INFLUENCERS

Who will be driving the business that you invest your hard-earned dollars into?

What influence will the franchise team have over your future? Here we look at key roles in a larger franchise business that will be shaping the direction and operation of the network. Not every business will include each role and in a small franchise set-up the franchisor will be wearing several, or all, of these hats. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER/ MANAGING DIRECTOR: : The top ranking executive in a company, the CEO is focused on directing high level company strategy and growth.

In a smaller company, the CEO’s role includes operational business decisions and they may be much more hands-on on a daily basis.

In a larger business the CEO may have a position on the company’s board, and act as the link between corporate operations and the board of directors.

The founder of a franchise typically takes a CEO role.

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER/ OPERATIONS MANAGER: A COO/ operations manager essentially works with the CEO to implement the strategy, making the decisions on how to achieve the goals set out. The role is typically responsible for daily operations, production, research and development, creating operational policies, and HR.

The operations manager can influence the franchise business performance through resource allocation, cost reduction, improved efficiencies, the introduction of high quality products and services.

In a franchise where the founder is the CEO, the COO may be the more experienced executive. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: This senior executive reports to the CEO but plays a strategic role in the way the company manages its finances, investments, and capital structure and is influential in the company’s long term success.

Any funding for marketing or development initiatives will be approved by the CFO.

The CFO manages the finance and accounting divisions and takes responsibility for the accuracy and timeliness of the company’s financial reports.

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER : A CIO has responsibility for the implementation, management and efficacy of information and computer technologies, vital in today’s digital world.

It’s the CIO who will investigate the benefits of any proposed technological change, and then implement the system - a website or inventory software, for instance.

The role is increasingly strategic and directed to gaining and maintaining the competitive advantage of a business.

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER: The CMO is essentially charged with increasing revenue through increased sales using market research, product marketing, pricing, marketing communications, advertising and public relations.

Responsible for directing the planning, development and implementation of the franchisor’s marketing and advertising campaigns, ensuring a common message across multiple channels and platforms, the CMO reports directly to the CEO.

GENERAL MANAGER: A general manager has overall profit and loss responsibility for the company, and usually oversees sales, marketing and daily business operations.

The responsibilities of the role may be incorporated into a CEO role. FRANCHISE RECRUITMENT MANAGER: The franchise recruitment manager is responsible for attracting franchise buyer enquiries and for the recruitment selection process, increasingly working with managers from other divisions and the CEO or MD in the final selection.

The franchise recruitment manager needs to meet internal recruitment targets and ensure franchisees are a match for the franchise brand. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER/ FIELD MANAGER: Variously called a BDM, regional manager, field or area manager, this role is the interface between the franchisee and franchisor. Responsibilities include helping franchisees achieve their business goals, ensuring brand compliance across the network, communicating brand direction and strategy to franchisees. TRAINER: The person or team who will set up a franchisee to run the business. Responsibility for training may fall under operations or general management.

Training may involve technical skills, customer service, business basics, and operational procedures. The trainer may train franchisee staff.

PR AND COMMUNICATIONS: How the brand is presented in the media, how the brand engages with social media, how brand damage is mitigated... all these are influenced by the team that handles PR and corporate communications. This may be an internal team or an external agency.

SUPPORT TEAM: The individual employees at head office who manage, monitor and deal with queries, requests and complaints from franchisees. FRANCHISE ADVISORY COUNCILLOR: A franchisee member of the Franchise Advisory Council which is typically involved in providing frontline feedback from franchisees to the franchisor, and in assessing and trialling new initiatives.