5 Technology Tools Every Franchise Needs

It goes without saying that there are millions of businesses out there, and more and more are beginning to be formed each day. The niche of franchising is growing at a rapid rate and is expected to contribute nearly 3% to the US GDP.  Many people are leaving their 9-5 roles in hopes of becoming the biggest, and best in their business, and the allure of a proven business model and support system that Franchises have to offer is only helping their transition.Now, with so many people taking a huge leap of faith, we can almost guarantee that some of them will operate a franchise business that is either the same, or very similar to yours. Not to mention, there are a vast number of independent local businesses that have been around for  years who you will be competing with. In saying that, it is imperative for you to become familiar with some of the top technology tools that will enable your franchise to stand above all of your competitors. Whether you are a new, current or aspiring franchise owner, the tools listed below will be of great benefit to you.

1. Google Drive

Google drive is an excellent tool that is used in order to share documents with your freelancers, employees and clients. This tool is now compatible with chrome books, which makes it even more user friendly. Once all of your documents are easy to locate, you will then have the ability to focus on other things, such as, maximizing your profits.  It becomes easy to collaborate and brainstorm together using documents uploaded in Google drive, and have access to them from all devices in all geograhies.

2. Elance

Not all franchise owners hire employees, and that is perfectly okay. In fact many franchise business models are owner operator.  In exchange for having a franchise that doesn’t require hiring employees, you may want to receive services from a freelancer. Elance is a great technology tool that connects you with qualified freelancers who can work on both short and long term projects.  The beauty is that since the world is becoming flat, communication across countries is even easier.  That allows you to leverage economies of scale and get access to resources at a more competitive price.  Saving a few dollars for your start-up franchise in the early phases can mean the difference between being self-employed or unemployed.

3. Google Now

It goes without saying that Google has a plethora of amazing technology tools for your franchise business. Of those many tools, Google Now is a favourite amongst franchise owners with android phones. This tool can provide you with news articles from website you visit often, information regarding a flight you have scheduled and remind you of any upcoming appointments. As most franchise owners have a million things to do, this tool works extremely well at relieving some stress and keeping you “in the loop.”  The great thing is the longer you use it, the more ‘intuitive’ it seems to become.

4. Meetup

Meetup is a great technology tool that allows you to connect with other local community members for the purpose of showcases what your franchise does. Networking is a great way to generate new clients and create brand awareness. As a franchise owner especially, you need to show others why they should do business with your local franchise business as opposed to the one down the street.

5. HARO

Haro, also known as Help A Reporter Out, is a great technology tool that can help your franchise business. It is an email that goes out a large number people multiple times per day with requests from reporters who need sources for their stories. Many franchise owners have noticed that this turns into free publicity for their company! It is important to have a catchy story that goes with the service you offer since those get more traction with reporters.

Call Us

The above noted technology tools for your franchise business sound amazing, however, they can be a bit hard to get used to at first. Our experts at FranchiseSoft are well aware of the many tools that have been made available for the purpose of helping your franchise to grow.  We offer a complete Franchise Management Software solution that can help franchises manage all aspects of their franchise business.  Combining a full CRM for both the franchise development side of the house and the franchisee’s customer relationship management needs with a full blown marketing automation system and financial reporting across the network, it is quickly becoming the new age in cloud-based Franchise Management Software.  Give us a call today for more information or to request a demo.