Crossing the Border: How Intranet Systems Minimize Miles for International Franchise Companies

"Please leave a message at the tone." This voice mail recording is familiar to the ears of international franchisors trying to communicate with franchisees across thousands of miles and several time zones.

Doing business internationally has some innate challenges. In a word-access. Just ask any franchisor with an international presence. By the same token, franchisees around the world have an ongoing need for support and an insatiable appetite for information on how to better run their businesses. Yet, delivery of these tools in a cost-effective and timely manner can pose challenges when an ocean has been dropped in the middle of your franchisor-franchisee relationship.

Fortunately, modern technology offers a practical, cost-effective way to shorten the distance - and increase the convenience of communicating with franchisees worldwide. Through the use of Intranets, franchise companies can provide their franchisees worldwide with a 24-hour "lifeline" to virtually any information they might need for the business via a private, password protected Web site and support system.

Intranets are ideally suited to enhance communication and support between franchisors, franchisees, approved suppliers and company-owned locations in any part of the world. More than just secure sites where franchisors can post the latest manuals, marketing materials, price lists and supplier information, today's Intranets are dynamic, content-driven sites that promote instant access to information and exchange of ideas. If communication is the key to building a successful international franchise network, then Intranets are the key to building successful communication.

For example, a franchisor can introduce the latest POS system to its franchisees in Europe by "posting" the information on the Intranet, which remains accessible 24/7, rather than hold a conference call at an unreasonable hour to accommodate all time zones.

Some additional considerations that make Intranets an ideal business solution in the world of international franchising are:

• saving travel and postage costs (monetary and productivity)
• keeping franchisees and franchisors connected
• increasing franchisee productivity through real-time, impromptu communications and augmenting core communications tools for more flexibility in keeping in touch.
  
  

Apply it right

While the technology itself is amazing, the key to implementing a successful Intranet support system is how franchisors apply it. Online bulletin boards, quick polls, chat rooms and document forums are easily implemented; however, the trick is to design system that crosses cultural boundaries with ease of use for franchisees, suppliers and management.

Utilizing the "walk before you run" philosophy, international franchisors should consider a "warm-up" period in which to establish a foundation of franchisee users and make them comfortable with basic web technology before introducing more sophisticated features. Intranets must appeal to franchisees before they will use them. You've only got one chance to get them onboard and make them true believers in technology. As such, implementing a phased Intranet strategy and sticking to the plan is often times the best way to gradually increase comfort levels, acceptance and greater Intranet usage one step at a time.

The surge of Intranet usage in international franchising is easily explained. As the communications needs of international franchising continues to evolve, Intranets promise to bring more options, convenience and cost savings for conducting business across borders and time zones. As a result, franchise companies are increasingly turning to Intranets and other web-based technology solutions to extend the reach and accessibility of their communications.

Intranets transcend geographic barriers and offer immediacy like no other medium available, helping franchise companies be more effective in this global and competitive economy. Intranets are raising the bar in web-based communications, presenting franchise companies with multiple opportunities to keep connected and conduct business internationally. Intranets are on the brink of a new frontier in international franchise communications.

Embrace Intranet systems with all you can, and you and your franchisees alike will reap the rewards, including an increased bottom line.

Are you ready to step into the Intranet frontier? To conduct business without boundaries?

About the author: Daniel P. Martin is founder and president of San Diego, Calif.-based IFX Online.com , the leading applications service provider for franchisor-franchisee communications systems. Martin has more than 19 years of franchise structuring and management experience (including hands-on experience as a franchisee) and six years of Intranet development and hosting experience. Since debuting its Intranet system in 1996, IFX has built, developed and hosted systems for more than 100 domestic and international franchise organizations.