Communicating the Right Way

Franchising being a two-sided process, it is possible to sometimes be lost in translation when it comes down to forwarding your ideas to franchisees and clients. To be successful you need to build a connection and work as a team, and this is the precise reason a recent article by Beth Brody of Faegre & Benson LLP puts an emphasis on learning to talk business the right way.

Here is what we conclude by summarizing the 6 tips Brody mentions:

1. Clarity is the key: There is no need to play mind games, conceal information, or plain lie to franchisees. The sooner you convince yourself you are on the same side, the sooner you will begin productively working together. For a functional business both sides should provide for each other.

2. Be careful in written communication: Even if you try to inform the other party of something important, it is advisable you first take time to have a look at your statement and decide if it is ok to actually send it. Forming information the right way or simply not giving your 2 cents when it would harm the company image can work wonders. Pointing fingers rarely helps when you are part of a bigger whole.

3. Avoid certain phrases: Words such as “partner”, “agent”, “fiduciary”, “discretion”, etc. are confusing and give franchisees a false sense of inferiority. It is preferable to sound allowing, rather than demanding.

4. Don’t allow misunderstandings happen: Analyzing replies you receive may showcase common mistakes, which are likely to cause a serious problem later. There are situations it is better to say something, rather than remain silent, just as there are cases, which require the opposite. If the franchisee shows signs of getting a false impression, it is for the best to make things clear right away.

5. Don’t overrate the advantages an Attorney-Client Privilege grants you: There are limits, within which such an understanding works. Out of them you have to be careful in order to preserve confidentiality.

6. Be more careful sending emails: Sending a badly written email can be a pain, while sending a blank message, or forgetting a detail may make communication awkward. What you can do is check and re-check what you have written, not only in the message body itself, but also when determining the topic and recipient.

As Anthony Davis, director of Ink of the Run states, clear communication is a proven tool for efficiency. A good infrastructure helps both sides learn more and learn faster.