3 reasons to get involved with your Franchise Advisory Council

Nick Hall

If you operate a franchise business, particularly one housed under a well-known brand, you will inevitably encounter the Franchise Advisory Council (FAC).

FACs or Franchise Representative Councils are made up of franchisees either chosen at random by the franchisor or volunteers, and act as the link between the two parties.

They are a pivotal element of the franchise system and allow for franchisees to speak directly and confidently with the executives who implement new market, model and system innovations.

While it may seem like an imposition at first, the value and transparency gained from partaking in a FAC meeting is enormous. Here’s three reasons why you should put your hand up to represent your franchisee network.

Communication

The primary function of a FAC is to engage in a meaningful dialogue that addresses the key issues identified by both the franchisor and the franchisees.

It’s an opportunity for you to voice your opinion on how you think the business is operating, what could be improved and where the business is heading moving forward.

As a member of an advisory council, you are able to present your ideas in a supportive and non-threatening environment, while at the same time holding the franchisor accountable for their actions.

Additionally, should the franchisor be considering new market innovations or product offerings, advisory meetings allow them to receive meaningful feedback from their most important stakeholders; the franchisees.

Mark Attard, marketing director for San Churro said presenting to advisory councils allows the brand to chart consumer and franchisee responses from an operational standpoint.

“That investment we make is engagement, if the franchise partner doesn’t believe in what we’re doing, they won’t sell it,” Attard said.

“It comes down to explaining the benefits, selling to the franchisee is just as important as selling to the customer.”

Transparency

The second advantage of joining a FAC is increased transparency. The franchisor is able to speak openly and honestly about the business’ projected path and reflect on certain initiatives that perhaps didn’t hit the mark.

It’s in this setting that franchisees are presented with the rare opportunity to approach sensitive topics proactively, without fear of ridicule.

If you have concerns that relate to the operational processes put forward by the franchisor, advisory meetings are the perfect place to voice these concerns and receive an open and honest answer from the franchisor.

Representation

As a franchisee, particularly in a larger franchise business, you are one of a vast number of partners whose actions are generally governed by one overarching body; the franchisor.

FACs put the power back in the hands of the franchisee, allowing the community-level workers to share their experiences and concerns in a collective setting.

In a franchise business, franchisees are at the coal-face of the business, no-one knows your consumers like you do, and this is the information that franchisors desperately need.

If you believe that certain processes need to be changed, it will be far more effective to present those ideas if you have the entire franchisee network supporting you.

Regular meetings between franchisees and franchisors are essential in the operation of an effective business, and help to build trust and accountability between the two parties.

Franchisees are granted with the opportunity to collectively voice their ideas, insights and concerns, while franchisors are provided with invaluable information for its most client-facing stakeholders.

Getting involved with your brand’s FAC is a great way for you to strengthen your relationship with the franchisor and get your voice heard.