30 FRANCHISING WORLD AUGUST 2005

T A M I N G T E C H N O L O G Y

Franchise professionals can directly attributepart of their success to identifying and imple-menting business processes that are reliable,

repeatable and cost-effective.

Technology solutions for accounting, time-tracking and billing, and contact and customermanagement spread success throughout thefranchise organization. Encouraging the usage ofthese software products as part of the small-businessinvestment offers an opportunity for the franchiseeto better understand the business and customersand to begin growing immediately. For thefranchise organization, these applications providethe backbone for reports and communications toview, manage, and support the success of itsfranchisees. From front-office marketing solutionsto back-office integration with other productivitysolutions help franchisors and their business unitsmanage revenue, monitor operations and integratebusiness applications to be more productive andcost efficient.

Everyone wants to gain insight “behind thenumbers” in order to capture more business, growor leverage an installed customer base. The integra-tion of technology solutions into existing franchisebusiness processes, systems and services, orincluded as stand-alone “must have” components, isimportant to the success of the entire franchiseorganization. Accounting software, contactmanagement solutions and time-tracking and billingsoftware, either offered together or separately, addaffordable value to the franchise and winningresults for both the franchisor and the smallbusiness entrepreneur.

Using Technology to Drive GrowthIn today’s cost-conscious environment, technologymay be the best partner of all for franchised smallbusinesses. Whether it’s an effective Web site, agood piece of business management software or apowerful new computer, these tools can support ahost of core activities. However, technology needsto be considered carefully and managed to generatea maximum return on investment. Here are a fewmaxims to consider:

Do not overlook the basics of good computing.

Use technology to ease your loadTechnology alone cannot ignite growth or solve alldevelopment problems. Yet as part of an integratedexpansion strategy, it can provide the extra edge agrowing business needs. Lean on technology tomake quick work of time-consuming manualprocesses, such as number-crunching, check-gener-ation, reports and database marketing. Use it tocapture and manage often-elusive data aboutcustomer contacts and habits. In addition, put it to

Keeping Your Customers in Sight—Getting Insights from Your CustomersAdding Value To The Franchise With Accounting, Contact/Customer Management, and Time Billing Solutions

By Paul B. Baron

work to spot trends that aren’t evident inday-to-day routines.

Choose carefullySmall-to-mid-sized businesses can getcarried away with automation. Byfocusing too much on technology, smallbusinesses can do themselves harm sothey must focus on choosing the righttools from among the many technologyoptions available. Comparison-shoppingis important, as is looking for vendorsthat offer interoperable, expandable andscalable products that can grow withyour company. Companies that offersolutions for both small and mid-marketbusinesses may be able to offer a desir-able “one-stop shop” and smoothmigration path for the life of a business,as well as the corporate needs of theparent of multi-unit operations.

Consider a simple solutionNot every business challenge requires afull-fledged technology hammer. Forexample, if an accounting package isbeyond the current abilities or budget,try using a single credit card for allbusiness purchases. With most credit

cards today, companies can downloadspending data from the Internet toanalyze. Alternatively, use a softwareprogram that will provide reports anddata to outsource business needs, suchas payroll services or tax requirements,to an independent accountant orbookkeeper.

Practice smart computingWhether the franchise buys software orbuilds its own tools in-house, do notoverlook the basics of good computing.Technology is only as reliable as thepeople using i t . Outl ine a set oftechnology procedures for securing datafrom outside eyes and equipment failure.Ensure that all employees are familiarwith the procedures and follow them. Ifa company re l ies on technology,guarantee that backup capabilities aresound.

Look at outsourcingRapid growth often leaves little time formanaging a technology department.That’s why some companies consideroutsourcing. Very small businesses tendto err on the side of doing too much in-

house. Even if it makes financial sensefor personnel to write an essential pieceof software, the cost of maintaining andupdating the software in the future maynot have been factored in. Ask thesetwo questions: Will it take less time,e f fo r t and cos t to manage theoutsourcing relationship than it would tocomplete the task in-house? Is theproduct or activity being considered foroutsourcing so far outs ide of thebusiness that mastering it will notadvance the core competence andstrategy? If the answer is “yes” to both,then outsourcing is likely to be the rightanswer.

Accounting solutions—successbegins with better insight behind thenumbers

If accounting is more than just“keeping score” and is essential tomaking better business decisions, thenoffer franchisees a solution that is easy touse and will produce the informationupon which some of the most importantdecisions are based. Both franchiseesand franchising systems need the

www.sagesoftware.com

Contact franchise@bestsoftware.com

866-290-0788

Manage YourNumbersPeachtree by Sageaccounting softwareis for owners ofsuccessful, growth-oriented businesseswho want the insightbehind their numbers.

Manage YourCustomersACT! by Sage is the #1contact and customermanagement solution— used by millions tobuild relationships andget results.

Manage Your TimeTimeslips by Sage isideal for anyone whobills for their servicesand wants to turnmore of their time intomoney.

Franchising Success Powered by Sage Software

Adding Value to Support Growth

• Branding

• Customization

• POS Integration

• Training & Support

AUGUST 2005 FRANCHISING WORLD 31

(Continued on page 32)

business analysis tools that can helpmanage the organization more effec-tively and more profitably, whether it’sfor one location or 10,000. Goodaccoun t ing so f tware wi l l he lpfranchisees better manage their books,business, and Internet presence by deliv-ering features that provide the valuableinsight needed for success. Both thefranchisor and the small-business ownerwant to be able to review crucialelements of the operation instantly toquickly spot potential problems andopportunities—and react accordingly.

Customer and contact manage-ment solutions—make contact, buildrelationships and get results.

Small businesses require a centralizedplace to organize key customer dataeasily. This used to be the Rolodex orfile cabinet. Now, with e-mail, the Web,direct mail, telephone, fax, mobilecommunications and personal digitalassistants, successful businesses need toget and give answers quickly and reliablyto make contac ts fee l impor tant .Franchisees require an easy-to-usesolution that will track and managecontact information, sales opportunities,calendars, to-do lists, reports, correspon-dence and more. Contact managementsoftware helps individuals and teamsmanage customer relationships bybuilding more solid relationships. These

results will help companies to optimizesales results and increase the bottomline. Histories of past calls, meetings andnotes about follow-up and potentialopportunities are easily accessible tohelp users stay on top of their schedules.

Time-tracking and billing solutionsTime-tracking and billing are specializedprocesses that are critical to organiza-tions and service professionals who trackprojects and bill for their time, such ascontractors, lawyers, accountants,consultants and engineers. If yourfranchise falls into this category, consideradopting a time and services billingsolution to support the success of thebusiness. This software will helpmaximize profitability by reducing thetime spent on administrative tasks whileaccurately capturing time and properlydocumenting project-oriented andbillable tasks. Additionally, the range ofreporting capabilities, including pre-packaged and customizable reports,offers the insight to help better under-stand the business and make betterdecisions. Whether the model is a one-person independent, a small, two-personoffice or a large organization with manypartners and associates, time and billingsolutions help to optimize the efforts andthe billings.

Use What You BuyOnce firms have invested the capital for

a new software application, “industrialstrength” printer or point of sale system,use the investment to its maximumpotential. Get to know the capabilitiesof the purchased technology and usethem to help expand. For example,accounting software not only can keepthe books, but it can also discover trendsin customers’ payments that can allowfranchises to predict cash flow in thefuture. As this example suggests, ITacquisitions not only need to adapt asthe business grows, but also to identifyemerging patterns and red-flag opera-tional problems. This informationcombines to provide companies with theinformation they need to keep thecompany’s growth strategy on course.

Integration of accounting solutions,contact-management and time-trackingand billing software, as well as point-of-sale systems in retail establishments, canbe an additional step to aid small-business success. Successful franchisorswho include these applications as part ofa complete solution are delivering thetools and training that support and accel-erate the growth of their franchise systemand of their company-operated andfranchised business units. n

Paul Baron is director of newbusiness development, fran-chise systems of Sage Software,North America. He can be

reached at paul.baron@sage.com.

32 FRANCHISING WORLD AUGUST 2005

(Continued from page 31)

Franchisors Need:• To deliver value within the

franchise package that willsupport the success and growth ofthe franchisee.

• Useful reporting functionality toget the information they need tobetter analyze the overallbusiness.

• To distribute sales leads and trackprogress and success.

• Easy start-up, with necessarytraining and support.

Franchisees Need:• To track and manage customers,

job estimates, sales, quotes, inven-tory, ordering and payroll.

• Bookkeeping and paymentprocessing, including invoicing,credit card, accounts receivableand POS.

• Organized scheduling andreminders.

• E-mail and marketing tools to stayin touch with customers andcapture new business.

• Ease of use, training, and support.