WRITTEN BY SARAH STOWE<\/p>\n
Casual dining chain\u00a0Town & Country Pizza & Pasta<\/a>\u00a0is doing things a little differently when it comes to signing up and nurturing franchisees.<\/p>\n From the first phone call through to grand opening, the franchisor is invested in the relationship: determining if the franchise buyer is right for the brand; matching the potential franchisee to the right location; ensuring franchisees have the best start with hands-on support.<\/p>\n Michael Graham, who heads up franchise recruitment and development, explains the franchisor\u2019s commitment starts with the first enquiry.<\/p>\n \u201cWe really care about every lead and every enquiry. We have timely, disciplined follow up; the aim is to return a call within 30 minutes. If it is an interstate enquiry from a different time zone, I\u2019ll get back when it\u2019s appropriate,\u201d Michael says.<\/p>\n \u201cWe respect people\u2019s time and sometimes they can only get in touch at the weekend so I\u2019ll respond to texts and phone calls promptly.\u201d<\/p>\n He makes sure potential franchisees understand the franchise selection process.<\/p>\n \u201cFranchise buyers know that my role is to see if our brand is the right fit, first of all. Then if we proceed, it\u2019s to help them in the early stages of the purchase with securing a site, helping with lease terms and ensuring they have the foundations for success,\u201d Michael says.<\/p>\n CEO Joe Rossi says an important part of the process is recognising if a franchise buyer is a match for the brand; if strategies align. It is crucial to safeguard the brand\u2019s reputation, to ensure franchisees are in tune with the way Town & Country conducts business, he says.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t use third party aggregators, for instance, and we emphasise this in our early discussions. For both the franchisee, and the brand, it\u2019s important to determine there is a good fit.\u201d<\/p>\n Part of the process is a discovery day, allowing a prospective franchisee to see behind the scenes, getting a taste for what\u2019s involved in running a casual dining restaurant.<\/p>\n Michael says,\u201cWe drive to a restaurant for lunch so if our franchise buyer doesn\u2019t know the brand they can try our food and talk to our franchisees. Then we head to two takeaway outlets to observe the last hour of preparation before they open at 4pm.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are great insights into the operations, and to ensure our potential franchisees get a complete picture of the brand we visit the Waurn Ponds flagship,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Dinner with Michael, Joe and his father Frank, who founded the business, is an opportunity for relationship-building.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe and Frank make themselves available for any questions and potential franchisees can reach out to them any time of day or night,\u201d Michael says.<\/p>\n Joe believes the one-on-one engagement with franchise buyers is crucial.<\/p>\n \u201cOur hospitable approach and family environment is so much a part of who we are. And Michael sets the tone for our incoming franchisees so they see it is a partnership for the long term,\u201d Joe says.<\/p>\n That partnership is cemented with hands-on support during the vital restaurant-opening period. The newest store set to open in June, at Stockland Sienna Wood in Perth, is a prime example of this.<\/p>\n Joe, Michael and the team are on-hand before the soft launch to provide support, encouragement, and to learn.<\/p>\n Joe says \u201cWe are taking a more localised approach to our support, it\u2019s a new strategy for us. We have the team on the ground planning the grand opening.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will gain a better understanding of local nuances by being here in person, as we support our newest franchisee,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n The Stockland Sienna Wood location is a newly-developed area, surrounded by established suburbs.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a way for us to get an edge on the local area. We have all the data; now we are seeing what it\u2019s like on the ground,\u201d Joe says.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an opportunity to build a strong loyal customer base, he adds.<\/p>\nFranchise buyers gain insights into operations<\/h2>\n
Relationship-building is critical to the franchise partnership<\/h2>\n
Investing in hands-on support<\/h2>\n