By Evan Hackel
Franchising is a powerful business model, but its success depends on one essential ingredient: teamwork. Too often, franchise systems struggle with miscommunication, misaligned goals, and a lack of trust between franchisors and franchisees. These barriers weaken profitability, strain relationships, and slow innovation.
To thrive, a franchise must embrace the idea that franchising is fundamentally a team sport. Below are the key obstacles that undermine collaboration—and how Evan Hackel’s keynote, Better Together, helps organizations overcome them.
The Barriers to Effective Teamwork
1. Misaligned Objectives
Franchisors prioritize brand consistency and long-term strategy, while franchisees focus on immediate profitability. When these goals diverge, friction follows.
2. Poor Communication
Unclear direction from leadership or unspoken concerns from franchisees create confusion, resentment, and inconsistent execution.
3. Lack of Trust
Franchisees may see franchisors as disconnected from daily operations, while franchisors may view franchisees as resistant to change. This mutual skepticism erodes collaboration.
4. Silo Mentality
When franchisees operate independently—or even competitively—the system loses the power of shared learning and collective strength.
The Cost of These Barriers
- Reduced Efficiency: Slow decisions and inconsistent rollouts weaken system performance.
- Franchisee Dissatisfaction: Feeling unheard or undervalued leads to disengagement and turnover.
- Stalled Growth: Without alignment and trust, system-wide initiatives struggle to take hold.
- Brand Erosion: Inconsistent operations and messaging damage customer confidence.
Why Teamwork Matters
Teamwork isn’t optional in franchising—it’s the engine of long-term success. Strong collaboration enables franchise systems to:
- Innovate more effectively through shared ideas and best practices.
- Deliver better customer experiences by supporting franchisees on the front lines.
- Achieve sustainable growth with unified execution and aligned goals.
