They grabbed the ball.
When the opportunity arose to build a new 1000 m2 store next to their Weldom franchise in Bagnols-sur-Cèze (Gard), Marco Lucca and his son Antoine saw two advantages: expanding their real estate assets and creating a new activity with a franchise Boulanger store.
“There was clearly a lack of supply in household appliances in our city and the opportunity to build does not present itself every morning
,” smile the Lucca family, father and son.
The tandem operates, in addition to the Boulanger point of sale and their two Weldom stores in Bagnols-sur-Cèze, another of this brand in Sommières (Gard).
Operating, like the Lucca, several franchised points of sale is a change of dimension.
This requires the business manager to step up and delegate daily management to field executives.
The key to success lies above all in recruitment, emphasize Marco and Antoine Lucca.
“In both Weldom and Boulanger, we have top teams.
Without that, it can't work
,” says Marco Lucca who, for thirty years, has implemented a profit-sharing policy which corresponds
to “a thirteenth month, almost a fourteenth in good years”
.
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Franchisees of a VillaVerde garden center, two Weldom stores and an Intersport point of sale in the same department of Gard, brothers Thomas and Benoît Gleyze recently took over the business from their father, Jacques.
Each store is, like the Luccas, operated by a different company.
It is a classic principle so that the activity of one does not have an impact on the others.
Everything is overseen by a holding company which manages the group's support services.
“The first Thursday of the month, we bring together our four directors for a day to discuss everyone’s problems,”
says Thomas Gleyze.
With other employees, regular discussion times are also organized on transversal themes concerning human resources.
It could be about our internal newsletter, the incentive contract or the creation of inter-store challenges.”
“Find good managers”
According to Thomas Gleyze, the diversity of brands in his group constitutes an asset provided that employees can freely discuss the themes that concern them.
“At Intersport, there is a strong impact of sales which does not affect Weldom.
As for VillaVerde, we manage living things there, which leads to yet another organization of work
,” analyzes the manager.
If these business leaders interest their directors in the results of their stores, they have not - although the question arises - taken the step of opening the capital of their companies to their closest collaborators.
There are levels.
Some of our multi-franchisees have found themselves in difficulty with three establishments, in particular because they cannot be everywhere
Christophe Fargier, creator of Ninkasi ads
An initiative that Julien Jamois, Easy Cash multi-franchisee in Brittany, did not hesitate to implement.
“I do what my uncle did with me when I joined these companies,”
says this 36-year-old Breton.
We gradually cede significant shares of capital to directors who have the profile and the desire.
The mechanism is simple: they have the possibility of reinvesting their bonuses and dividends by converting them into shares of the company.
This is how we grow together with the right people.”
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“Finding the right managers is the key,”
confirm Hervé and Sophie Hamelet, owners of four bakeries and pastries (feuillette tea room in Aube).
“However, we must be present daily in each establishment
,” explain those for whom franchise entrepreneurship has played the role of accelerator of their ambitions.
They currently employ 170 people and generate 12 million euros in turnover... They are already planning new openings, with another concept, of course, but still the same franchisor.
Recognized by the boss
Is managing several points of sale given to everyone?
Obviously not.
“There are levels.
Some of our multi-franchisees have found themselves in difficulty with three establishments, in particular because they cannot be everywhere
,” says Christophe Fargier, creator of the Ninkasi pubs (25 establishments).
These are places of life which are embodied by their leaders.
Customers like to be recognized by the boss.”
According to the manager, the fact, particularly for a network that is still young, of having too many multi-franchisees, can also prove somewhat difficult for the brand.
“If the network only grows with the same people,”
analyzes Christophe Fargier,
“it benefits less from the freshness of mind of the new entrants.
However, new blood and renewal, in a network, are essential.”
Pluri or multi?
When opening several points of sale, the franchisee becomes, depending on the case, multi-franchisee, multi-franchisee, or even both at the same time.
Although the two words have a similar meaning, they nevertheless designate two different realities. The multi-franchisee operates several points of sale which are all open under the same brand.
The multi-franchisee, for his part, manages points of sale under different brands.
Nothing prevents a business manager from being both multi- and multi-franchise.
It's a way of not putting all your eggs in one basket.
It is also a way to capitalize on your experience to develop several businesses.