Be an Effective Franchise Field/Regional Manager

First of all, what exactly is a field or regional manager? A field/regional manager oversees specific divisions or territories to ensure strategic goals are executed properly, helping all divisional employees and franchise owners understand operational aspects of the business, as well as acting as a mentor figure, providing direction and monitoring progress of the business as a whole, the team, and aiding in franchisee growth and achievement. Being a field manager is a huge responsibility that takes experience, industry knowledge and leadership. Since this role entails such large responsibility, it’s important to be effective and to always seek ways to better yourself as a leader and as a manager.

  1. Always know and understand the franchise or location manager, and the current issues each individual location or franchisee needs addressed and strategically resolved. Never assume that every manager or franchisee needs the same feedback or direction. Each franchise or business location is at a different place in terms of the business process; some are just beginning while others have been operating a prosperous business for a while. One way to ensure, as a field manager, that you understand what each individual franchise or business location needs is to observe. Observe first-hand the operational aspects, as well as the frontline delivery and service to the customers. Maybe even talk to the customers and frontline employees. What do they think about certain aspects of the business? Do they have any suggestions to improve the customer experience? Any ideas for a more efficient process for certain operations? The bottom line is, just because you’re working at the corporate level, doesn’t mean you know everything that is going on at a particular location/market.
  2. Ensuring franchisees, location managers, and employees all understand and are committed to the brand, its mission and values. By awarding the right franchisees and helping them recruit the right staff who share the same values and passion for the brand, ultimately results in business growth and strengthening of the brand. Checking in with the franchisees or location managers, meeting the employees, the entire location team, and offering tips and suggestions in terms of the hiring process is essential to ensuring brand commitment is met throughout. It’s not only about hiring the right people to uphold the brand’s image and values, but also reminding all team members that every last detail counts. In daily, fast-paced operations, it’s easy to start cutting corners or slacking in certain areas. As a field manager, part of observing entails paying special attention to detail, reminding team members why even the smallest details are important, and how details make the brand’s values and mission unique.
  3. Enriching the franchise relationship, (or manager relationship). By keeping a healthy, growing relationship between corporate and the manager/franchisee, you’re allowing the franchisee or manager to feel comfortable with the franchise system or business they’re in, helping them grow professionally, and essentially leading to a more thriving business. Franchise owners and managers who are happy and feel supported on a corporate level will be more willing to recommend potential franchisees and managers will recommend top-quality talent, which in turn leads to the overall growth and enhanced quality of the system and brand.

FirstLight Home Care has focused field support for all of its franchisees across the country. Our franchise system recently received a Top Franchise Award in the 2014 Franchisee Satisfaction Awards. This is the third consecutive year FirstLight Home Care has received this award. We take franchisee satisfaction and growth seriously, so if you or someone you know is considering owning and operating a franchise in the homecare industry, we encourage you to consider FirstLight Home Care. View our Franchise Information site, hear what other FirstLight Home Care franchise owners are saying about their ownership and give us a call to learn more: .