How is a franchisor’s support package delivered?

There are many possibilities regarding which support services are provided by the franchisor in return for the upfront and ongoing fees, and there are a number of ways for how they may be delivered.  Let’s start with training, since that is the primary role of the franchisor. The appropriate amounts and types of training for the appropriate staff vary from system to system and may be delivered in-house at the franchisor’s office, onsite at the franchisee’s location or remotely by e-learning systems. Who delivers the training also varies according to the need. It could be a member of the franchisor’s staff, an independent contractor, or an accredited trade body relevant to the business. Increasingly, franchisors are turning to The Franchise Training Centre to manage their training programmes, leaving their own staff to concentrate on regularly communicating with the network.  Other areas of support may include initial preparation and ongoing review of business plans and performance; analysis of key ratios and management accounts; regular meetings, conferences and communications; and national marketing initiatives and new product development.  There is no ‘right way’ to deliver these services. They can all be done in-house or sub-contracted to appropriate specialists - and they may be delivered in person, in hard copy documents or electronically.