Article by Laura Darrell, Author of The Principles of Franchisee Success and the upcoming Franchisee Success Series
Being a franchisee has always required resilience, focus, and operational discipline. But in today’s landscape, the job has become more complex. Operators are navigating rising costs, ongoing labor challenges, evolving guest expectations, and system-level changes that impact profitability and execution.
In conversations with franchisees across sectors, from single-unit owners to large multi-unit operators, a common theme emerges: many feel they aren’t being fully heard or supported in the ways they need most.
Strong franchise systems are built on alignment, not just compliance. And while franchisors play a critical role in brand strategy and innovation, the success of those strategies depends on how well they are communicated, tested, and supported at the unit level.
Here are four areas where franchisees can, and should, advocate for better alignment with corporate partners:
Seek Greater Transparency on Brand-Level Decisions
Many franchisees report that major decisions—such as new technology platforms, marketing shifts, or product rollouts—are communicated after the fact, leaving operators scrambling to adjust without adequate context or lead time.
Franchisees are not asking for full decision-making authority, but they are asking for clarity:
- What problem is this initiative solving?
- What data informed the decision?
- What support will be provided during implementation?
- How will success be measured?
Transparency builds trust. When operators understand the rationale behind changes, they are better equipped to lead their teams through execution.
Request a Voice in Innovation and Testing
Franchisees bring day-to-day operational insight that is often underutilized during innovation cycles. Yet the most effective changes are those developed with operator input, not just for the system.
Franchisees should ask to be included in:
- Pilot programs or early testing groups
- Advisory councils or working groups
- Post-launch feedback loops
Brands benefit when franchisees help shape initiatives before they are finalized. And franchisees benefit when they have early visibility into what’s coming and how to prepare.
Push for Strategic Support, Not Just Operational Oversight
Many field visits still focus on compliance metrics, food cost, cleanliness, and service times. While those standards are important, franchisees increasingly need support that looks beyond scorecards.
Ask your field team or business coach to support:
- Profitability and financial planning
- Talent development and retention strategies
- Leadership coaching and succession planning
- Local market insights and benchmarking
The most effective field leaders act as business partners, helping operators solve complex problems, build stronger teams, and improve long-term performance.
Prioritize Access to Best Practices Across the System
High-performing franchisees often develop tools, tactics, and approaches that drive measurable results. Unfortunately, many of these practices remain siloed, shared informally, if at all.
Franchisees should advocate for more structured peer learning:
- Roundtables and peer forums
- Operational playbooks sourced from the field
- Guest speaker series featuring top-performing operators
- Internal case studies or field-led webinars
Learning from one another fosters innovation, strengthens the network, and reinforces a sense of shared purpose across the brand.
Final Thought
The relationship between franchisee and franchisor is foundational to system success. Franchisees are not passive participants, they are operators, investors, leaders, and stewards of the brand in their communities.
Asking for transparency, inclusion, strategic partnership, and access to peer knowledge is not only reasonable, it’s necessary. Strong systems are built on trust and two-way communication. And the more franchisees engage with clarity and purpose, the more likely they are to help shape a brand that is resilient, responsive, and built for long-term success.
