted, and informative content, you’ll help candidates progress in their decision-making process by providing genuine value. Send targeted emails Once you’ve effectively segmented your candidates, you can create automated and personalized email campaigns using workflows. Workflows are automated, targeted sequences of multiple emails designed to encourage a prospect to take a specific action. In the case of a franchise candidate, this might involve reaching out to you to open a franchise. The workflow will be triggered by a subscription to your newsletter, the download of your informational brochure, an action on a landing page, or participation in an online information session. Create automated social media posts Your social media strategy is also a key way to attract new franchise prospects. Along with publishing content on your website, you can schedule posts to be automatically published on your social media channels. By using marketing automation tools, you can produce high-quality content and measure the impact of its distribution—whether in terms of website visitors or converting visitors into leads. In short, marketing automation enables you to publish relevant, high-quality content at the right time across all your social media channels. Using Marketing Automation in the CRM The ultimate goal of marketing automation is to convert prospects into franchisees through sales opportunities. By using marketing automation at various stages, you’ll be able to track exactly where a candidate is in the recruitment process. When a prospect reaches a certain score, a lead will be automatically created in your CRM so that a sales representative or franchise development manager can quickly reach out to them. By implementing all these marketing automation actions, your candidate recruitment process will be streamlined, and you’ll be able to identify future franchisees more effectively. What are the advantages and disadvantages of marketing automation? Marketing automation offers many benefits for streamlining franchisee recruitment, but it does come with some limitations. Here is a brief summary of its pros and cons. Pros of marketing automation Significant time savings for the marketing and sales teams, allowing them to focus onother tasks High-impact marketing campaigns on the right channels with the right message Cost savings on marketing and sales campaigns Optimized conversion of leads into new franchisees Reduction in repetitive tasks Optimized digital marketing campaigns through results analysis Improvedeffectiveness of marketing campaigns through better targeting of[…]

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