4 Ways Franchisees Can Stay Ahead of Local Competition

Franchisees enjoy certain amounts of support from their parent company--Cinnzeo Bakery Cafe™, for example, offers its franchisees training and operational support, IT support, and shared marketing costs-- but at the end of the day as a franchise owner you are still The Boss! And as such, it's your responsibility to make your business a screaming success!

Staying on top of the local competition is a must, so here are four ways you can shuffle up the ladder as a franchise owner.

Know Your Competitors

Knowledge is power, and in order to get an edge you need to know who and what you're up against. So go do some friendly exploring and see what the other guy has going on! Make a list of local competitors and start to note what they're doing the same as you, what they're doing differently, and what you enjoyed or didn't enjoy about their business.

Measure and compare your own business against the others so that you can strategize on how to stand out.

Service Culture for the Win

No matter what industry you're in as a franchisee, the best way to win over customers is by being personable—brand loyalty is sparse these days, but people are still happy to be loyal to the people that make them feel welcomed and valued. So make an effort to really get to know your customers as individuals and show them they come first: introduce yourself, shake hands, ask them about themselves, then find out how they roll!

Ask for Feedback

Solve the mystery of what your customers do and don't enjoy about your business by asking them directly! There are hundreds of ways to request customer response, like a QR code on a receipt or a suggestion box. Get as creative as you like, but make sure you're asking specific questions that will help you gain more insight about customer experience.

Listen to the Customers!

Now that you've gotten customer feedback, it's time to take it to heart. There are always gonna be a handful of people who don't always love what you do, but broadly speaking people that respond to surveys have genuine and sincere opinions! So it's important to respond gracefully and, when viable, take action to resolve whatever issues are brought to your attention. Doing this will show your customers you're paying attention and you have their desires and best interest in mind (see above re: service culture).

Conclusion

Competition is an inevitable part of business ownership, but it doesn't need to be cutthroat and it doesn't have to involve a lot of one-upping. The best edge you can get is a strong, loyal customer base who enjoys every aspect of their experience with you and your business.

It also doesn’t hurt to have a delicious, swirly treat of a product that makes everyone lick their lips (and, eventually, their fingers). So if you think you’ve got what it takes to own a business, check out the Cinnzeo's franchise opportunity today.

Come roll with us!