What the Franchise Council of Australia can do for franchisees
As the nation’s peak body for franchising, the Franchise Council of Australia (FCA) is a valuable resource for this vibrant and valuable sector, offering support and guidance to franchisors, franchisees and service providers.
And while it is the FCA’s role to support the sector as a whole, there are specific benefits the FCA can provide to franchisees as they progress through their franchise journey.
Membership benefits for franchisees
As a franchisee, membership of the FCA will most likely be through your franchisor’s corporate membership – which entitles franchisees to the benefits of belonging to the FCA.
These benefits include activities such as the FCA’s representation and advocacy to governments and stakeholders on behalf of the sector, as well as the ability to attend the FCA’s educational and networking events at member rates and to gain accreditation through the Certified Franchise Executive program, which is the only internationally recognised professional accreditation program for franchise executives.
Franchisees also have the opportunity to enter the FCA’s Excellence in Franchising Awards and the ability to attend the annual National Franchise Convention (NFC), where franchisees are entitled to a 70 per cent discount on the cost of registration.
With a number of award categories specifically designed to recognise the success of outstanding franchisees, the Excellence in Franchising Awards, which are open to franchisees of FCA member organisations, provide franchisees with an unparalleled opportunity to gain recognition for their successes.
The National Franchise Convention, which will this year be held from 8-10 October on Gold Coast, is Australia’s biggest franchise event. At the NFC, leading franchise brands share their expertise and experience in a packed program of panels, roundtables, masterclasses (including a dedicated franchisee masterclass) and keynote presentations. For franchisees, it’s a unique opportunity to network with business leaders while building their franchising knowledge base.
Find out more at: www.nationalfranchiseconvention.org.au
The value of these benefits to franchisees cannot be underestimated.
“I’ve been actively involved with the FCA as a member for seven years,” says Jane Lombard, Franchisee at The Franchise Shop NSW/ACT and Fifo Capital.
“Over that time the FCA has been an invaluable resource to me and has provided me with the opportunity to expand my business network and further my franchising education by attending a range of events, as a member of the FCA’s NSW State Chapter Committee, through participation in the Certified Franchise Executive program and through my involvement in the FCA’s Excellence in Franchising Award’s program. I’d highly recommend becoming involved with the FCA to any franchisee who is interested to be part of the greater franchising community.”
Ryan Willsher, Franchisee at Finn Franchise Brokers and winner of the WA Multi Unit Franchisee of the Year Award at the FCA’s 2017 WA Excellence in Franchising Awards, echoes these sentiments.
“The two biggest benefits I have gained from the FCA as a member are networking and education,” Ryan says.
“Getting to know the rest of the franchise community in Western Australia and throughout Australia has been invaluable.Meeting people from different franchise brands and suppliers to the sector at educational and social events, including the Excellence in Franchising Awards, has really helped to build my professional network and grow my business.
“I’ve only missed one National Franchise Convention since becoming an FCA member and really enjoy the program content and hearing from experts, including international speakers, sharing their experiences and providing information and ideas that I can use to drive further success in my franchise business.”
Resources for franchisees
The FCA website, www.franchise.org.au, is your first port of call for more information about franchising, providing resources to assist franchisees right from the first steps of considering purchasing a franchise business. For those considering purchasing a franchise the FCA’s The Franchisee Guide is available to purchase through the FCA bookshop on the FCA website. This, alongside other publications provides a broad overview of the various aspects involved in becoming a franchisee, including suitability, legalities and what to expect from your franchisor.
If and when you decide to become a franchisee, you will also require an understanding of workplace compliance and financial management that you may not have needed to learn in your previous career. As a small business owner, you are responsible for managing the day-to-day financial operations of your franchise business, and possibly also managing employees.
It’s prudent to be aware of some of the workplace issues that may arise as an employer, and in that regard the FCA site is also your portal to access online education resources provided by regulatory bodies including the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO).
Through the FCA website, FCA members can access free online learning courses from the FWO Online Learning Centre on topics including diversity and discrimination, workplace flexibility, managing performance, hiring employees and managing employees.
Find out more at: www.franchise.org.au/fairwork-ombudsman-online-courses
FCA HR Help Desk
The FCA recognises its members face a wide range of HR and employment law compliance challenges, and the importance of obtaining the right advice to ensure any such issues are addressed in a timely manner, and most importantly, to ensure that franchisees and franchisors meet their compliance requirements.
With this in mind, the FCA and its partner HR Central, the HR specialists for the franchising sector, are proud to offer our members a unique and specialised HR Help Desk service to ensure members obtain the best advice regarding compliance and best practice around all things HR.
The FCA HR Central Help Desk provides members with exclusive access to the FCA HR Central’s free dedicated Help Desk and speak to a HR Specialist who will assess your situation and provide you with a personalised solution for your business, with no charge for the phone call, or advice/guidelines given by the specialist. If required, a further appointment and/or proposal can be arranged with the consultant, and any fees for these services will be outlined to the member so they can make an informed decision of whether to proceed with obtaining more detailed advice.
The HR Help Desk can provide support for franchisees on matters including, but not limited to: hiring and managing staff; assistance with mitigation of risk/loss of earnings; and ensuring compliance requirements are met.
To contact the HR Help Desk, please call 1300 032 247 (13000 FCA HR) within office hours.
www.franchise.org.au