Franchise Accounting Pain Solved
Franchising World / February 2022 During times of economic challenges, franchising systems tend to remain strong. COVID-19 represented an opportunity in the franchising world, as people were laid off and furloughed due to an unprecedented pandemic. Many took the opportunity to bet on themselves and took the entrepreneurial path to business ownership through owning a franchise. People invest in a franchise because they have a community of support behind them and a proven business model. In addition, the era of COVID-19 presented multiple government programs to support ownership. The result is growth in franchising communities. Creating success is a team effort as franchisees wear many hats. A vital part of creating a successful and mutually beneficial franchisor-franchisee relationship is timely financial insight. Many franchisees rely on a traditional CPA to deliver their financials, but find that the accounting industry is falling behind in terms of technology and cannot provide the monthly reports in a timely manner. Others may resort to do-it-yourself accounting, which cuts into the time that could be spent on sales, marketing and other activities to grow the franchise. The solution lies in the digitization of traditional services, such as expert cloud-based bookkeeping and accounting. This gives valuable time back to franchisees and provides timely, actionable insight to franchisors, which helps them work together to expand the business. Digital Transformation in Franchise Financials When cloud-based accounting is paired with the support of an expert accounting team, franchisees enjoy innovative solutions for their financial needs, including digital bookkeeping along with bank and credit card reconciliation — all done through a tax-saving lens. Each month, key financial reports are generated in their online accounting platform in a timely manner and available to be sent out to the franchisor. A vital part of creating a successful and mutually beneficial franchisor-franchisee relationship is timely financial insight.” For franchisors, timely access to franchisee financials presents the opportunity to understand top-performing trends and best practices. This also enables franchisors to provide guidance and insight to support the growth and success of their franchise community. With the modernization of business, traditional accounting services are falling behind in supporting companies due to a lack of expertise in technology trends in digital-first industries. Non-specialized CPAs may lack the specific knowledge required for franchise bookkeeping, technological connectivity, and time to support the franchisee. Traditional accounting also requires high proficiency and time to accomplish all the necessary tasks. If the franchisee chooses to do their own accounting, it could take time away from other activities essential for growing the business. By pairing cutting-edge software with expert support, cloud-based accounting provides franchisees with accurate, up-to-date financial data. Franchisors are able to focus on expanding their franchise, while the finance experts behind the accounting platform deliver timely insights each month. Franchisees can also use the real-time information to make informed business decisions and seek support from franchisors as early and often as needed. “A vital part of creating a successful and mutually beneficial franchisor-franchisee relationship is timely financial insight.” Accuracy in Item 19 In addition to bolstering franchisee success, timely financial insight helps franchisors answer the number one question asked by prospective franchisees: “How much money will I make?” To respond to questions about profitability, franchisors need to consolidate data from franchisees’ Profit and Loss Statements for Item 19. Item 19 is the franchisor’s opportunity to make oral or written representations about the financial performance of their business and the average net profit of their franchise community. Accuracy is critical to establishing trust and transparency in the sale process to new franchisees. In IFA’s 2021 Economic Outlook for Franchising, FRANdata projected franchise employment to produce nearly 800,000 jobs in the United States by the end of 2021, with franchise establishments increasing at a rate of 3.5 percent. With more and more individuals exploring the franchise space, franchisors have the opportunity to attract new, qualified and forward thinking franchisee candidates. Detailed financial disclosures instill a sense of trust and honesty, enabling franchisors to secure the ideal franchisees for their growing franchise community.” Including Item 19 enables franchisors to provide a complete picture of their franchise’s financial health and set a standard of transparency, while remaining compliant with franchise laws. It gives potential franchisees a data-driven estimate of how profitable they could be by joining the franchise, and enables them to weigh their options and make an informed decision. Detailed financial disclosures instill a sense of trust and honesty, enabling franchisors to secure the ideal franchisees for their growing franchise community. Looking Ahead Accurate and timely financial information is the key to unlocking success for franchisors and franchisees alike. Franchisees thrive on flexible, personalized bookkeeping and accounting support for financial compliance and the reporting necessary to grow their business. Franchisors depend on streamlined reporting to disclose revenue and profit information to prospective owners and provide key performance indicators for new franchisees. As the business world undergoes a digital transformation, cloud-based accounting offers modern franchise businesses the tools they need today to prepare for tomorrow. Lil Roberts is CEO and founder of xendoo, a cloud-based fintech company that specializes in online bookkeeping and accounting for small businesses. For more information about International Franchise Association (IFA) supplier member xendoo, visit franchise.org/suppliers/xendoo-inc.
How Franchisors Can Build a Strong Item 19
How Much Money Can I Make? As franchisors work to sell franchises, one question they will always be asked is, “how much money can I make?”. The answer to this question can be found within one section of the Franchise Disclosure Document: Item 19. In order to create a compelling Item 19, franchisors need financial data on the performance of each franchise location. Typically, it is up to the franchisees to keep their books up to date and share that data with the franchisor. But, like many small business owners, they juggle countless responsibilities, may not understand the complexities of accounting, and bookkeeping understandably falls by the wayside. An Expert Team Without the right tools, building a strong Item 19 can feel like a massive undertaking. But, with the support of a franchise bookkeeping team, franchisors can receive timely, accurate information that will help them build a compelling Item 19! What is Item 19? Item 19 is a section in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), a document that must be presented to individuals who want to purchase a franchise. The purpose of Item 19 is for franchisors to lay out the financial performance representations (FPR) of the franchise. It paints a picture of how potential franchisees can expect to perform and estimates how much money they could make should they join the franchise. Why is Item 19 Important? Item 19 is more than just a rundown of financial performance. It is a powerful tool that aids in decision making, builds trust between the franchisor and potential franchisee, and sets realistic expectations. Decision Making. A strong Item 19 helps franchisors attract and select the ideal franchisee candidates. It also ensures that a franchise brand is a solid investment, and helps the franchisee compare their options to determine if they are joining a successful business. Trust and Transparency. Item 19 signifies financial transparency and creates trust between the franchisor and potential franchisee. It shows that a franchisor knows their numbers, and has no issue disclosing them. The more information that can be provided on financial performance, the better. This transparency creates strong relationships between franchisors and their franchisees. Realistic Expectations. Item 19 allows the franchisor to set realistic expectations for financial performance. While a franchise may be profitable as a whole, individual success can vary. An Item 19 that contains data-backed projections of how much potential franchisees could realistically make provides the clarity they need to make an informed decision. How to Build a Strong Item 19 What do franchisors need to build a strong Item 19? Put simply, clear, accurate financials. The key elements that create a powerful Item 19 are: Average Gross Profit Average Gross Sales Cost breakdowns of goods and services Operating cost insights EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) Industry-specific data points (number of customers served, number of services provided or products sold, etc.) These metrics provide financial insight into the franchise, clearly lay out the costs and obligations of a franchise purchase, and set realistic expectations for financial performance. The amount of information franchisors are able to share in Item 19 largely depends on the information their franchisees deliver. How can franchisees provide reliable, accurate information to their franchisors? It comes down to consistent monthly bookkeeping. The Necessary Resources Franchises have unique needs when it comes to bookkeeping and accounting, such as tracking royalties and advertising fees, and sometimes, multi-currency support. All of it needs to be properly recorded in accounting software so monthly reports can be produced. Franchisors need a team of trusted experts with knowledge of the franchise space, so they can receive accurate data from their franchisees. Consistent Monthly Bookkeeping. In order for franchisors to build a strong Item 19, they need up-to-date financial records for each franchise location. A bookkeeper can provide visibility into financial performance on the franchisee’s behalf, so franchisors have access to the information they need across all locations. An online bookkeeping service is particularly helpful in this situation. Instead of hiring multiple bookkeepers, the franchisor can rely on a single provider who delivers uniform services for each location – no matter where they are located. Accurate, Up-to-Date Reports. Accurate monthly reports are crucial to creating a solid Item 19, as all information is legally required to be accurate, truthful, and backed by numbers. A well-documented financial history showcases franchise growth and profitability and helps franchisors create a compelling Item 19. Expert Bookkeeping for Franchise Businesses xendoo Online Bookkeeping is a leading provider of online bookkeeping and accounting services for franchise businesses. Our franchise-focused team provides franchisors with timely report delivery and visibility into financial performance for each location. Are we a fit for your franchise? Let’s talk! Schedule your free consultation today.
Five Customer Loyalty Tricks for Fitness Franchisees
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in October 2017 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness. As a fitness franchise owner, you know the challenges of getting new members through the door, even in the best of times. It’s never been easy, but the fitness industry has been one of the hardest hit by COVID-19, with value brands representing the largest share of losses in the industry. Major gym franchises like Gold’s Gym have filed for bankruptcy protection, and others may soon follow. Polling has shown that as many as 60% of Americans either have canceled or are planning to cancel their gym membership due to financial hardship or concerns about safety. Simultaneously, the growth of digital and at-home fitness products has added to the pressure on gyms, with Peloton doubling its sales in 2020. So, in that environment, how do you get new customers through the door and convince your existing customers to remain loyal? We can start by taking a cue from one outlier in the value gym segment that has shown more resiliency than its competitors through the pandemic. The Anytime Fitness franchise rolled out a comprehensive COVID-19 policy to protect their members’ and staff’s safety and begun offering advance reservations to secure a spot when capacity is limited. When customers have confidence that you are genuinely looking out for their best interests, they are more likely to remain loyal. But beyond just building trust among your members, there are some other things you can do to encourage customer loyalty in this most challenging of times. Loyalty Rewards Program Have you ever noticed that it seems like every store you go into wants you to join their rewards program? Well, there’s a reason for that – it works. Create a rewards program for your loyal customers with some nice little freebies to help keep them engaged. This might take the form of a free t-shirt after ten visits, or maybe a free post-workout smoothie with every 10 purchased. You can get very creative with this, so don’t be afraid to experiment. Never underestimate the power of free swag for customer loyalty. Everyone wants to feel special. Frequent Customer Discounts Many gym members, particularly in the value segment, care just as much about the size of their wallets as the size of their jeans, so giving them a discount on a product or service is a great way to boost customer engagement. This might be a discount on a personal training session within the next month, or possibly a coupon for deals on gym apparel. Gym apparel is a particularly desirable thing to encourage because, in addition to the revenue from the sale, you get the added benefit of free advertising for your fitness franchise every time the customer wears it. Referral Rewards Let’s face it – we all have that one annoying friend who can’t stop going on about how great his or her fitness studio or workout program is. Well, that’s exactly who you want to be your customer, so you need to create a compelling reason for that person to be your customer. Create a referral rewards program and offer a membership discount for each new customer brought in on a referral. You’ll soon find your membership roster – and your bottom line – growing steadily. Premium Memberships Take a cue from companies with the most loyal followings and offer VIP or premium membership packages. Do a little up-selling. The key here is to create a value proposition that’s compelling enough to entice your customers to pay a little more without eating into your bottom line. If a member is already paying $30 per month for a basic membership, he or she would probably be willing to pay $35 or $40 to add free tanning or a free monthly workout with a personal trainer. It can be tricky to find the right balance for your package, but this is a great way to reward your most loyal customers if done right. Run Contests Contests can be a great way to keep your members engaged with the club and create valuable rewards for members who participate. You might run a contest with a free gym t-shirt or duffel bag to the member with the most visits during the month, or possibly a “Biggest Loser” type contest with a free month of membership as the prize. You can also incorporate social media into your content strategy by encouraging people to share, like, and comment on your content. Give members who complete one workout and check in on Facebook during the next month a raffle ticket to a drawing for a free duffel bag or another prize. Focus on Your Core Business Business owners are notoriously bad at time management, spending too much time on things that others can do and not enough on what an owner should be doing – growing the business. Offload time-consuming administrative tasks to employees or an outside firm. Consider outsourcing your bookkeeping and accounting, which is one of the biggest time vampires in an owner’s day. By getting those off your plate, you can have time to spend on thinking up creative ways to engage with your members and drive loyalty at a time when you need it most. So what’s the best way to boost customer loyalty at your gym franchise? Start by taking your own gym’s advice and just do it. Set a goal and commit to seeing it through. Start with these tips, but don’t just stop there. Be creative and come up with other ideas, and then let us show you how xendoo can help your fitness franchises become more profitable with a free trial. Let’s start building that customer loyalty muscle together! [av_sidebar widget_area=’Blog Post Disclaimer’ av_uid=’av-om2w’]
