7 Tips for Choosing the Perfect CRM for Your Franchise Network

Do you need a CRM that supports your franchise network?

A franchise CRM is an essential tool for any franchisor. It can help manage and support the franchisees in your network, as well as track sales and performance.

But did you know that not all CRMs are created equal?

In fact, there are many different types of CRMs on the market today, each designed for a specific type of business.

But with so many different CRMs on the market, how do you choose the right one for your franchise network?

In this blog post, we've put together a handy guide to help you make the decision easier. We'll take you through the key factors to consider when choosing a CRM, and provide tips on how to find the perfect system for your needs.

Here are our 7 tips on how to choose the perfect CRM for your franchise network.

Tip #1 - Choosing Between a Franchise CRM and a Standard CRM

Running a franchise has many more complexities than operating a standalone business. That’s why it’s important to consider the type of CRM that will best fit your needs.

So, the first thing you need to decide is which type of CRM you need.

Do you need a franchise CRM? Or would a standard CRM suffice?

To help you make this decision, let's take a look at the key differences between these two types of CRMs.

Franchise CRM

A franchise CRM is designed specifically for franchising and includes features that support both the franchisor and the franchisees.

A franchise software CRM will typically offer features such as:

• Having all franchisee CRM accounts connected to the master franchisor account
• Sales pipelines to manage your franchise sales processes more efficiently
• Support for franchisor-franchisee communication
• The ability of the franchisor to share email marketing templates and campaigns
• A centralized customer database
• Tracking of franchise sales and performance
• Helps manage and support the franchisees in your network
• A franchise CRM can be used by both the franchisor and the franchisees
• Real-time reporting on all of your franchise locations

Standard CRM

Standard CRM is a good choice for businesses that don't have franchisees, or for those that want a CRM with more general features.

Some examples of features that standard CRM software offers are:

• Lead and opportunity management
• Contact management
• Sales pipeline tracking
• Reporting and analytics
• Customizable workflow
• Integration with third-party apps and software
• Mobile access

A standard CRM is not designed specifically for franchising and may not have all the features and functionality that a franchise needs.

Franchise CRM software, on the other hand, is designed specifically for franchises and includes features that support your franchise network.

Tip #2 - Understand Your Franchise Needs

Start by looking at your business needs and priorities to determine which CRM software you will need. What type of franchise do you have?

What are your goals? What features and functionality does your franchise need in a CRM?

Some things to consider include:

• Do you need a system to help onboarding new franchisees? If so, look for a system with features that will support automating these processes.
• Do you need to track franchise territory sales and performance? If so, look for franchise management software with reporting and analytics features.
• Do you need to support franchisor-franchisee communication? If so, look for a CRM communication platform to facilitate easy communication between you and your franchisees.

By understanding your needs, you'll be able to narrow down your options and find a CRM that's the perfect fit for your business. A CRM system should make your job easier and help you manage your franchise business more effectively.

Tip #3 - Evaluate the Software Features

Now that you know what type of CRM you need and understand your franchise needs, it's time to evaluate some software features.

Factors to consider when evaluating features include:

Main functionality: Does the software have the main features and functionality that you need?

Usability: Is the software easy to use? Can your employees or franchisees learn how to use it quickly?

Flexibility: Is the software flexible enough to meet your changing needs? Can you customize it to fit your business? This is an important feature to consider for any business that is franchising.

Integrations: Does the software integrate with the other software and systems that you use?

Security: Is the software secure? Does it have the security features that you need to protect your data?

Mobility: Can you access the software from mobile devices?

Help & Support: Does the software offer help and support? Is there someone you can contact if you have questions or need assistance?

By evaluating CRM features, you can narrow down your options and you'll be able to make a more informed decision about which CRM system you should choose to support your franchise network.

Pro Tip: The Power of Using Franchise Management Software with Sales and Marketing Automation

Tip #4 - Further Exploring Software Feature Specifics

Now that you understand the core features of CRMs, let’s take a deeper look into franchise and business-tailored implementations that exist within them.

Lead Tracking and Management

A good CRM will have the ability to track leads and franchise sales and should also include features like lead scoring, as well as an assignment so you can prioritize follow-up.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

The CRM system should help you manage your customer relationships. It should have features like contact management, customer segmentation, and a centralized customer database.

Contact Management

Good CRM software should store the contact information in one central location. This way, you can easily track communications and manage your relationships with customers, prospects, and franchisees.

Collaboration and Communication

Additionally, a good CRM system should help you communicate and collaborate with franchisees. Your franchise software should assist franchisees from various franchise units to communicate and share information more effectively.

This CRM system should have features like a central place for communication, a community site where franchisees can share ideas and ask questions, the ability to share news and updates, and the ability to find all the information they need from one central place.

Form Builder

Your CRM software should have a form builder so you can easily create and manage forms. This is helpful for things like lead capture, event registration, and survey responses.

Email Marketing

The CRM should have email marketing capabilities so you can easily send mass emails to your franchisees, customers, or new franchise prospects. Look for features like template creation and email tracking so you can measure the success of your campaigns.

Text Message Marketing

Your CRM should also have text message marketing capabilities. This way, you can easily send bulk texts to your franchisees, customers, or new franchise prospects. Look for features like template creation and text tracking so you can measure the success of your campaigns.

Appointments and Tasks

The CRM software should have a calendar feature so you can easily schedule appointments and tasks. This way, you can stay organized and on top of your to-do list.

Tip #5 - Make Sure the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Has Workflow and Marketing Automation Capabilities

Aside from the features mentioned above, you also want to make sure that your CRM system has workflow and marketing automation capabilities.

This is a critical component that you'll need in order to manage your franchise network effectively.

Workflow Automation: The CRM software should have customizable workflows so you can automate repetitive tasks. This way, you can save time and increase efficiency.

Automating CRM workflow processes means you may automate activities that you'd previously do manually. This could include franchise onboarding workflows, sending welcome emails to new customers or new franchisees, or automating your lead capture process.

Marketing Automation: The CRM should also have marketing automation capabilities. This way, you can easily create and manage your marketing campaigns and save time.

Marketing automation refers to software that automates the sales process as well as marketing processes. This could include things like email marketing, social media campaigns, and targeted ads.

Both workflow and marketing automation are important capabilities that you'll need in order to save time, increase efficiency and manage your franchise network effectively.

Real-Time Reporting and Analytics

Lastly, the CRM system you choose should offer reporting and analytics features. This way, you can track franchise performance, sales metrics, and KPIs.

By considering the features of the CRM software, you can make sure that you're getting a system that has everything you need to support your franchise network.

Tip #6 - Does the CRM Have Franchise Management Capabilities?

You want to make sure that the CRM system has franchise management capabilities.

Although there are lots of CRM systems on the market, not all of them have franchise management capabilities. So it's important to make sure that the system you choose has this capability.

This is an important feature to look for because it will help you manage your franchise network more effectively.

Franchise management capabilities mean that the CRM system is designed to support both franchisors and franchisees.

This includes features like franchise management, franchise segmentation, and a central hub for all franchise-related communications. This way, you can easily manage your franchise network, track performance, and communicate with franchisees.

By choosing a CRM system with franchise management capabilities such as Pulse Technology, you can be sure that you're getting a complete suite of franchise management tools that are designed to support your franchise network.

Tip #7 - Consider The Cost

Last, but not least, be sure to also consider the price of the software. You want to make sure that you choose a system that's affordable and fits within your budget.

The price of the software will vary depending on the features and capabilities that you need. So be sure to consider the cost when making your decision.

There are a lot of CRM systems on the market and they all have different features and pricing plans. So it's important to compare the cost of the different systems before making a decision.

By considering the cost, you can be sure that you're choosing a system that's affordable and has the features of everything you need to manage your franchise network.

Conclusion

Operating multi-location businesses is no easy task. But with the right franchise CRM in place, you can make managing your franchise network a breeze.

A good franchise CRM system should help you manage multiple franchise locations, track franchise sales and performance, support franchisor-franchisee communication, and be easy to use.

By understanding your needs and evaluating the software features, you can narrow down your options and find a CRM that's perfect for your franchise network.

Keep the tips mentioned above in mind when choosing a franchise CRM system and you'll be sure to find the perfect one for your needs.

Pulse Technology has all of the features and capabilities that you need to manage your franchise network effectively. So if you're looking for a franchise CRM system, be sure to check us out.

Request a demo today to see how our software can help you manage and grow your franchise network.

Don't wait any longer, contact us now and see how we can help you manage your franchise network more effectively!