After years of growth, many franchise networks are entering a more demanding phase. The challenge is no longer just expansion. It is consolidation, profitability and operational excellence.
In this Masterclass, Alan Wilkinson (The Franchising Centre) and Laurent Leclerc (Smappen) are joined by experienced franchisors from the UK and the US:
- Dominic Young, Operations Manager, Rugbytots
- Patrick Guillory, CEO, Floral Image North America
- Phil Wells, Director, Specialist Glass Repairs
Together, they share practical, real-world insight on what it really takes to optimise franchisee performance in today’s environment.
Watch the full replay:
What you’ll learn :
- How to define KPIs that reflect different franchisee profiles and ambitions
- What to do when franchisees hit a “comfort ceiling” and stop growing
- How to manage underperformance without damaging the relationship
- The balance between accountability and coaching
- How much training should be online vs face-to-face
- Why peer learning and advisory councils can accelerate best practice
- The role of CRM systems, AI and emerging tech in driving performance
- How to prioritise support across top, middle and lower performers
A practical, honest discussion on performance, culture, coaching and technology, with perspectives from both sides of the Atlantic.
1. KPIs: standard… or tailored?
A clear consensus emerged quickly: KPIs need to match the franchisee’s reality. From onboarding, you need to clarify what “success” means for that franchisee, otherwise you create unrealistic targets… and build demotivation.
Operationally, this means:
A franchise network can absolutely have a shared KPI foundation
But targets and milestones must reflect the franchisee’s intent and stage. Not all franchisees join with the same ambition or the same pace.
2. Two franchisee profiles that change how you manage performance
Phil describes two recurring franchisee profiles, especially in service-based franchises: some want a stable business (solo), while others want to build an organization (team, multi-territory).
Here are the terms he uses to describe these profiles:
“One person / one van”: the franchisee is a solo operator, similar to an independent owner-operator
“Multi-van”: the franchisee who hires and manages people — the one who wants to build a team
What this implies:
The KPIs can be largely the same (same economic engine), but the franchisee’s intent changes the trajectory, milestones, and coaching approach.
3. A very practical KPI model: manage like a sales team
At Floral Image, the KPI approach is very sales-driven:
Start with an overall close rate
Break it down by territory
If a franchisee has 3 territories, multiply the KPIs by 3
Then set expectations for pipeline size and monthly/weekly/daily activity
Most importantly: at the beginning, the focus is on activity (the actions that create results), then the model gradually shifts toward financial KPIs and profitability.
4. When performance plateaus: the “glass ceiling” problem
Alan describes a common ceiling: “good” franchisees reach a certain level and then stay there. One lever discussed was making the economics more motivating for the next stage (e.g., tiered mechanisms / incentives).
From an operational perspective, Phil Wells also highlights a limit: in some service-based models, as long as the franchisee stays solo in the field in “One person / One van” mode, capacity is mechanically capped.
5. When KPIs aren’t met: coach, don’t command
Several speakers emphasized this point: a franchisee is not an employee. The most effective posture is that of a business coach / consultant: diagnose the issue, build an action plan, and follow up regularly (monthly, quarterly, etc.).
A very important nuance also came up: support should be available — yes — but with “support proportional to commitment.”
If a franchisee asks for a lot of support but is not doing the basics (calls, follow-ups, prospecting, etc.), you don’t invest the same amount of time as you would for someone who is making the effort but hasn’t achieved results yet.
6. Training & coaching: the online + field hybrid
Since 2020, hybrid models have become the norm: video calls, e-learning, remote coaching… but no one recommends going “all virtual.”
Rugby Tots: onboarding is mostly done online (for geographic convenience), but with practical in-person blocks delivered through high-performing franchisees
Floral Image: a 30/60/90-day plan with e-learning + immersion in a high-performing location + support in the territory with a franchise coach
Specialist Glass Repairs: online modules to free up field time for demonstrations, prospecting, and repetition of strong commercial habits (demonstrations, prospecting, customer retention, etc.)
7. Tools & tech: see issues before they become crises
A very practical point: if the network has a CRM or a required tool (Salesforce or another platform), the franchisor should be able to see activity, benchmark it against the rest of the network, and detect a slowdown or drop before the franchisee even realizes they are falling behind.
Another important nuance: a drop in performance may come from something other than the business itself (administrative overload, stress, personal circumstances, first-time business ownership experience).
That’s why support needs to go beyond the numbers.
8. The final tech curveball: AI (and agentic AI)
The session ends with a forward-looking perspective: AI tools that can listen to calls, interpret them, update the CRM, create tasks and follow-ups — reducing admin friction and freeing up more time for commercial activity.
