How to Improve the Effectiveness of Your Field Visits Part 2

The psychology of the field visit

While you may have sophisticated field management systems the most significant variable for producing good outcomes from your field support will always be the quality of the relationship established between franchisee and field manager. Checklists and systems alone will only ever make a minor impact.

Take for an example the relationship between a psychologist and the client. The kit of techniques is not as important as the relationship of care and trust they build with their client, which in turn comes from the client feeling respected, listened to and valued. That is what motivates change and produces satisfaction as well as productivity.

While field managers are of course not employed to conduct therapy on franchisees, they are employed as change agents to motivate franchisees to be the best they can be. A field manager’s success in influencing franchisee attitudes and behavior will ultimately come primarily from their ability to build a relationship of trust with their franchisees.

A field visit that lacks mutual trust and respect is unlikely to be of much benefit to a franchisee or franchisor.

Do field managers make a difference?

How much difference can a field manager make to the performance of a franchisee?
Well, research has proven that field managers have a significant impact on franchisee satisfaction and their intention to stay in or leave the franchise system. A franchisee’s intention to sell is significantly related to their satisfaction with the support they are receiving from their field manager. The moods and ambitions of franchisees depends on how well their field managers deal with them.

Field managers need to make a conscious effort to encourage franchisees to attend area meetings and provide plenty of opportunity for constructive open discussion on issues of interest to franchisees. Motivate them and help them with any issues or problems they might be facing. In addition, field managers should display a keen interest in how franchisees are doing and coping and ask questions to quickly gain relevant information about the franchise business. Sometimes, the best thing a field manager can do is just listen. Focus on positive outcomes and don’t take everything too seriously.

Field managers play an important part in the satisfaction of your franchisees. Remember, if franchisees are satisfied, happy and successful, you’re successful!

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